Pancakes aren’t normally considered a healthy food, and adding high-calorie butter and sugary syrup certainly doesn’t help. With just a few small substitutions, however, pancakes can become a healthy and hearty indulgence for brunch or breakfast. These websites are full of nutritious pancake recipes that you can make at home.

Health.com
Health.com’s list of pancake recipes includes unique options that are much more interesting than the usual buttermilk. They also include fat-free milk, whole-wheat flour and other healthy ingredients to keep the calorie count low. Try the Carrot Cake Pancakes for a sweet and spicy weekend brunch, or whip up some Oatmeal Pancakes with Wild Blueberry Sauce for a summer breakfast that the whole family will love.

Cooking Light
Cooking Light magazine’s website features delicious pancakes that are a bit easier on your diet than the usual recipe. Buttermilk-Banana Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup are quick to make and full of nutrients from fruit, but they’re so delicious that your family will think you spent hours in front of a hot stove. The site also features blueberry pancakes, coconut pancakes, oatmeal pancakes and a number of other delicious and healthy breakfast options.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/potaufeu

Since 1976, Great Harvest Bread Company has grown from a single shop in Great Falls, Montana to a nationwide franchise, which includes a Columbia location. However, Great Harvest hasn’t allowed success to compromise its commitment to making fresh, simple whole grain breads. The breads and baked goods here are made with the highest-quality ingredients and are free of preservatives and additives. Order a tasty fresh sandwich, or try sweets including scones, cookies, brownie bread, and apple cake. Regulars say the fresh baked breads and sweets are some of the most flavorful they’ve ever had.

Grab a fresh loaf of bread or order a sandwich – popular sandwiches include the power house, the turkey sandwich, the monster focaccia, and the Swiss. Enjoy free samples of bakery items to help decide which loaves and sweets to buy. Great Harvest Bread Company is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Great Harvest Bread Company
8835 Centre Park Drive
Columbia, MD 21045
(443) 542-5912
www.greatharvestcolumbia.com
www.yelp.com/biz/great-harvest-bread-company-columbia

The owners of Columbia’s Hickory Ridge Grill aren’t satisfied just making some of the best breakfasts and brunches in the area – they’re also looking to serve up great Mediterranean food as well. And when those two categories intersect, like the delicious omelets with gyro meat, something truly special happens.

The omelets here draw raves from locals for how precisely the eggs are cooked – fluffy and moist, they serve as a great platform for the bevy of fresh ingredients the kitchen stuffs them with. If you have a sweet tooth, the Hickory Ridge Grill provides a selection of pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast treats. Lunches and dinners are also quite well-liked, with a bunch of sandwiches winning special praise as well as some very good pasta dishes.

Visit Hickory Ridge Grill's website to learn more about this Columbia restaurant!

Hickory Ridge Grill
6420 Freetown Road
Columbia, MD 21044
(443) 535-9876
http://hickoryridgegrill.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hickory-ridge-grill-columbia

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/jon_bedford