Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes

For when I am craving pancakes, these are perfect! They are filling, and full of good-for-you REAL food. If you are a fan of the Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes from I-Hop, these are remarkably similar.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Quaker Oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
2 teaspoons brown sugar*
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*optional (the sugar, according to me, isn't necessary, but Kyle thinks it is)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine, like flour. Remove oats from food processor and place in large mixing bowl. Add nuts to food processor. Pulse until desired texture.
2. Preheat griddle or skillet to medium to medium low heat.
3. Combine dry ingredients separately from wet ingredients, then mix together. 
4. Lightly butter a skillet or griddle. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet and cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until brown.

NOTES:
These are pretty tricky to cook: they don't spread out like normal pancakes, so attempt to get them as even as possible when initially pouring the batter in. Also unlike regular pancakes, they don't bubble up when they are done on one side. Watch the batter, and when you see it cooked halfway through, turn it. They have a tendency to not get cooked in the middle, so make sure to wait long enough on both sides to cook through.

I like to use pure Maple syrup with these, and a little bit of grass-fed butter to top it off. But they are great with blueberries, or fruit (whole, or pureed).