Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

So yeah this is a dumb picture, it was taken mid-bite as MKG was eating, sorry.  But these are some damn good pancakes for toddlers and adults and best of all, they are devoid of sugars, grains, gluten, dairy, and anything processed.  Great way to sneak some squash into your family's diet too.

Protein Pumpkin Pancakes (serves 3)
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
1/4 cup nutmilk of choice
1 tsp maple extract
20 drops vanilla stevia
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (guessing this is 2 tbsp)
2 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Mix your pumpkin, eggs, and nutmilk and add your extract and stevia drops.  In a separate bowl mix your baking powder, coconut flour, protein powder, spices, and salt, and stir well to get out any lumps.  Add wet to dry and stir well.  If the batter is too thick simply add a tad bit of water or nutmilk.  I had no trouble flipping these at all and they were quite substantial.  To serve, top with cinnamon and butter, or SF syrup, coconut cream, or just eat plain! 

Chia Protein Pancakes

Please excuse the weirdly shaped pancakes pictured- I was too lazy to get a bigger tupperware so just squeezed them into this one.  Luckily, S does not care what shape her pancakes are in, or how I store leftovers.  I made a big batch of these today so she'd have pancakes for the next few days.  If it were up to her, I think S would eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

These are of course also suitable for the adult pancake eater.  M did not have any of this particular batch, as he was playing basketball at the J and getting into "verbal altercations" with his little brother.  His words, not mine!

Make these!
Chia Protein Pancakes
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup coconut flour
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water, or (nut)milk
1 tsp baking powder
10-15 drops vanilla creme stevia (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

Mix your protein powder, baking powder, chia, and coconut flour together.  Stir well to get out any clumps.  Pour your beaten eggs into your bowl and stir.  Add half of your water/liquid and stir.  Add the rest slowly as needed.  Then add your stevia (which you totally don't need, S eats this plain or I wouldn't use it) and give it a last stir.  Cook as you would any pancakes.  This made 12 small-medium pancakes which should last us awhile!

This is a great way to get some omega's into your diet from the Chia seeds.  Also a nice dose of protein in the morning when you probably don't feel like eating much.  Speaking of protein, I'm really stoked about the Local Pig.  This is a brand new charcuterie/butcher that is soooooooo my thing.  Everything is grassfed and pastured, free-range, hormone/antibiotic free.  Hello people!  This is maj.  They cure, smoke, and butcher everything 100% in house.  They use the entire animal and are getting as much of locally sourced as they can.  If that is not something to get super excited about I don't know what is!  I chatted with the owner for awhile and was so impressed by their dedication and commitment to the slow-food anti-corporate GMO processed crap establishment.  It was late afternoon and they were already out of a ton of stuff but we'll be back.  I was lucky enough to get the last dozen pastured organic eggs though, which I can't wait to try.  I suspect I won't be going back to caged chicken eggs fed a steady diet of grains, antibiotics, recycled chicken parts, and hormones any time soon.  Chickens are meant to eat grass and bugs, not corn and chemicals. 

Ok sorry for the rant.  Please try out this awesome new joint in the East Bottoms.  It makes for a fun little excursion, and maybe you can even hit up Vietnam Cafe afterwards like we did!

Now goo eat some pancakes! XoXoGFG

Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes

I've had some vanilla protein powder in the pantry for quite awhile.  I had first purchased Jay Robb vanilla, which I really liked a lot- but then got this brand as it was wayyyyyyyyy cheaper.  There are only a couple completely sugar free whey protein isolate powders out there, with the minimal additives I was looking for, and this was one of them.  It's ok, but not great.  I really prefer Jay Robb- but I am not going to waste this stuff!  But it's tough to get motivated to make an "ok" shake when I know that is basically my meal, so I hardly ever use it.  Not today!  These Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes were awesome, and I felt even better about serving them to my family than usual because of the added protein punch. 

Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes
1 overripe banana
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 scoop protein powder
3-4 tbsp milk, or water

Mash your banana then add in your eggs and vanilla and incorporate.  Then add your dry ingredients.  Pour a little water or milk into your pancakes until it has the nice pourable consistency you want.  This made 10 small to medium sized pancakes.  Yum!

More Veggie Pancakes

Another pancake post.  This time, savory.  I've got veg latkes, or pancakes, down at this point.  I've now discovered what an easy way this is to get everyone to eat their veggies.  How could you not when they're in pancake form?  I tried them again for Chanukah dinner with M's grandma.  With the addition of crunchy shredded carrots, this batch was colorful and full of your daily beta carotene!

