According to my nutritionist and my recent health research, the picture to the left portrays a healthy breakfast. What!? Impossible. These three items have been the demonized fat mongers of American culture-- well, not anymore. They have been reclaimed. Here's how.... The bacon you see is nitrate free and you can buy this kind of "healthy bacon" from a couple of places (Applegate Farms and U.S. Wellness Meats).Also, check out Caw Caw Creek Farm for happy, well-treated pigs and therefore more ethical pork products. According to yes, my nutritionist, and a book called Fat by Jennifer McLagan, bacon's fat is similar to olive oil: "45 percent of the fat in bacon is monounsaturated, the good-for-you fat that can help lower bad cholesterol levels. Better still, bacon's monounsaturated fat turns out to be oleic acid, the same fat found in olive oil." Even better yet, it doesn't go rancid the way olive oil does when you cook with it at higher temperatures. Find out more about healthy bacon from Bon Apetit's article on 10 Surprising Health Foods. The eggs you see are farm fresh, local, free-range eggs from happy chickens. They are so fluffy-- it's wonderful. I want to get to the "healthy" pancakes, so I will do a feature blog on eggs in the future. Do some research of your own; eggs are good for you! Oh, and the touch of butter-- whole milk, raw, wonderful butter... more on this in the future.Yay, pancakes! Wonderful, warm puffy circles of heaven. My husband and I have been very focused on a high protein, low carbohydrate nutritional plan. Not only for weight loss, but for stamina and overall health. The nutritionist thinks that counting calories is a waste of time, so instead we count carbs, and the ratio of carbs to protein. A couple of readers of my last blog bemoaned the lack of carbohydrates (and grains which I accidentally omitted, and will add). I'm now here to say that I've reclaimed pancakes and they are are on the menu! Brian and I have been longing for bread products, and our much loved Saturday morning, pancake diner runs. Out of my own desperation, much research and studying, I can happily report that today's first Experiment in Pancakes was born! High protein pancakes. No way. Don't ask me how I figured this out, since I'm not a chef, but because of my new extreme nutritional plan, I've had to learn how to "substitute." This is my first ever self-designed recipe. Needless to say, I'm proud. I did a lot of research in the gluten free and low carb cooking communities and adapted other traditional pancake recipes. (FYI-You can purchase most alternative flours from Bob's Red Mill.)
This morning's Experiment...
Flourless High Protein Flaxseed Pancakes (aka Puffy Circles of Heaven)
(Nutritional value per serving: 193 calories, 15 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates,) 3 servings
1/4 Cup Organic Flaxseed Meal (Make your own, 1/8 cup flax seeds will make 1/4 cup flour)
1/4 Cup Almond Flour (or Make your own)
*1/4 Cup Whey Protein Powder (pick your own, grass fed is best)
*1/4 Cup Whole Milk
*1/4 Cup Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
2 Large Free Range Eggs
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Real Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Coconut Palm Sugar (or other sugar substitute of your choice)
1 Pinch Sea Salt
You don't have to double this recipe unless you are cooking for 4 or more people. One pancake is very filling.
Mix together Almond Flour, Flaxseed Meal, Whey Protein, Baking Powder, Salt and Sugar. Beat together Eggs, Milk, Yogurt and Vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix together thoroughly with a fork, or whisk. Let stand for a few minutes while preparing griddle. Heat griddle to medium heat. Melt extra virgin coconut oil, or whole milk butter and pour pancake batter onto hot griddle by 1/4 cupfuls. As they cook, they will begin to bubble like traditional pancakes. After many bubbles appear on tops of pancakes, flip over and allow to cook for another minute or two.
*For the lactose intolerant: You can substitute Whey Protein with vegan Raw Protein. It will reduce the protein content and the overall whole food benefits, but for your own Experiment you can also substitute the milk products with coconut products. EXPERIMENT WITH: 1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Creamer, OR 1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk and 1/4 cup So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk.
The photos below are of the experiment in process. To my surprise, they really turned out to be regular pancakes in both taste and texture. Totally Guilt free!
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