Life is Short: Eat pancakes!

I love pancakes, y'all.  I pretty much love all traditional, high-carb, sugary breakfast foods.  I've made the switch to high protein breakfasts featuring oatmeal, egg whites, and the like.  I quickly get bored with eggs and oatmeal, so I went on a hunt for high-protein versions of my favorite breakfast foods. 

I soon discovered... protein pancakes.  I didn't know that protein pancakes could taste so good.  When I first made this, I was expecting heavy, gritty bricks.  Instead, I ended up with a stack of buttery, light, fluffy cakes that rival the ones at my favorite local diner.  This recipe (adapted from this one) is my favorite by far.  And the best part is, they are all natural.

Pancakes (now, with Protein)
Servings:  1, makes 3 to 4 pancakes
Prep time:  5 min
Cooking time:  5 min

Ingredients:
1/2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c low fat or fat free cottage cheese (if you're watching sodium, use reduced sodium or no salt added)
1/2 c egg whites (or egg beaters)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt (optional)
water (optional)

Mix everything together in a blender or food processor.  I used my Ninja blender.  Funny story:  One time the Hubs was unloading the dishwasher, and the Ninja blades were in there.  He didn't see them and cut his hand pretty bad.  For at least a week after that, he told everyone he was attacked by a Ninja.

Anyway, we're mixing.. for about a minute.  Let the batter rest for 2 minutes. If your batter is a little too thick, add a bit of water until you get the consistency you want.  You will probably also end up with more pancakes. :) 

Spray nonstick spray on and heat up your griddle or pan on medium heat (300 degrees on an electric griddle).  Pour the batter from the blender into rounds on the pan/griddle.  When the edges start to bubble a little, flip and continue to cook for another minute or two.

Add your choice of fruit, some light butter, and a drizzle of syrup (I use sugar-free cuz I be lame). Double or triple the recipe and freeze these bad boys.  Just make sure to thaw them out before you are ready to eat them.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories:  326

Total Fat:  5.5g

Saturated Fat:  2g

Sodium:  290 mg (with no-salt cottage cheese)

Total Carbs:  34.5g

Dietary Fiber:  4g

Sugars:  6.5g

Protein:  32g

Percentage of Calories

Protein:  39%

Carbs:  42%

Fat:  14%

***Please note that nutritional info is estimated, and varies based on the ingredients you use.***

BANANA BREAD!!

I love bread.  I love bananas.  Banana bread is my boo.  I found a great recipe here and tweaked it a bit because I didn't have dates, and I wanted to use up a gigundo container of greek yogurt before it spoiled.  This bread is moist, dense, and downright delish.

So... moist... *drool*

Banana Bread
Serves:  1 (if you're greedy like me)
Prep time: 
Cooking time:  45-50 minutes

Ingredients:
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (or 2 cups worth)
1 c oat flour
1 c whole wheat pastry flour (you could just pick one type of flour and use 2 cups;  I used what I had)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 c plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c honey
(optional:  chopped nuts, raisins, dates, chocolate chips, ground flax meal, or whatever you like)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a loaf pan or square baking dish

In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg, egg white, applesauce, honey, and vanilla until very well mixed.  Add bananas and combine thoroughly.  Set the mixture aside.

In a separate, larger bowl, mix your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, and salt).  Add in the wet stuff and stir until just moistened (don't over mix).  If you are adding stuff like nuts or chocolate chips, fold that mess in now.  Don't forget, cuz you'll be mad. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes in loaf pan, or 35-45 minutes in a square, shallow dish.  Do the toothpick test-- if it comes out of the center clean, you're good to go!  Let it cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack (or whatever you've got).  Once completely cool, wrap that bad boy up tight and stash it in the fridge.  Enjoy!

I called it "banana cake" so my kids would eat it.. but they're funny like that :)

Random Thursday: Does this butt make my jeans look small???

Oh.
Em.
Goodness gracious, sweet Baby Jesus. 

That is what ran through my brain as I tried to figure out WHYYYYY I could not get my jeans (the same size 10 skinnies that fit so great, a mere 3 weeks ago) up over my tail this morning.  The Hubs reassured me that I was looking "much better" than when I started this new workout program four weeks ago.  He observed that my waist looks smaller, and my booty is rounder.  Of course, he's got no complaints.  Who am I mad at???

Voice of Reason says:  Why you trippin?  You know you are sore as crap today.  Yesterday, you were whining that it hurt to sit down.  So there is quite possibly a whole lotta water being retained in your glutes and thighs, thanks to DOMS.  Or else you are building muscle, and it's probably pushing out the fat before burning that biznatch. And don't forget that your body composition is changing.  You are eating well, working out HARD and generally doing the gollygoshdarn thing.  Either way, there's no need to panic.  Chill out...

I'll admit it.  I was tempted, for a minute, to give up.  But that is sooo Old Me, and I'm trying to find a New Me.  So I'll just press on and see what happens. 


In other news, remember when everyone was cised over these friendship bracelets?

I remember making tons of these in middle school, and selling them for 50 cents a pop.

Target is charging $4.00 a pop.  Maybe I should start my bracelet business back up!  Whatchu think?