Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes

Description
This modern fruit-based pancake is made from real flour, baking powder and wheat germ, packed with cinnamon, milk, and sugar, and topped with applesauce or maple syrup to look delicious or appetizing. Yellow cornmeal occasionally replaces the wheat germ and works for this, too.

Ingredients

 * 1 ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
 * ½ cup wheat germ or yellow cornmeal
 * 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
 * 1 tsp. baking powder
 * 2 large egg whites
 * 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
 * 1 ½ to 2 cups soy milk or low-fat milk
 * 1 cup peeled, cored, finely diced apple (any all-purpose variety)
 * applesauce or pure maple syrup for serving

Directions

 * 1) Preheat an oven to 200 °F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and baking powder. Set aside.
 * 2) In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg whites with fork until foamy. With a rubber spatula, mix with brown sugar until dissolved, then mix with 1 ½ cup milk until well combined.
 * 3) Make a well in center of flour mixture. Just pour the milk mixture into a well and stir until thoroughly combined, but do not overmix or pancakes will be rubbery.
 * 4) Add the remaining ½ cup of milk if batter seems too thick. Mix with the diced apples.
 * 5) Lightly coat a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then heat over moderate-low heat until hot. Pour 2 ½ tablespoons batter onto a skillet and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. (These pancakes need to brown a bit more slowly than most to be cooked all the way through.)
 * 6) Transfer pancakes to the ovenproof plate, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in an oven. Repeat with the remaining batter, lowering heat if pancakes brown too fast. Serve warm with applesauce or maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon.