LEMON BLUEBERRY PROTEIN PANCAKES

I've been looking for some different options for a quick and easy breakfast during the work week that I can make ahead on Sundays and just heat up in the mornings.  My morning ritual of Greek yogurt and water can get a little stale.  So, I came up with these lemon blueberry protein pancakes and the pumpkin spice buckwheat protein pancakes that I will be posting next. They are simple to make and these lemon blueberry pancakes are not only packed with protein, they are also low calorie and gluten free.  I hope that you enjoy them!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup raw oats (I used old fashioned oats)
  • 1 scoop of protein powder (I used a French vanilla protein powder)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
  • 3 egg whites (1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp if you are using them from a carton)
  • 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk or water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Fresh lemon zest to taste (I zested one large lemon and used 3/4 of the zest)
  • 3 oz of fresh blueberries (this is roughly 1/2 of one of the small packages in the store)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Zest the lemon onto a plate and juice the lemon into a bowl and set aside.
  2. Grind the oats in a small food processor or grinder until it looks like a flour/powder.  There can still be small bits of oat.
  3. Combine and whisk all of the dry ingredients, including the ground oats, in a medium sized bowl.
  4. Add the wet ingredients, including the lemon zest and juice, and whisk them together.  You could probably also make this recipe in the blender adding all the ingredients at once, but you may end up with a thinner batter that way.
  5. Cook pancakes on a preheated, greased griddle or greased skillet, at medium to medium-high heat, depending on your griddle/stove.  I used a non-stick spray, but you could also use coconut oil or butter, depending on your preference.  Cook these as you would a normal pancake, flipping when bubbles start to pop and the bottom starts to turn golden brown.  The recipe will yield roughly 8-10 pancakes, depending on how large you like to make them.
  6. Top your pancakes with your favorite topping, or eat them plain.
  7. Enjoy!