Protein Pancakes

Pancakes are one of my favorite weekend breakfast meals. I also like to prepare pancakes for the week to take on the go and snack on during work or travel.

This pancake recipe is quick and easy. It is also a healthier pancake due to the added protein from your favorite protein powder. This may help to regulate blood sugar and improve energy level throughout the morning, among other health benefits, compared to your traditional pancakes. Typically, pancakes are high in refined carbohydrates. This means that your body can breakdown the simple sugars of a refined carbohydrate wuickly, which may lead to a spike in blood sugars, lead to a mid morning energy crash, and even contribute to weight gain.

To pack this pancake with added nutrition, try adding your favorite nut butter as a topping or mix in fruits like berries. Try it and let me know what you think in the comments section!

Ingredients

1.5 servings of protein powder
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
Oil (for fry pan)

Kitchen Tools Needed:

Bowl
Measuring cup (or you can estimate)
Fork
Pan
Stove

Directions

Add the protein powder and eggs to the bowel. Mix together with your fork, making upward circular motions.
Slowly add water. You want to have a thick consistency of batter to help keep the pancake from falling apart.
Put a very small amount of oil of choice on fry pan (I prefer to use olive oil) to prevent batter from sticking. Spread evenly on pan.
Turn fry pan to medium and let pan warm for 20 to 30 seconds.
Add half of batter and spread evenly on pan. Do not worry about having a perfect circle. It is more important the thickness of the pancake is similar for even cooking throughout.
Let pancake cook on one side on medium to medium-low heat.
Flip pancake and let other side cook.
Transfer to plate and repeat for other half of batter.
Add toppings and enjoy!

Recipe makes two pancakes.

Nutrition Facts

Varies depending on protein powder choice.

Tips and Tricks

Protein Powder Flavor

I have tried a few different protein powder flavors. I have had the best results by far using a vanilla protein powder. I recommend trying this first, but feel free to experiment with flavors on your own!

Protein Powders and Sweeteners

Depending on the protein powder that you use, you may or may not need to add any additional sweeteners. Most flavored protein powders are sweetened and you will not need to add anything more. These may include artificial or natural sweeteners, including stevia, errythritol, and sucrose (table sugar). I recommend checking the nutrition facts and ingredients. Regardless of the swetener type, you should not need to add any further sugars to your pancake mix.

There are, of course, other options to hit the sweet spot using unsweetened protein powders for this oatmeal recipe. In general, I would try to avoid artificial sweeteners which can cause digestive upset in some people. At this point, stevia seems like a safe no calorie sweetener, which research suggests may also benefit blood sugar levels, among other benefits. You can also use honey or maple syrup, but keep in mind these are basically treated as table sugar by the body. I recommend doing you own research. Look forward to seeing an article on sweeteners in the future!

Toppings

The nutrition and flavor of this pancake can be enhanced by adding fruits, nuts, or spices. Try any, or all, of the following:

Blueberries
Apples
Peaches
Walnuts
Pistachios
Cinnamon
Cottage Cheese

Experiment with sweet and savory flavors and get that extra boost of nutrition!

Batter

Beyond the toppings, you can actually add fruits, nuts, or other ingredients directly into your batter. I like to rotate my added ingredients to keep things fresh. No two pancakes are the same! I occasionally like to add sliced bananas on days when I plan to do more physical activity. This gives an extra burst of energy for my workouts with the added carbohydrates. This also adds a sweet flavor when I use plan protein powder. Additionally, blueberries and other berries are a wonderful addition. Again, try some different combinations and see what works for you!

Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. The publisher of this content does not take responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, exercise or other lifestyle program.