Spicy Thai Tofu and Green Beans

This is a very close approximation of pad prik king (pad prig king... however you wanna spell it...) which is a dish that I love.  When Jeremy and I go to the Thai restaurants around us, it's a safe bet that this dish is at least on my short list of things I'll order.  I'd never made it before but I found a lot of delicious recipes on Thai Table.  I adapted their Green Beans and Shrimp to make my recipe.  (The pad prik king I get when we go out has kaffir lime leaves in it.  I didn't have any so I used actual lime for a little citrus flavor.  Not quite the same, but delicious!)

As I posted last time I blogged about tofu,  I dry fried the cut up tofu pieces to get a nice crispy exterior.  This time I bought lite tofu with fewer calories and fat than regular tofu.  It was delicious!  The tofu was pressed in the fridge all afternoon to squeeze out some extra water (thanks Jeremy!).

If you want this more mild, take out the crushed red pepper flake.  It wasn't overly spicy -- just the right amount.  You could use chicken, shrimp, beef, etc. in place of the tofu in this recipe.  Just add the tofu with the green beans and adjust cooking times as necessary.  It would be delicious.

I served this with some brown rice.  We don't have any leftovers of this dish (sadness!).  I'm sure I'll be making this again in the not too distant future.  Enjoy!

Recipe:
1 package firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 c. fresh green beans, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 tbs. red curry paste
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
2 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1/3 c. water
1 tbs. vegetable oil
zest and juice of 1/2 lime

1. Heat a non-stick griddle over medium heat.  Place the tofu on the griddle and press down with a spatula.  (It will hiss and spit a little... but you want to get rid of the extra liquid.)  When the tofu is golden brown on one side, flip the pieces and brown on the second side.  When finished, the tofu should be slightly crispy on the outside and much chewier in texture.  Set aside until ready to add to the stir-fry.
2. Heat a wok over medium high heat.  Add vegetable oil.  When the oil is hot, add the crushed red pepper flake and curry paste.  Stir to loosen the curry paste.  Add the green beans and cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Add the fish sauce and sugar and stir to combine.  Add the tofu and heat through.  
Add the water to the wok (it helps steam the green beans a little and spread the sauce around).  Continue cooking until the beans reach desired tenderness and the water has evaporated.  (I like them a little crisp so it was only another 2-3 minutes.)
3. Add the zest and juice of the 1/2 lime and stir to combine.  Serve with rice. 

Lemon Risotto with Roasted Carrots and Asparagus

Last night we had chicken paprikash (recipe not forthcoming... yet... I need to play with it more to perfect it -- Jeremy is a very happy guinea pig.).  So tonight we decided that we didn't need meat.  It's amazing to me how happy I am eating less meat.  Growing up, I ate it almost every night (as most Americans do I think).  And it wasn't until the last couple of years that I made a concerted effort to try to find more vegetarian meals that were satisfying.  Now I feel almost sluggish when I eat too many meat-meals on consecutive days.  It helps a lot that I love veggies... so I can mix up our meals enough that we have a good amount of variety in our diets.  Plus it's healthy. :)

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes.  I've always loved rice but I didn't discover risotto until after college.  Now I make it quite frequently.  It's really easy to put together, just stirring and adding liquid until the rice is cooked.  I've seen recipes that say you have to stir constantly or it won't get starchy.  I don't have that problem.  I stir frequently with a wooden spoon... but often I'm still chopping/cooking other things so that I'm not stirring ALL the time.  I've found it's more forgiving than others have said.

For tonight's dish, I roasted asparagus and carrots in the oven and put them on top of the risotto.  The slightly caramelized flavor was delicious.  And the brightness of the lemon in the risotto and on the veggies was great.  A flavor combination I will definitely be using again.  :)

This made about 3 servings.  Both of us ate and we have some food leftover for tomorrow.  You could use any types of veggies in this that you wanted.  You could even add some grilled chicken or other meats and it would be delicious.  Since this uses chicken stock as the liquid it's not entirely vegetarian... if you wanted that you could use vegetable stock.  (I haven't yet seen a vegetarian chicken stock... although I did have vegetarian chicken flavored potato chips when I studied abroad in England... I still don't understand how that was possible.)  Regardless of what combination of things you decide to use, enjoy!

