Power Pancakes!

OK, is anyone else out there feeling like a STUFFED BIRD?!!!  I ate so well and drank-a-PLENTY last week while celebrating Thanksgiving with my family.  So much so that this week, I am on a mission to get back on a routine, focusing on eating healthy again and share some of my favorite “starts-to-my-day” with you!!!

First on the list is our family’s favorite power packed breakfasts: Power Pancakes.  This concoction was introduced to us by our uber sporty, and insanely fit friends from the bay area, Tracy and Jason Scharpf.  We may have modified it since they shared the recipe many a moons ago but here’s a stab at what we munched on this morning.

Power Pancakes (for 1 or 100–though that would take more like a trough to mix up!)

• 1 egg for each person serving, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese per person serving
• 1/2+cup oats per person serving
• cinnamon sprinkled on top–approx. 1/4t
• 1/2t vanilla for each person serving

Beat all ingredients together in a bowl.  Heat your pan on Medium-Med/High.  Generously coat pan with one of the following: cooking spray, butter (yes!) or coconut oil.  Scoop 1 cup piles of mix into pan,, pat down and cooking till set (approx. 3-4 minutes).  Flip and repeat.  Serve topped with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, toasted nuts, syrup, … whatever you fancy! (*photo shows plain Greek yogurt, sauteed pear slices, fresh pear chunks, toasted pecans)

Another favorite, when I don’t have time to make a hot breakfast, like yesterday, I mixed up a mean green smoothie.  It’s based on one I tried from Dr. Oz but have simplified it a bit.  All measurements are approximate–I usually throw in a handful of this or a handful of that but keep the main ingredients pretty on point with what’s listed here.

Green Machine Smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk*
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1/2 cup cucumber
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 apple cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple (if you have it)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp fresh ginger (Trader Joe’s has a fantastic one in the tube!)
• 1 cup ice

*Because I like my drink creamy, I use almond milk but you could also just add water or coconut water instead of almond milk.

Place all ingredients in blender EXCEPT ice and blend till smooth (approx. 2 minutes).  Add in ice and blend for 30 more seconds.  Pour and sip away!!!

Lastly…

… Giada has a de-li-cious smoothy that I L-O-V-E!  I wouldn’t say its a total meal replacement but more like a healthy adult treat: the Banana Walnut Smoothie.  HEAVEN.  It’s nutty and creamy and sweet without any artificial or refined sweeteners. (Note: I use coconut milk instead of coconut water.)  It reminds me of the days back in high school when my girlfriend Kristi and I would stay up late watching David Letterman, eating our individual pints of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream until you could see the bottom of the carton!!!!  Those were the days.  This smoothie is a close second (wink wink) to that pint…without having to head to the gym for a week+ just to burn off all those calories. (now that’s a win!)  In fact, I think I’ll head to the kitchen and whip one up right how!!!

Cheers, and happy healthy week to y’all!

xo, Melissa

(Photo credit: FoodNetwork)