Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Hi Everyone,

This weekend I made the most tasty pancakes using freshly squeezed oranges.  The flavor of these pancakes are unbelievable.  There sweet and the chocolate chips in them just add a little bit more to them.  I was pleasantly surprised on how well they turned out.  Check out my dramatic photo of them.

My neighbor dropped off a bunch of oranges and lemons for me, and I thought I would make him my lemon bread with the lemons he gave me and I also made some orange bread too.  I’ll post the recipe for the orange bread later this week.  These oranges are the best oranges I ever had.  I have been going orange crazy with them.  I have been putting them in everything.  Every time we finish up some oranges, I’ll go outside and there will be a bag of more oranges.  I love these little surprises, so you don’t be surprised, when I post a bunch of orange recipes.  That’s one thing I love about living in California, fresh citrus in the winter!

Only a few chocolate chips are needed in this recipe because the oranges are so sweet!

On these pancakes, I used plain, fat free greek yogurt because I really wanted the fresh orange taste.  But I bet orange yogurt would be wonderful in this recipe if you don’t have oranges.

I have to tell you, I really need to invest in a griddle.  I have such a hard time flipping them in a skillet.  Can you believe with all the pancakes I’ve made, I use a skillet.  I just haven’t found a pan that I really like.  I’m thinking of searching on amazon for one.  I find the best kitchen utensils, pans ect… on there.  I would love one of those double burner ones, but if I got one, I wouldn’t know where to store it.  Do you have trouble storing all your kitchen goodies?  I really, really would love a kitchen makeover.  I’ve been asking for one, well over a year, but no such luck.  The kitchen I would want would probably cost me a tiny fortune, but hey if your going to do it, you should do it right!  I guess that’s why I haven’t done it yet.

I also made a wonderful orange syrup to go on top of the pancakes.  I used 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange and 1/4 cup of sugar-free maple syrup.  Wow, the syrup was amazing. Perfectly sweet with a hint of orange.  They were a perfect match for these pancakes.  If you’re an orange fan, you have to try these pancakes.  I made a double batch of them and took them to work this week.  They are a perfect breakfast.  Just heat in the microwave for 25 – 30 seconds and you have a wonderful breakfast.  Oh, back to the syrup, it’s really good in oatmeal too!!!  I thought I should point that one out!

All I did for the syrup was warm it up in a Pyrex measuring cup for about 30 seconds.  You gotta love the microwave.  These pancakes are light, fluffy and sweet, but only sweetened by the oranges.  Now that what I call Mother Natures perfect sweetener!

Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 egg Whites

1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp. orange extract

1/2 cup. White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Sugar

1 dash salt

2 tsp. orange zest

3/4 tbsp. mini chocolate chips

Syrup:

1/4 Cup Orange Juice, freshly Squeezed (juice of half an orange)

1/4 cup maple syrup ( I used sugar-free)

Directions:

Mix greek yogurt, egg whites, orange juice & extracts into a small bowl

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, sugar, orange zest and salt

Combine and whisk till evenly mixed, don’t over mix

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place 1/4-cup batter onto skillet. Drop a few mini chocolate chips onto pancakes and cook till bubbles start appearing through the top of the pancake and then flip. About 1-2 minutes on each side.

NOTE: Cook on medium heat and I spray cooking spray between each batch. To keep pancakes warm, heat oven to 200 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and when your pancakes are done place on baking sheet. Do not stack them.

For Orange Syrup:
Add orange juice and maple syrup in a microwavable small bowl and stir together and heat for about 10 seconds stir and heat until warmed.

Makes 7 pancakes, serving size 2

Calories per serving (3 1/2 pancakes):  216,  Fat:  2.2,  Cholesterol:  0,  Sodium:  307,  Potassium:  267,  Carbs:  40,  Fiber:  4.3,  Sugar:  15,  Protein:  13

Guess what this Sunday is?  Daylight savings time!   We get to move the clocks ahead 1 hour.  Yah!  That means we get an extra hour of daylight!  That came quick this year.  I love that it won’t get dark until after 6.  This means summer is getting closer!  I can’t really complain about winter, it was pretty mild here, not much rain and not bitter cold like it has been the past couple of years, but I am ready for summer, aren’t you?

I hope you like this weeks pancake recipe!  This was a wonderful one, I’m half tempted to make them for dinner tonight.  I love these pancakes.  I thought they would be ok, but I never imagined how wonderful and fresh they tasted.  If you have oranges, make these pancakes this weekend.  Un-freaking believable!  Way better than I ever imagined!!

Ok, here’s the part where I ask you for your vote.  As some of you may know, I was nominated for Best Healthy Eating Blog by Fitness Magazine, and I would so love your vote!  However I am thrilled and honored to be just nominated.  I still don’t know who nominated me, but thank you so much, you made my day and I am truly happy that you think my blog is worthy of such a nomination.  If you would like to vote for Peanut Butter and Peppers, please go here.  Thank you!!

Have a wonderful day!!!