Recipe:
1 lb. of asparagus
5 medium carrots
1 medium onion
1 1/2 c. arborio rice
approximately 4 c. low sodium chicken stock
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 lemon
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1. Dice the onion.  Cut off the bottom of the asparagus stems (the amount you chop off depends on how "woody" the stems look... discard what doesn't look tender) and chop the remaining asparagus into 1 1/2" pieces.  Cut the carrots into sticks that are roughly the same size as the asparagus.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place asparagus and carrots on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper.).  Drizzle with 2 tbs. of olive oil and mix to coat.  Set aside until the risotto is about half-cooked (meaning half about half the liquid has been added).
3. Heat a medium sauce-pot over medium high heat.  Add 2 tbs. olive oil.  Add the onions, season with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper), and cook, stirring frequently until they are translucent.  Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently until the rice is slightly toasted and smells nutty.  Add the thyme, parsley, and chicken stock, 1/2 a cup at a time.  Cook the risotto by stirring frequently (almost constantly) and adding more stock when the rice has absorbed most of the previous addition.  (Adjust the heat to keep the stock steaming, but not bubbling too much.)
4. When about half the liquid has been added to the risotto, put the veggies in the oven.  Cook, stirring occasionally (about every 5 minutes), until the veggies are tender and slightly caramelized (about 15 minutes... depending on the thickness of the veggies).  Remove and set aside until the risotto is done.
5.  When the rice is tender (and most of the liquid absorbed), add the parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate.
6. Zest the lemon and add to the risotto.  Add the juice of half the lemon to the risotto and stir to incorporate.  Juice the other half of the lemon onto the veggies and stir to coat.
7. Plate the risotto in a bowl and top with veggies.

Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wrap with Sweet Potato "Fries"

Continuing on our health kick (post spring break...), tonight I decided to try grilling up a bunch of veggies and wrapping them up in a tortilla.  When I got this idea, I realized that it might be a little small for a dinner so I paired it with sweet potato fries (they're really baked... so I guess you could call them sweet potato "bakes").  It was delicious!

This is a very versatile recipe... you can change the amount and type of veggies you use.  I decided on grilling up eggplant, bell pepper, and onion -- which was delicious.  But you could add other squashes, mushrooms, and even meat to these and it would be delicious.  Cheese would also be a great addition -- a nice fresh mozzarella or anything you'd like.  But we kept it simple and just spread a little roasted garlic hummus on the tortilla before topping it with the veggies.  You could use any type of hummus you wanted (or any other spread) but we picked out the garlic.

I ended up eating 1 wrap and Jeremy had 2.  We still have leftover veggies so I'm looking forward to having this for lunch tomorrow.  I'll just have to keep the veggies and the tortilla separate until I'm ready to eat it since I have to take lunch to school tomorrow.

The leftover veggies (although before Jeremy got his second wrap...)

Recipe:
Wraps:
whole wheat tortillas (we used 3... but this recipe would probably make 5-6)
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2" slices
1 green bell pepper, cut into eighths
1 onion, sliced into 1/4" slices
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
baby spinach leaves (a small handful per wrap)
salt and pepper to taste
prepared roasted garlic hummus (1-2 tbs. per wrap)

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Season the sliced veggies with salt and pepper to taste.  Grill the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion until tender.  (The time will depend on how thick you cut them... the eggplant took me about 4-5 minutes per slice, the bell pepper about 10 minutes, and the onions about 6 minutes.)  Grill in batches as necessitated by the size of the grill.  (If some veggies finish sooner, just wrap them in foil to keep warm until everything's finished.)
2. Once the veggies are all cooked, chop them into bite-sized chunks, basically 1/2" cubes.
3. Spread hummus on a tortilla, top with a bit of each of the veggies and a little roasted red pepper, tomato, and spinach.

Sweet Potato Fries:
1 large sweet potato
1 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and cut the sweet potato into 1/4"x4" fries.  Place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle on the olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss to coat the fries evenly.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and slightly browned.

Spanish Chicken and Rice

This is reminiscent of paella.  Jeremy and I LOVED the paella we had when we went to Spain in college.  Since then it's something that I always have wanted to make.  But I'm cheap... so I don't currently own saffron.  So this is not quite paella... but a lot of the same flavors.  I made this in a saute pan (with a lid) because I don't own a paella pan.  Although I don't have saffron right now, it would be a delicious (and traditional!) addition to this dish.  But the mix of spices and herbs I used gave this a very rich and delicious flavor.

This was really easy to put together.  Once the ingredients were in the pan, it just went into the oven for 20 minutes until it was done cooking.  Overall this took about 45 minutes to make from start to finish.  Not bad when you consider that some of that time is passive.

You can substitute any ingredients in this to make it to your own taste.  I used what I had on hand (although I probably would have chosen roughly these same ingredients anyway).  You could change this around to add seafood or some sausage.  You would just need to adjust cooking times appropriately.  There are a lot of recipes out there that you can use as a guide.

