Ethereal Dollar Pancakes Recipe

• 2 T whole grain corn flour
• 1/2 c. a.p. flour
• 2 T toasted wheat germ
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 2 T almond meal
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 lg egg
• 2 T. walnut oil
• about 1/2 c milk
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 1/2 very ripe (black skinned) banana, mashed
• butter and walnut oil for pan
• sour cream and jam for topping
• pinch of Chinese 5-Spice Powder--easy does it

1. Preheat a heavy griddle or cast iron pan till water drops sizzle, turn heat to low while mixing batter. Warm serving plates in a warm oven for a minute or two. You want them warm, not hot.
2. In a large bowl, blend flours, wheat germ, seeds and almond meal with your hands; add salt, spice and leaveners and mix till well-blended.
3. In a medium bowl, beat egg and milk together with a fork, add mashed banana, then agave syrup and oil, and blend well.
4. With a fork, gently stir liquids into dry ingredients, adding either a bit more milk or flour if need be, to get a cake batter like consistency easily pourable, but not too thin or watery. Don’t overbeat-a bit of texture is O.K. in pancake batters.
5. Add heat again under the heavy griddle or cast iron skillet; when very warm, add butter and a bit of walnut oil and when butter foams, ladle 2 T. batter at a time to make 3 inch ‘dollar’ pancakes. Don’t crowd. After 30 seconds or so, turn heat to med to med-low heat and cook till the edges firm up and open bubbles form near the edge. Turn and cook 30 seconds more.
6. Serve hot with bowls of preserves and sour cream, or your favorite toppings.