I love pancakes and it is not infrequent in our house that pancakes are part of the dinner meal as well as the breakfast meal. And since my three-year-old loves pancakes as much as I do, I can even sneak some healthy ingredients in the batter and she doesn’t even know it. Good tip for all you parents out there who want your kids to eat healthier: if it is in a pancake, your kids just might try it. While I haven’t tried this with vegetables (I think even my three-year-old would get wise to peas poking out of her pancake), fruits, oats, and potatoes have all found their way into our pancakes. It is also a quick and easy dinner idea for those nights when you don’t feel like taking a lot of time to cook.

Apple Pancakes

1 small apple

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Core and slice the apple into pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, egg, and oil. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Add in the apple pieces. Pour the batter onto a heated griddle, flipping it to brown the pancake on both sides. Serves 4.

Oat Pancakes

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Put a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, oil, and lemon juice. Pour this mixture into the well. Mix it just until moistened. Pour the batter onto a hot griddle and turn when bubbles form on top of the pancake. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Serves 6.

Baked Peach Pancake

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced peaches

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

ground nutmeg

sour cream, optional

In a small bowl, add the peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and set to the side for now. In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat until they are fluffy. Then mix in the flour, milk and salt. Mix well. Put the butter into an oven-proof 10-inch skillet. Put it in a 400 degree oven to melt (3 to 5 minutes). Pour the batter into the hot skillet right away. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pancake has risen and is puffed up. Take it out of the oven and add the peach slices mixture. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg and serve with sour cream.