So apparently I’m really into pancakes. Unfortunately pancakes are not the most figure friendly breakfast, especially when you are trying to tighten up for summer. I have been working hard since the beginning of the year to eat a lot of protein and build muscle onto my weakling vegetarian body, and one thing I have found helpful is to eat a protein-packed breakfast.
THE PROBLEM: What is a girl to do when all she wants to eat for breakfast is pancakes or oatmeal? So sweet, so carby and so lacking in protein.
THE ANSWER: PROTEIN PANCAKES!!!!!!!!
I have seen recipes for protein pancakes on blogs in the past but all attempts at recreating them at home have resulted in hopeless charred piles of nastiness. It wasn’t until I discovered ToneItUp.com and the Tone It Up Protein Pancake recipe that my faith in my pancake-flipping ability was restored. I love the Tone It Up girls, Karena and Katrina, and the amazing community of girls they have developed. I am currently doing their annual Bikini Series, which is a free 8 week program with workouts and nutrition tips to get girls into shape for the summer.
I have been eating protein pancakes almost every day for 2 months now and I haven’t gotten sick of them yet. They are surprisingly easy to make!
All you need is:
- 1/2 a banana
- 2 egg whites
- 1 scoop of protein powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon flax seed meal
- Cinnamon
I like to mix the banana, egg whites and protein in a blender to ensure even distribution, but you can mix by hand if you prefer.
I then stir in the flax seed, cinnamon and any add-ins I might choose. Another thing I love about protein pancakes is that they can be so versatile depending on what kind of flavor combination I’m craving.
Some of my favorite protein pancake add-ins are:
- fresh or dried fruit
- nut butter and/or nuts
- shredded carrot and almonds (to make CARROT CAKE PROTEIN PANCAKES!!!)
- crumbled up Lara bars (for COOKIE DOUGH PROTEIN PANCAKES!!!)
- chopped dates and pecans (for PECAN PIE PROTEIN PANCAKES!!!)
After all my ingredients are added I pour the batter into a greased skillet on LOW heat. It is important to cook protein pancakes cook low and slow, if the heat is too high they burn on the outside but stay raw on the inside.
After 2-3 minutes, flip carefully.
Sometiems I make one big pancake, and other times I make mini pancakes (which are easier to flip) and can be turned into pretty little pancake stacks.
My delicious breakfast this AM was something I like to call a Strawberry Short-stack, made by layering greek yogurt and fresh strawberries with my pancakes.
One recipe for protein pancakes makes one serving and packs in about 30g muscle-building protein which keeps me full much longer than my previous standard breakfast of oatmeal. Of course its not a REAL pancake, but its a healthy substitution that looks and kinda tastes like a real pancake so its perfect for sugar-junkies like me!