Cranberry Pancakes with Orange-Maple Syrup

I often reserve Sunday mornings for making pancakes. Having spent most of my life scheduling more leisurely activities around the weekends, the festive Sunday breakfast or brunch has become a tradition that now stands on its own. "Cranberry Pancakes with Orange-Maple Syrup" (page 514) definitely qualifies for Sunday fare, but would be equally as tasty any day of the week. Soymilk and silken tofu provide the wet ingredients for the pancake batter, with dried cranberries that have been softened in hot water added for extra flavor, color, and chew. The Orange-Maple Syrup is made by warming up maple syrup, fresh orange juice, and fresh orange chunks. The recipe also calls for margarine as part of the syrup, but I just left this completely out and didn't miss it a bit. I also omitted the oil when cooking the pancakes in my non-stick skillet, with excellent results. Instead of using all-purpose flour, otherwise known as white flour, try using whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry flour. Both choices work beautifully, and I actually prefer the heartier pancake made from whole grain flours. These pancakes make a wonderful and delicious Autumn themed breakfast.