Save the Butter!

Butter can be expensive these days and since I've been on a budget I've been looking for ways to cut back. I'm kind of against margarine (for a variety of reasons ranging from its bad effect on cholesterol to the amount of processing it takes to create it). The butter/margarine debate goes awhile back but if you've googled the bad effects of margarine and are still with me on the butter train then read on... 

Soft Butter Spread

1 cup butter (room temperature or 2 sticks) - often on the package theres a little measuring stick so you can cut off exactly 1 cup

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water 

1. Using an electric mixer, blend butter on HI until fluffy.

2. Continue mixing, and slowly add oil. Continue mixing and slowly add water. Mixture will be very light and fluffy!
3. Chill until set. 

It's like the whipped butter you would get in a pancake house. The only thing you shouldn't use it for is baking. I put my butter in a container like so... and keep it in the fridge (and its always soft)

This is why I love this recipe:

1. Adds more good fats (Olive Oil) and reduces calories (water) per Tbsp

2. More spreadable so you use less

3. Its delicious! 

Since it's the weekend I thought I'd also include a recipe to put this on. Before we went to see Jeff's parents in the fall I had never had homemade pancakes in my life. Only boxed ones. Well I have been converted! These are so quick and easy to make, you know exactly what is going in them, you don't have to store an extra box in your cupboards or throw away an extra box at the end. You could even pre mix the dry ingredients in bulk before hand and keep them in a sealed jar. 

Mama Lislois Pancakes (hopefully this isn't a secret recipe I'm giving away :)

1 egg

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup buttermilk (I never get buttermilk so I just use regular milk and then "sour" it by adding a couple drops of vinegar or lemon juice) 

So ya you mix it all up... and if you've ever made pancakes before you know the rest. I'd also recommend adding a Tbsp or two of ground Flax Seed (for fiber) you won't be able to taste the difference but adds a few nutrients to these fluffy dreams. Enjoy!