Heart-Healthy Power Granola Pancakes

Recipe courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1/3 cup tart cherry juice
2 cups low-fat pancake mix
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup granola
1 whole egg
1/4 cup egg substitute
2 cups 1% low-fat milk (or light plain or vanilla extract soymilk)
1 teaspoon almond extract
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat griddle.
2. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, stir cherries and juice until cherries are plump and juice is absorbed. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix pancake mix, wheat germ, granola, egg, egg substitute and milk until blended. Add cherries and almond extract and blend.
4. Spray heated griddle with cooking spray.
5. Portion scant 1/3 cup batter onto surface, cook until bottom is golden brown, then turn and cook until golden.
6. Top pancakes with favorite syrup and sprinkle with almonds.

Makes 8 (2 pancake) servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/8 of recipe): Calories: 160; Total Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 16mg; Total Carbs: 26g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 6g; Sodium: 176mg.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute.