Whole Wheat Pancakes with Red Berry Compote

I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day. I love eggs, crepes, waffles, hash browns....the list goes on. I especially love pancakes, because they can be topped with anything! Chocolate, fruit, maple syrup, whip cream....What is not to love? These pancakes don't need any side dishes, they are perfect to sit down to all by themselves. And making your own fruit topping is a lot easier and healthier than you thought. I did use store bought whole wheat pancake mix, but if you are adventurous enough, try to make them from scratch! I will get around to it one day.

This is the batter I used!

 Adding lemon zest to the batter, and lemon juice to the compote really brighten this dish up. The best thing about this recipe is that if you have berries that are on the verge of trash time, they work perfectly for the compote. I used strawberries, raspberries, and frozen cherries. You could also use blueberries and blackberries, but then it isn't red berry is it? 

Red Berry Compote

2 cups of fresh or frozen berries

1/2 cup fruit juice (I used orange)

2 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Squeeze of fresh lemon

In a small pot add fruit juice, berries, sugar, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes until berries have softened. Reduce to a simmer, give the berries a mash with a fork, and simmer until liquid begins to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, and return to pot. Squeeze in fresh lemon and let rest until ready to serve. 

Prepare pancake mix as instructed and add zest of 1 lemon. Stir to combine. Heat large pan or griddle on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Melt butter and swirl pan to combine. Add 2/3 cups of batter and cook until lightly brown on both sides. Top with red berry compote and sprinkle with fresh berries.