Protein Pancakes

Also Known As: Amy's "hold-the-gluten-load-up-the-protein-but-don't-pile-on-the-calories-just-the-flavor" Pancakes :-)


Alright, so I miss big breakfasts when I don't eat them. While there are certainly points for creativity on how many different ways you can dress up oatmeal and spruce up cottage cheese and reinvent eggs, I enjoy treating myself to a "real" breakfast sometimes. I've made this a Sunday morning event (or sometimes on the mornings of my day off from work). Everyone needs something to look forward to, right?!


So this recipe is about as simple as they come. And if you're still looking for creativity points...they are SOOOO available on this one too! There's a million ways you can alter this recipe to make a whole new taste. I have a lot planned and will update as I try new things. Let me know! Also, you can adjust the amounts of the different ingredients. Different people will be looking for different amounts of calories, protein, fat, etc...so make it what YOU need...have at it!

Vanilla version

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 egg whites (1/4 cup egg whites)
- 1 scoop protein powder (this is where the fun comes in..use ANY flavor. So far I have tried Vanilla and Chocolate Peanut Butter. The Choco/PB version is DEFINITELY my favorite!!)
- 1/8 cup cottage cheese
Optional:
- 1/4 banana (because I serve these with the rest of the banana on top!)
- Cinnamon (to taste)
- 1 TBL Splenda

DIRECTIONS:

- Put all the ingredients in the blender (I use my handy-dandy Magic Bullet)
- Cook like a normal pancake (I spray my pan with PAM)
- The batter is thin, so it takes some experimenting with the temperature of the burner so you don't burn the pancakes.
- Serve these topped with fresh fruit (I use bananas, strawberries, blueberries, etc. - whatever is on sale that week!) and some sugar free syrup (I use Maple Grove Farms Sugar Free Maple Flavor Syrup)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter version

NUTRITION: (makes one serving)

(*NOTE: all nutrition information is estimated based on ingredients and is meant only as a guide)

- Pancakes:
Calories: 188, Fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 36g


- Meal: (Served with one 6" banana and 1/8 cup syrup)
Calories: 293, Fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 37g

Cottage Cheese (and fruit)

INGREDIENTS:

- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (I use HEB fat free version) - (and you can do this dairy free too! Though I haven't eaten it plain, I have baked/cooked with Lactaid brand)

- 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

- cinnamon (to taste)

NUTRITION:

Calories: 107,  Fat: <1g,  Carbohydrates: 12g,  Protein 12.5g

(*NOTE: all nutrition information is estimated based on ingredients and is meant only as a guide)

So I made a new discovery today – and even surprised myself a bit in the process. Cottage cheese has always kind of creeped me out. Maybe it’s the fact that I remember mixing it with the food of my grandparents’ dog, Gypsy, if I ever helped take care of her growing up. Or maybe it gets to the level of creepy all on its own. I mean, come on…have you seen it?

However, in an effort to find high protein, healthy snacks, I decided to give it a fair shot. I vaguely remember trying it a few times over the years, but I think my preconceived notions took a bite out of its shot at success. So as I made out my new grocery list, I added it as the last item…reluctantly…but added it nonetheless. I went to pick out my cottage cheese and found myself at a bit of a loss with all the choices! In other words, I had a bit of a “dairy case query.” How many different types of cheese curds can there be? Yeesh! But after making my selection and returning home, I mixed the cottage cheese with a few strawberry slices. What did I end up with? A nice Valentine’s Day snack for myself and a big shock – I liked it! I mean REALLY liked it! What are the odds?!

So...even now, I keep learning new things about me...and rediscovering things I already knew. It's not that I forgot them, per se...just misplaced the knowledge of it… or maybe just set it down someplace and didn't remember to go pick it back up. For this one, though, all I had to do was lay down what I thought I already had figured out and be willing to open up (even at risk of failure). You never know what’ll happen…

I mean, look…at least I got a snack, right?! :-)

Thick & Rich (and pretty darn healthy) Hot Cocoa

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." ~ Charles M. Schulz


INGREDIENTS:

- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- Splenda (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all the ingredients
- Heat over medium heat, whisking often (while simultaneously restraining yourself from licking the whisk)
- Bring to a boil (while whisking constantly)
- Remove from heat
- Pour into your favorite mug (you know the one...) and...
- ENJOY


Those days where you have the time to get things done and be productive, but you get to the end of it and feel like you've gotten yourself no where at all. Maybe you even went backwards. Have you ever had one of those? I have. I do. I will.  I find that late at night I do my back-pedaling. My "oh man I should have done this" and my "why in the world did I do that?!" and my "I'm never going to get it all done" and my "woe is me" and my "who am I?" thoughts all clamor for room in my head.  So as I sat slumped under the weight of burdened thoughts tonight, I remembered that I am given rest if I ask for it...given rest if I grab hold of grace. I was also reminded that every moment is brand new and is mine to make mine. Make sense?? When I fall asleep at night, I can choose to let today be. I can choose to let tomorrow be. I know I am not alone right now, and that I can choose to meet tomorrow when it arrives because I won't be alone then either. So when I wake up, I'll shake off today and face the very next moment, knowing that it is my moment. But why wait until tomorrow?! I made this yummy cocoa tonight so I could indulge as I curled up to read myself to sleep. My moment is now. 

Nutrition:
Calories: 95, Total fat: 0g, Carbohydrates: 8, Protein: 1
(*NOTE: all nutrition information is estimated based on ingredients and is meant only as a guide)