2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
½ cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs beaten
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/3 cup raisins

In a medium bowl, mix together the oats and buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Mix the eggs, oil and raisins into the oatmeal mixture and combine with the sifted dry ingredients.

Pour batter onto a preheated griddle that has been lightly oiled, cooking for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Serves 9 (2 pancakes per serving)

24 dried Mission figs
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup soymilk
½ cup rolled barley flakes
¼ cup flaxseeds
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Pre-heat oven to 350°. Place dried figs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat, and let sit for 10 minutes until softened. Remove figs from water and save the water. With a hand blender, purée figs with 2-4 tablespoons of simmering liquid until smooth.

Mix oil, honey, and soymilk together. Mix dry ingredients together (barley through salt). Add wet ingredients to dry and stir thoroughly.

Coat 8X8 pan with cooking spray. Press ½ of barley mixture into bottom of pan. Spread fig purée over barley mixture. Top with remaining barley mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool before cutting into 24 pieces. Tastes better the next day.

1-3/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

TO PREPARE:
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugars, ginger, mace, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Create a well in the middle of the mixture.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin and butter. Stir in butterscotch chips and pecans and pour into the well of dry ingredients. Fold together just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon batter evenly into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool.

Makes 18