Nutty Oatmeal Pancakes

I absolutely love everything about breakfast. I enjoy making breakfast, going out to breakfast, the smell of breakfast, the taste of breakfast, the feel of breakfast...you get the point. It might have something to do with my dad's breakfast cafe, Sunny Side Up, where I had my first job starting at age 14. I worked there Saturday mornings and saved up enough money to buy my first car. My name tag read "Sunny" (top line) "Sunny Side Up Cafe" (bottom line). I got a lot of comments, "awe, how cute", "is this your restaurant?",  "is your sister named Side Up?". Yeah, clever people.

It's Saturday morning and time for pancakes! I'm not the biggest fan of regular, plain old pancakes, so I'm always looking for a new twist. I've made these nutty oatmeal pancakes before, but today I was about 1/4 cup shy of a key ingredient-- almonds. I used walnuts instead and they turned out great. I love this recipe because it's really fast and easy, and the pancakes always turn out so hearty and delish.

Nutty Oatmeal Pancakes

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raw almonds -- today I used 1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Heat skillet to medium-high. Place all ingredients in food processor, blend until smooth. It's that easy!!

Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon batter onto pan and cook for 3 minutes, flip, and cook 3 minutes more. 

I top my pancakes with pure maple syrup that came from the maple tree in my grandfather's yard near Binghamton, NY. Talk about fresh and local!