If you're going to indulge in something sweet this month, make it maple syrup. Filled with potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium in concentrations 15 times higher than honey, it's a natural alternative to processed sugar. Early settlers in Canada and the U.S. Northeast learned about sugar maples from Native Americans. The Ojibwa called the "sugaring off" period in March "maple moon" or "sugar month." If you have no plans to visit an authentic sugar shack, this recipe will fill the void. Morning, noon or night, this is one sugar you can feel good about. Buttermilk is the secret ingredient in a great pancake because it creates the right amount of chemical reaction in your batter to produce fluffy results. It also adds richness and a slight tang.

Serves 4 (about 8 pancakes)

• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• Vegetable oil, for pan

• Pure maple syrup, for serving

• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a medium bowl; stir into dry ingredients until just combined (some lumps are okay).

• Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium; brush with oil. Working in batches, scoop ⅓-cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through and other side of pancakes are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes with maple syrup.

HG Cooking Essentials