October 8, 2024

Healthy Breakfast Pancakes to Kickstart Your Day

healthy breakfast pancakes

Who doesn’t love a stack of warm, buttery pancakes to start the day? With a few simple ingredient swaps, you can turn this breakfast favorite into a healthy, nourishing meal that fuels your body and tastes just as delicious

Are Pancakes Healthy?

Pancakes can absolutely be a healthy breakfast option when made with the right ingredients. By using whole grains like whole wheat or oat flour, natural sweeteners like honey or fruit, and adding nutrient-rich extras like protein or fresh fruits, you can turn your morning pancakes into a nutritious meal. However, traditional pancakes made with refined white flour, sugar, and topped with butter and syrup are often high in empty calories and lacking in essential nutrients. The key to making pancakes a wholesome choice lies in the ingredients and how you choose to top them!

Tips to Creating Healthy Pancakes

We've gathered ten tips for creating healthy pancakes.

Use Whole Grain Flours: Swap white flour for whole wheat for added fiber and nutrients.
Add Fruits and Veggies: Incorporate mashed bananas, applesauce, grated zucchini, or pumpkin puree for natural sweetness and moisture.
Choose Healthier Sweeteners: Opt for honey, maple syrup, or mashed fruit instead of refined sugar.
Use Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese: These add protein and creaminess without extra fat.
Go Easy on Oil or Butter: Replace some oil with applesauce or mashed avocado to reduce fat.
Add Flaxseeds or Chia Seeds: These provide a boost of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Opt for Low Fat Milks: Use skim or 1% milk or consider almond, oat, or soy milk for a lower-calorie option.
Incorporate Protein Powders: Adding protein powder to the batter increases the protein content. Adding protein to pancakes helps keep you full longer, supports muscle repair, stabilizes blood sugar, and boosts metabolism.
Use Egg Alternatives: For a cholesterol-free option, substitute eggs with flax eggs or chia seeds.
Top with Nut Butters and Fresh Fruit: Instead of syrup, top pancakes with almond butter, peanut butter, or fresh fruit for a healthier, nutrient-rich alternative.

Healthy Breakfast Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup oats, blended
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 mashed banana

Directions:

In a blender or small food processor, finely blend oats (or use flour if this isn't an option).
In a large bowl, whisk together the blended oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, yogurt, honey, vanilla, and mashed banana.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (be careful not to overmix).
Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease it with cooking spray or a little oil.
Pour batter onto the skillet for each pancake and cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with fresh fruit, nut butter, or a drizzle of honey for a healthy topping.

Healthy breakfast pancake recipe card

The Cost Breakdown of These Healthy Pancakes

Below is a summary of the total cost of making this recipe at the time this post was published.

1 c. Oats	$0.42
Baking powder, soda, salt & cinnamon	$0.17
1 egg	$0.31
1/2 c. Milk	$0.11
1/2 c. yogurt	$0.44
1 T. honey	$0.16
1 t. vanilla	$0.20
1 Banana	$0.15
TOTAL	$1.96

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