I’ve loved pancakes for what seems like forever and have held them in high esteem as my favorite breakfast ever since I was a kid. Perhaps that’s the reason they were the only item my mom could make – besides brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts – that was able to lure me out of bed in the morning for school. Somehow, 7 a.m. seemed a little more manageable if a stack of warm pancakes and maple syrup were greeting me at the breakfast table.
This love for flapjacks has led my friends to count me as the official “pancake queen” in our social circle, and they always seem to seek my expertise when they’re getting ready to cook up a batch of their own. While pancakes may have gained a bad reputation for being overly sweet and not the most nutritious breakfast dish on the block, it’s my conviction that they can actually be made quite healthy with a few simple tweaks.
In testing countless recipes and variations of pancakes myself, I’ve found that you can health-ify just about any pancake recipe out there and even make it vegan-friendly, gluten-free and far lower in calories, fat, and sugar than many would suspect while still maintaining amazing flavor and texture.
To help you get a leg up on the healthy pancake movement, I’ve compiled a list of seven simple says to “Pimp Your Pancake” and boost their healthy reputation on your breakfast table. With these easy-to-follow tips you’ll learn how to add more protein, flavor, and heartier texture to your pancakes without sacrificing an ounce of flavor. Click the slideshow to get started!
Download Baker’s Dozen: 13 Healthier Breakfast & Brunch Recipes, our new e-cookbook including a recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pancakes!