Carrot Zucchini Pancakes (Latkes)
2 small zucchini, grated, water squeezed out
half a bag of pre-shredded carrots (about a cup to 1 1/2 cups)
1 whole egg, 1 egg white
1/2 tsp paprika
4 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
S&P to taste
3 green onions, sliced finely
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Into a large mixing bowl throw your grated/shredded veggies, then egg, flour, garlic, onions, and seasoning.  Mix well.  Try not to let it sit as the salt will draw out a lot of water and make the mixture soupy.  Heat up a tsp or two of oil in a frying pan and get it sizzling hot.  Using a tablespoon, drop batter onto hot pan and cook about 3 min per side.  These are better crispy.  They have a natural kick to them as the chickpea flour has a bit of spice to it.  I like them plain but they are great with sour cream, applesauce, or even hummus!  I served this with a simply roasted chicken (recipe coming soon) and a salad.  A nice meal to serve to company, no muss no fuss!  Best of all, for all the non GFG's out there, this feels like you are getting a nice starchy carby dish even though it's just veggies!  No one misses out.  Now, if you're expecting a crunchy, super crispy pancake like potato pancakes can be, you may be disappointed.  These don't get crunchy.  A zucchini is delicious and a great substitute, but hello, it's not a potato.  M asked me, why aren't these crunchy?  Well, zucchini's are full of water, and potatoes are full of starch.  Water won't crisp up on you, sorry folks.  But I don't miss those carbohydrate-bombs, and neither should you.  I can't wait to try these with spinach and maybe some red peppers!  Yum!

Protein-Packed Strawberries and Cream Pancakes

Even though we don't celebrate Christmas, I wanted to make a special breakfast for M and S.  It ended up being lunch because we went to the JCC this morning and then over to see our friends new house, but it was festive and very special all the same.  Experimenting with coconut flour is definitely a trial and error endeavor but it very reliably will make a GREAT pancake.  Here is what we had today!


Protein-Packed Strawberries and Cream Pancakes (serves 4)
1/4 cup coconut flour
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 tbsp sugar-free vanilla syrup, or liquid sweetener of choice
3 eggs
1/3 cup strawberries, sliced
3 or 4 tbsp (nut)milk, or even water

In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, salt, and baking soda together.  Add in three eggs, syrup, and cottage cheese, and mix well.  You want your batter to be wet, and pourable, so add 2 tbsp of water or milk and see where you're at.  If it's not the right consistency yet, add another tbsp of liquid and see what you got.  Lastly, mix in your berries.  Drop by the tablespoonful onto a sizzling hot frying pan.  These are great on their own, with some jam, apple butter, whatever!  I think S ate half of them, no joke.  When we finally made her stop eating she was very unhappy.  Not sure if that's good or bad.  Anyways- these are a nutritional powerhouse.  With the naturally higher fiber and protein content of the coconut flour, plus the eggs AND cottage cheese, these are a fantastic vehicle for a yummy high-protein breakfast.  Very filling and very satisfying.  I think I got about 10 large pancakes out of it.  They are a little more custardy than your average pancake, from the cottage cheese, but quite good.  I hope you try it!

Grain-Free Zucchini Pancakes (Latkes)

Traditionally during Chanukah a dish called latkes are served, which are basically potato pancakes, to remind us of the miracle of a single container of oil, lasting the Maccabee clan 8 days around 165 BCE when Judaism was outlawed in Jerusalem.  The latkes are fried in oil which stinks up your entire house for at least 8 days, again reminding you I guess of story of the Maccabees haha.  Many cultures have potato pancakes and they basically taste like a big round fried tater tot- how could that be bad?  But low-carb and GFG-friendly they are not!  So behold my Zucchini Latkes- Jewish or not- these are delish and also a great way to get kids to eat zucchini.

Grain-Free/Gluten-Free Low-Carb Zucchini Pancakes (Latkes)
2 small zucchini, or one very large zucchini, grated and water squeezed out
1 egg
1/4 cup parmesan
2 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan)
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp minced garlic
EVOO for pan

Using your shredder attachment for your food processor, shred your zucchini.  Place in a large clean dishtowel and wring out as much water as possible.  Place in large mixing bowl.  Add to bowl one egg, salt and pepper, paprika, garlic, chickpea flour, and parmesan, and combine well.  You want it to have a thick batter consistency and stick together well.  If it's a bit watery, add a tsp more of your chickpea flour.  In a hot frying pan, add a tablespoon of EVOO and drop using tablespoon scoops onto hot pan.  You want the pan to be sizzling at this point.  With a spatula, spread the pancakes out evenly.  Flip after about 2 minutes, making sure each side is browned and crispy.  Serve with sour cream, applesauce, or eat plain!  They are really delish.