This was just enough food for the two of us to eat.  As usual, Jeremy ate more than I did, but we both had our fill.  It was so tasty too!  I will definitely be making this (or something like it) again.  :)

Recipe:
1 chicken breast (1/2 lb. or so), cut into bite-sized cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 roasted red bell peppers, sliced thinly
1 tbs. minced garlic
3/4 c. arborio rice
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves (I crush these between my fingers before adding them)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
1 1/2 tsp. paprika, divided
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tbs. olive oil
3/4 c. frozen peas
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil.  When the oil ripples, add the chicken.  Season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flake and 1/2 tsp. of paprika.  Add the onions and saute for approximately 5 minutes until the onions soften.
2. Add the rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, turmeric, and the rest of the paprika.  Stir to combine.  Add the rice, chicken stock, and roasted red peppers.  Stir to incorporate.
3. Put a lid on the saute pan (or cover tightly with foil if you don't have a lid) and place in the oven.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
4. Remove the pan from the oven (use oven mitts! it's hot!) and add the peas.  Mix to combine.  Place the lid (or foil) back on the pan (to trap the heat) for 2-3 minutes to heat the peas through.  Stir once more and serve.

Spicy Veggie and Rice Stick Noodle Stir-fry

Jeremy and I spent the last week in Puerto Rico on vacation.  We had an amazing time and ate a lot of great food.  There will definitely be some Puerto Rican posts coming.  But in the meantime, we are sooooo happy to be back home eating our own food.  We ate a lot more meat than we normally do -- and a lot more food than we normally do.  Tonight it was nice to have a healthy veggie stir-fry.

You could use any mix of veggies you wanted in this.  I used rice stick noodles that I bought at my local grocery store.  You could certainly substitute other types of noodles or even rice -- whatever you have available.  You could add meat if you wanted.  Just stir-fry that before you start the veggies.

I changed up the sauce by using a higher proportion of fish sauce and adding turmeric and coriander.  The turmeric adds a lovely yellow color and the coriander adds a nice fresh taste (coriander is the seed that grows into cilantro...).  The fish sauce adds a salty taste.  If you don't want the dish spicy, cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper flake and sriracha.

This recipe made about 3.5 servings.  Jeremy and I each had a bowl full of veggies and noodles and we have quite a bit left still.  (The picture below is what's left after we had eaten our fill.)  All-in-all this was a delicious homecoming.  As much as I love eating out at restaurants and trying new food on vacation, it's really nice to get home and start eating my own healthy food again.  :)

Recipe:
2 carrots, sliced thinly
2 celery stalks, sliced thinly
1 green bell pepper, sliced into quarters, then sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced thinly
3.3 oz. rice stick noodles (1/2 of the package -- I bought it at my local grocery store)
1 15 oz. can of baby corn, drained and chopped into thirds
1 8 oz. can of diced water chestnuts, drained
2 tbs. of fish sauce
1 tbs. of lower sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. sriracha
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tbs. light brown sugar
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tbs. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Place the rice stick noodles in a large bowl.  Cover with hot water and allow to sit for approximately 10 minutes until soft.  Drain and chop into 2"-3" pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, turmeric, coriander, brown sugar, water, and cornstarch.  Set aside until step 4.
3. Heat a wok over high heat.  Add vegetable oil.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper flake and stir until fragrant and sizzling (20-30 seconds -- being careful not to burn the garlic).  Add the green bell pepper, celery, carrots, and onions.  Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften.  Add the baby corn and water chestnuts. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes until veggies are tender.
4. Add the noodles to the stir fry and stir to combine.  Add the sauce and toss the stir-fry together until the sauce has thickened a little and the veggies and noodles are coated in the sauce.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Vegetable Lasagna (with Eggplant, Caramelized Onions, Spinach, and Roasted Red Peppers)

I've made vegetable lasagnas before, and they're always really yummy and comforting.  This is a great way to get extra veggies in your diet without missing the meat.  This takes a bit of time to prepare but once the lasagna is layered it just sits in the oven for a while.  A perfect meal while I'm sitting at home doing work on a Saturday. :)

You could swap out other veggies if you wanted... or make it more cheesy.  Since we're trying to be healthy (and since spring break is next week... eek!) I opted to go lighter on the cheese and heavier on the veggies.  And it was delicious.

I really like the "oven-ready" lasagna noodles I used below.  It makes it so much easier when you don't have to boil the noodles before baking.  And they just absorb moisture from the surrounding lasagna so they're perfectly tender when it comes out.

We ended up eating 3/8 of this lasagna.  I cut it into 8 pieces and I had 1 and Jeremy had two.  We started with a salad to get a few more veggies (as if there weren't enough in the lasagna already!).  Overall a very delicious meal that we will both enjoy for the next couple of days as well. :)

Recipe:
1 package, barilla oven-ready lasagna noodles (you could use regular lasagna noodles but you'd need to boil them first)
2 1/2 c. fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 15 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1 eggplant (mine was about .8 lbs.), sliced thinly and roasted (see note below)
2 large onions, sliced thinly and caramelized (see note below)
1 15 oz. container of fat-free ricotta cheese
7 oz. fat-free mozzarella
1/4 c. plus 2 tbs. of grated parmesan cheese, divided
3 c. pasta sauce (I had Bertolli's tomato basil)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 2 tbs. of the parmesan.
3. In a 9"x13" casserole dish (or lasagna pan), spread 2/3 c. of the pasta sauce.  Top with four lasagna noodles.  Top with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. (Smooth the cheese so that it is even across the top of the noodles, I just use my hands... it spreads easier.) Top with half of the eggplant, 1/2 of the spinach leaves, 1/2 of the diced red peppers, and 1/2 of the caramelized onions.  Layer another four lasagna noodles.  Top with 2/3 c. of the pasta sauce and another 1/3 of the cheese mixture (again, smoothing it out).  Top with the other 1/2 of the eggplant and the other 1/2 of the caramelized onions.  Top with 4 lasagna noodles.  Cover the noodles with another 2/3 c. of sauce and the remaining ricotta mixture.  Top with the remaining spinach and roasted red peppers.  Top with the remaining lasagna noodles.  Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the noodles.  Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
4. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Remove foil and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown on top.
5. Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

* I cooked the eggplant and onions before I started putting the lasagna together so that I would have all the ingredients cool before going into the pan.
Eggplant: after thinly slicing into 1/4" slices, I laid them flat on a baking sheet and drizzled them with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.  I roasted them in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.  The eggplant was done when it was tender and slightly browned on both sides.
Onions: I sliced both onions into thin rings (about 1/2 an inch) using a mandoline.  Then I cooked them on medium low with 1 tbs. of olive oil for about an hour.  At the end I added 1 tbs. of balsamic vinegar for some added zip.
Once the eggplant and onions were cooked I just set them aside until I was ready to construct the lasagna.

Clams over Linguine with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach

Today Jeremy and I went grocery shopping.  As is usual when we go shopping, I decided to stop by the fish counter to see if anything looked good.  (I don't like to let seafood sit around so we usually eat our seafood meals on the same day we go grocery shopping.)  Today I bought clams.  I decided to make a lemon garlic sauce to go with it.

I don't think we really needed 2 dozen clams for this.  But they were on sale.  And for some reason the grocery store we go to charged more per clam if you didn't buy a whole dozen (I had planned on getting 18...).  Oh well... a few more clams never hurt anyone. (Unless that person was allergic I guess...)

The sauce was delightfully sweet and sour at the same time.  It wasn't spicy but if the red pepper flake scares you, you can leave that out (or reduce it).  This had a great amount of veggies in it.  The spinach wilted down completely and almost melted into the sauce.  I always chop spinach before I cook with it because I don't like the texture of cooked spinach.  If you don't mind that then you could just throw the leaves in whole.

Clams aren't hard to cook -- you just have to be sure not to overcook them.  By removing them as soon as their shells pop open (not cracked open, but wide open) you'll ensure that you don't overcook.  And be sure to follow the directions below for how to clean clams.  Nothing can ruin a sauce quicker than getting a mouthful of sand. Ick!

Recipe:
2 dozen littleneck or cherrystone clams*
8 oz. whole wheat linguine
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 c. spinach leaves, chopped
3 scallions, whites minced, green tops sliced
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 lemon (zest and juice will be used)
1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add a pinch of salt and the pasta.  Cook until al dente.  Drain and reserve until ready to go into the sauce.
2. Heat a large saute pan with a lid over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Add crushed red pepper flake and garlic.  Saute until fragrant.  Add the red bell pepper, salt, and pepper, and saute until the pepper starts to get tender.  Add the spinach and scallion whites and saute until the spinach wilts.  Add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and water.
3. Add the clams to the sauce and cook until the clams pop open. Check the pan every minute or so to remove any clams that open up (if you don't, the clams that open up first will be tough before others are cooked).  Discard any clams that don't open.  (Depending on how long this takes, you may need to add an extra 1/4 c. water to the pan to make sure the sauce doesn't overcook.)
4. Once all the clams are out of the pan, add the cooked linguine to the sauce.  Toss to combine.  Plate the linguine, then add the clams on top. Pour any remaining sauce on top.  Top with lemon zest and the scallion tops.

*About an hour before you start making this, you should soak the clams to remove any sand/grit.  Scrub the outside of the clams under running water.  Then place them in a large bowl with 1 tbs. of salt.  Cover with water and refrigerate.  When you're ready to start cooking, remove the clams by hand (or using tongs) to avoid stirring up the water too much.  Give them a rinse under running water to ensure any grit is gone.

Szechuan Venison Stir-Fry

Spicy and delicious.  I have venison around (thanks Dad and Mom) but if you don't normally have that you could substitute beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, etc.  The protein could take a little more or less time to cook but it's easy to switch it up.

This dish is also filled with veggies.  I like to have a mix of different veggies but if you aren't as huge of a veggie-nut as I am (I don't know many who are...) then you can just use the veggies you like and in the quantities you want.  Stir-fries are such versatile things that you can adapt completely to your taste.  It's just a method of cooking and once you have that down it's great to play with the ingredients and sauces to come up with your own combinations (even if they aren't all completely traditional).

I served this with brown rice but you could use regular white rice or make some fried rice to go with it.  In any event, this is much healthier than chinese take-out... not to mention quite a bit cheaper (not right upfront... but once you have all the ingredients in the house you can make it over and over again and it will save money in the long-run).  Jeremy and I usually get 5-6 servings out of my stir fries.  I just have to make some extra rice or noodles to go with it if I didn't make enough the first time.  Makes for some delicious lunches. :)

Recipe:
1 lb. venison (or beef) steak
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbs. lower sodium soy sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 carrot, thinly sliced into matchsticks
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 c. sliced napa cabbage
5 scallions, thinly sliced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 tbs. sriracha
1/2 tsp. ground szechuan peppercorns (plus more for dusting, optional)

1. Thinly slice the steak into matchsticks.  In a bowl, combine steak, cornstarch, 1 tbs. soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flake.  Mix to coat the steak completely.  Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.  (You could do this as long as overnight.  Probably don't want to do less than 30 minutes or so.)
2. Heat a wok over high heat.  Add 1 tbs. of vegetable oil with garlic and half of the scallions.  Add meat (with marinade) and stir-fry until cooked through.  Transfer to a plate.  Add 1/2 tbs. more oil and add the celery, carrots, jalapenos, and bell peppers.  Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until beginning to soften.  Add cabbage and scallions and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the veggies are crisp tender.
3. Return the meat to the stir fry and add the remaining soy sauce, sriracha and the szechuan peppercorns.  Mix well to combine and heat the meat through.  Serve with rice, dusted with an additional pinch of szechuan peppercorns if you like .*

*When you need to start the rice will depend on what type of rice you're using.  I started cooking the rice before I started slicing the veggies for the stir fry.  It was done at exactly the same time, which worked out nicely.  Nothing is more annoying to me than having to wait for my rice after the stir fry is completely cooked... so plan accordingly. :)

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes (the Fluffy Version!)

Thanks to a lovely snowstorm last night, I don't have school today.  To celebrate I skipped having my normal oatmeal bar for breakfast before class and instead decided to make pancakes. I love snow days. :)

I've made these pancakes a few times and they're always delicious (see previous post).  But this morning I wanted them to turn out a little fluffier. The batter is usually pretty loose so I decided to use more flour in them to thicken it up.  I also used powdered buttermilk instead of regular buttermilk.  (If you have regular buttermilk around, you can go ahead and use that in place of the water and buttermilk powder.  You'd just substitute 1 1/2 c. buttermilk for the water and powder.)

These definitely made a more puffy pancake.  Both are delicious.  This just goes to show how awesome playing with your food is. :)

Recipe:
(made 12 pancakes):
3/4 c. oatmeal (rolled oats)
1 1/2 c. water
6 tbs. buttermilk powder
1 c. white whole wheat flour (I have King Arthur brand -- you could use regular whole wheat flour too)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (or not freshly grated if you don't have it)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbs. margarine, melted
1 tbs. light brown sugar

1. Place oatmeal in the water to soak for approximately 10 minutes. (I soaked it until I had the rest of the ingredients ready.)
2. Whisk flour, buttermilk powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl. Add margarine, brown sugar, the egg, and water-oatmeal mixture. Whisk until just combined.
3. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. When water sizzles and dances on the surface, add batter (1/4 c. for each pancake - makes about a 4-5" pancake).
4. Flip when the edges begin to appear dry and the bottom of the pancake is a nice golden brown.
5. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings - maple syrup, fruit, etc.