Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Why would you want to make protein pancakes? What’s wrong with good ‘ol Saturday brunch carb cakes?

Nothing.  Not a darn thing.  I love regular pancakes.

But sometimes, when I eat pancakes I…

a) Want to immediately return to bed for a nap
and/or
b) Feel hungry in an hour and a half because all I had for breakfast was carbs.

A little bit of protein helps with both a and b.

You know me.  I don’t health-i-fy everything. But I like to provide options for people with all types of dietary needs and goals.

Ever since the whole protein pancake thing started in blog land, I’ve been trying out different recipes to find one I like best.  I’ve found most of them to be somewhere between edible and tasty.

Granted, protein pancakes can taste good, but they’ll never be quite as delicious as regular pancakes.  There’s something about protein powder that makes their consistency a bit dryer than flour-based versions.  Nothing a little maple syrup, fruit preserves, Greek yogurt, or insert topping of choice here can’t handle.

Pumkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (serves 2 humans + 1 little dog)
adapted from this recipe

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder of choice
1/4 cup oat bran
1 tsp. baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 cup egg whites
oil*

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients: protein powder, oat  bran, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt.  Add wet ingredients: pumpkin, milk, egg whites.

Bring a skillet or pan on the stove top to medium high heat.  Add 1/2 tsp. of oil to the pan (per pancake). Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop batter onto the pan.  Wait until edges begin to rise before flipping (~2-3 minutes).  Allow to cook an additional 2 minutes and place on a plate.  Keep pancakes warm by placing the plate in a warm oven (about 250 degrees).  Repeat until batter is gone.

You should have enough for a tiny little pancake at the end for the little furball of your choice.

I chose Rascal.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes with Walnuts and Maple Syrup

I added walnuts, real maple syrup, and a bit of earth balance to my pancakes.

Yummy yum yum.

I like them.  I think I’ll keep them.

Looking for other pancake ideas?  Here are a few:

Chunky Monkey Pancakes
Sweet Potato Coconut Pancakes
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Mashed Potato Pancakes

Have you jumped on the protein pancake bandwagon? Thoughts? Feelings? Concerns? 😉