Pancakes are a classic favorite among kids and adults alike! But I’ll let you in on a little secret- I’m getting old haha. Not that old ;), but old enough that if I start my day with a plate of sugar I’m sure to have a headache within minutes and I feel groggy and unenergetic the rest of the day.

But sometimes I just crave a pancake! I’ve found that using sugar-free syrup helps my headaches as I’m not loading up on sugar first thing (and while I know there are other additives, for me I have found this to be the substitution that makes me feel best).

But just subbing a sugar-free syrup for regular, sugar-loaded syrup is certainly not going to make a huge difference if you’re still eating regular pancakes! While I still enjoy a classic buttemilk or sourdough pancake, sometimes I need a healthier option to start my day. Here are some healthy pancake alternatives that fit the bill!

• Kodiak pancake mix. If I don’t have time to make homemade pancakes, I use this pancake mix and it’s great! Packed with protien, it helps me feel a little fuller and helps my blood sugars be a little more balanced. It’s just as simple as any other pancake mix, too! Just add water and voila! Pancake batter is ready to go.


• These Fluffy Oatmeal Pancakes are super tasty! They take a little more work than a boxed mix from the store, but they are tasty, filling, and so good for you! They’re also a great dairy-free option if you need one!



Fluffy Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup egg whites
1/2 cup oats
1/2 scoop protein powder, (I use Ideal Lean)
1/2 cup pumpkins or 1/2 medium banana
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
or sweetener of choice
vanilla extract
Optional:
2 tablespoons sugar free Torani pumpkin pie syrup


Directions:


Grind oats, Stevia, spices and baking powder and soda in the blender until it's like powder. Pour into a separate bowl. Blend egg whites on medium speed in blender for about 30 seconds. Add pumpkin and Torani and blend again for about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients to the blender and blend. Pour onto a preheated griddle and cook like pancakes. Top with sugar free sryup.


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• I haven’t tried these Cottage Cheese Pancakes but they sound super tasty! I bet the cottage cheese makes them super moist- and you have the additional protein as well!



Cottage Cheese Pancakes



These cottage cheese pancakes are a nourishing breakfast made with ground oat flour, maple syrup, mashed banana, and cottage cheese for extra protein! Author: FitFoodieFinds

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Yield: 16 pancakes
Serving size: 4
Calories per serving: 1,067



Ingredients:
4 medium bananas mashed
8 large eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups 2% cottage cheese
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup melted Coconut Oil
6 cups ground oat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt


Directions:


In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana. Then, whisk in the two eggs.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients (except for the coconut oil) and mix until combined and set aside.
Next, add all dry ingredients into a separate bowl and mix well.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix.
Finally, add in melted coconut oil and mix until smooth. Assess your batter. You may need to add a little more almond milk. it should resemble normal, thick pancake batter.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray it with coconut oil cooking spray or add in 1/2 tablespoon butter.
Once the skillet is hot, scoop a heaping 1/4 cup of the batter onto your pan and cook for around 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Enjoy!

Notes:
If your batter feels too thin, add a few tablespoons of flour and if it feels too thick, add a few tablespoons of almond milk.

Source: sfitfoodiefinds.com


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• These Chocolate Chip Banana and Ricotta Chia Pancakes sound tasty- and they are ones I’m sure my kids would scarf down as well! Ricotta is one of my favorite things to bake with because it makes the texture incredible! I bet these are no different!



Chocolate Chip Banana and Ricotta Chia Pancakes.



Ricotta Chocolate Chip Banana and Chia Pancakes. Best when served on cold winter mornings by the fire... in your pajamas - from halfbakedharvest.com Author: Tieghan Gerard Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Serving size: 14
Calories per serving: 207



Ingredients:
3 eggs whites separated from yolks
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup milk
3 very ripe bananas mashed
2 tablespoons butter melted
zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips...or more!
pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, bananas, chia seeds, for toppings


Directions:


In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand held mixer), beat egg whites until they start to bubble. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the sugar; continue beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Combine the ricotta, milk, 3 egg yolks, mashed bananas, melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest in a separate, larger mixing bowl. Next add the white whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt, stirring gently until just combined.

Stir a small scoop of the egg whites into the ricotta pancake batter to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites with a spatula. Stir in the chia seeds.

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Grease with butter or cooking spray. Pour 1/3 cup pancake batter on the center of the hot pan. Sprinkle each pancake with chocolate chips. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Using a spatula, gently flip the pancake over and cook the other side for a minute, or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve the pancakes warm, stacked tall and topped with banana slices, chia seeds, powdered sugar and maple syrup if desired. Eat!

Source: shalfbakedharvest.com


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Do you have a favorite healthy pancake you enjoy? Share with us in the comments below!

    Camille Hoffmann
    Monthly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
    Email the author! camille@dvo.com