Protein Pancakes

I used to hate pancakes. Like really REALLY HATE pancakes. I was a river guide for three years in college and we would make pancakes for breakfast. Imagine feeding 80+ people pancakes twice a week for 3 summers. You'd hate pancakes too. I didn't even eat the pancakes and I still hated them.

However, once my oldest son started actually eating, I didn't want him to always hear, "Mommy doesn't eat that because..." so I decided that if it was something I technically could eat, like pancakes, I was going to try because I did NOT want to raise a picky eater. My sister's kids are beyond picky and feeding them or family dinners are so hard. My three year old will eat anything you put in front of him except for "leaves" aka lettuce etc. (It is a hard texture) he told me, "I only like leaves in smoothies." He'll get there.

So, I have spent awhile perfecting my pancake recipe and I finally have it. Packed with protein, plant-based, vegan, gluten free, fluffy, and delicious. These pancakes actually keep you fully vs. being hungry in 30 minutes with that Krusteez garbage (the brand I made on the river.) Plus, the toppings really make it. My son prefers peanut butter and apple sauce and I often do the same thing. I also love nut butter and bananas or homemade jam. Today was peanut butter, grapefruit, blueberries, granola, and raw local honey. So good. I ate four. I justify that they were smallish, I did a hard workout (without eating breakfast first like I normally do so I needed breakfast AND refueling), and one was like half of one because it was my son's leftovers. Momlife = eating your food AND your kids leftovers. Am I right?

I make my own flour for these pancakes. In my Blendtec I combine chickpeas, lentils, and oats to make the flour. I am sure any high-power blender could do it.

Anyway, enough chitchat. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

2 c protein flour (3/4 c chickpea flour, 3/4 c lentil flour, 1/2 c oat flour) *sub gf oats if needed

1.5 T baking powder (yes T)

1/4 t salt

1/4 t cinnamon

1/5 c coconut or almond milk (I do half milk half water)

1 t vanilla

2 T agave or maple syrup

1.5 T Flax Seen Mill

4 T Water

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.

3. Let sit 5 minutes while griddle warms up. (This step CANNOT be skipped. This rest time allows the baking powder to react and makes the pancakes fluffy.)

4. On medium heat, cook pancakes until bubbly on top. Flip and cook until brown on both sides.

5. Serve with nut butters, syrup, apple sauce, jam, fruit, nuts, whatever you want.

6. ENJOY