breakfast Archives - Keegan Leuer

Pancakes don’t have to be unhealthy!

Pancakes get a bad rep for being a glutenous brunch cheat meal. I mean, the word ‘cake’ is in the name! But what you get at iHop and at your favorite breakfast spot doesn’t have to be the only time you get to eat pancakes during the week! I truly believe that you can make anything healthy, and this recipe proves it.

The biggest issue with most pancake plates is not only the maple syrup that people use (in buckets) to garnish them, but also the amount of sugar! Restaurants use sugar to make the pancakes taste good and even sometimes they whip heavy cream to make the pancakes light and fluffy! I mean… totally unnecessary.

My recipe uses natural sweets like bananas, and instead of cream or anything super heavy I use a healthy and low-in-sugar yogurt that (BOOM) is also high in protein. Gluten-conscious? I use gluten free oats and oat flour. So when you look at the contents, it’s basically a bowl of oatmeal. No, really. It’s super close!

This recipe gives you healthy carbs in the fruit and oat flours, which will give you a great source of energy to get you through the morning. Since it has a bit more protein? It’ll keep you full throughout that morning too! Want to give it a little extra boost? Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to make it a great post-workout breakfast.

So, yes, you can have your pancake and eat it too. And it won’t ruin your diet for the week, and it won’t leave you craving more sweet and unhealthy foods throughout the day.

Just make me a promise? That you won’t douse these in maple syrup??

SKINNY BANANA BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

// serves 2 people //

1 banana

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup siggi’s vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup oat flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup blueberries

Mash the banana and whisk in the egg whites, vanilla extract. Add in the yogurt until completely combined

Mix together all of the dry ingredients and then add in the banana mixture. Once almost combined, mix in the blueberries.

These make about 5-6 pancakes that are medium – large in size. You’ll know when they are done cooking on one side by the bubbles on the side

I cannot count the number of times I have made this recipe

Because it would be… well, a lot.

And for good reason! This recipe is very healthy, and most importantly? It’s a great on-the-go option for your busy morning. But my favorite part has to be how it is so easy to pair with your favorite yogurt! It serves as the perfect little cup to turn your boring breakfast into a delicious and healthy on-the-go parfait!

Parfait’s usually are not as healthy as you think! Those cups full of yogurt and topped with some type of fruit goo that you find at airports, cafe’s, sometimes even the grocery stores? STAY AWAY! Please!! Those things ruin the concept of the parfait! Seriously.

Not only is the serving WAY too big, but the yogurt is likely not the healthiest choice; chalk-full of sugar, and very little protein. And the fruit goo? Well, does the word ‘goo’ not say it all? Top this dish with some fresh blueberries and you’re done! Don’t even get me started on the granola. Again, so much sugar!

By eating this first thing in the morning you are setting your taste-buds up for a sweet disaster for the rest of the day. These morning cups have so little sugar, and all natural from honey and banana. Nothing else added!

My favorite yogurt to add to this delicious meal? Siggi’s!! I’m sure you’ve seen them in the grocery store, as they are getting more and more popular by the day. But this yogurt is the one you want! No, it’s not vegan, not made of almonds or coconuts. It’s yogurt! Just yogurt!

Do me a favor and pick up your usual Chobani flavor-of-choice, pick up a similar flavor of the Siggi’s in the fridge section of the grocery store. Compare the sugar, compare the protein, compare the carbs. You’ll be stunned.

Everyone thinks that grabbing that greek yogurt on their way out of the gym is the right choice. Trotting down the sidewalk thinking that they are putting the perfect thing into their body to replenish their work out. Welllllllll….. unless you’ve got a Siggi’s in your hand? I hate to tell you that you are sadly mistaken.

So make these cups! Try this yogurt! See what a filling, healthy, and satisfying breakfast looks ike!

MORNING OATMEAL CUPS

// makes 12 cups //

Dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oats, gluten free if you want

2 tablespoons ground flax meal

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup honey

Wet ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 ripe banana, mashed

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 overflowing cup of raisins

PCombine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, and set aside.

In a glass bowl, combine the honey, peanut butter and coconut oil together. Microwave in increments of 30 seconds until completely melted. In between those increments mix well. *I usually only have to microwave a total of 1 minute.

Mix the banana and vanilla extract into the melted wet ingredients

Mix in all wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Freeze for 10 – 15 minutes, and start the oven to preheat to 350 degrees. After batter is done cooling, add in the raisins before baking.

Using wet hands, fold a handful of oat mixture into muffin cups. Keep wetting your hands to keep the oats from sticking, and use your fingers to push the batter down and to the sides to form cups around the muffin cup shape.

Once all muffin cups are full, and shaped, bake for 12-15 minutes. Until the top edges are lightly brown, as well as the bottom of the cup. You don’t want them to fall apart as you remove them.

It is very important to allow these cups to cool completely. And I mean completely! Otherwise the finished product will for sure fall apart. After you remove them from the oven, wait 15 minutes before running a knife very carefully around the edge of the cups to separate them from the pan. This will help them through the cooling process.

After they have cooled and removed from the muffin pan, enjoy! I tend to have them with siggi’s yogurt and berries. The siggi’s adds a great hit of protein for your meal.