The secret ingredient

We had pancakes for breakfast, but they weren't the white-flour-bad-for-you variety. Nuh-uh. These were healthy pancakes, with a secret ingredient, and Tony liked them enough to suggest that I post them here.

So here it is:
11/2 cups oatmeal (not quick)
2 cups fat-free milk
2 eggs (or use egg substitute or whites)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bran or wheat germ (I also added about 1T of flaxseed meal)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar or Splenda
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (or to taste) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
and the secret ingredient?
3/4 to 1 cup finely grated zucchini

Combine oats and milk and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Stir other ingredients, mixing until blended and only small lumps remain. It may stand for 30 minutes in refrigerator (but I didn't do this step.) You may need to add more water or milk to thin slightly.

Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto hot griddle coated with non-stick spray and use spatula or spoon to spread it thinly. Cook until top starts to bubble and bottom is browned. Turn and cook 1-2 minutes more, until golden brown. Makes 12-15 pancakes.

We ate them with Smart Balance spread and syrup, and they taste sort of like zucchini bread -- slightly sweet, a little spicy, satisfying. And they are very filling because of all the great fiber!

I'm picking zucchini and cukes every day now, and the yield is generous, so I'll be finding ways to sneak zucchini into many things for a while.