Sometimes I struggle to find blog topics. I know you might find that hard to believe, since my content comes out so consistently and dependably. Yet on occasion I do ask for suggestions to help me out.
One suggestion I received was for more information about coconut oil. That one question started a wonderful chain of events that has led to, in my opinion, the tastiest protein pancakes ever.
After receiving the request, I happened to start following Tropical Traditions on Twitter. One day they sent out a tweet offering samples to bloggers to try out. Not one to pass up an item to try, I requested my sample of coconut oil.
I’ve used coconut butter before, but in very small quantities. When the 32 oz jar of coconut oil arrived, I was a little shocked and began to ponder how I was going to use up 32 oz of coconut oil. So I started to do a little research to see how I might incorporate more coconut oil into my cooking.
It turns out that coconut oil is sort of the new but somewhat misunderstood oil of the moment. Sure coconut oil has been around for awhile, but vilified because it is a saturated fat.
The thing is, as more and more research is telling us, not all saturated fats are created equal. The saturated fat in coconut oil is mainly lauric acid (which is also present in breast milk) and is a medium chain fatty acid (unlike the long chain fatty acids found in animal products). Medium chain fatty acids are more easily digested and more readily converted to energy, making it a “cleaner burning” fuel. Coconut oil is also trans fat free, contains no cholesterol and studies have shown it to actually raise HDL levels. HDL is the good kind of cholesterol we want to have circulating around our bodies.
Combine all that with the fact that it is very stable at high heat without breaking down, making it a great cooking alternative for stir fries, sautéing or baking.
Armed with the facts, I started to ponder my new recipe options. This is where the moment of genius occurred. I had been toying with a new protein pancake recipe. I had olive oil on the original ingredient list when I thought why not try the coconut oil instead?
What I am about to share with you is my brand new Vanilla Coconut Protein Pancake recipe. It is my husband’s new favorite, the top of all the pancake recipes I have presented to him. I concur, they are super tasty. In the picture you see my plate with blueberries on top. For something that only feels like a guilty pleasure, try natural peanut butter instead. I hope you enjoy these as much we have. Let me know what you think. Also visit Tropical Traditions. They have an amazing assortment of coconut products as well as other recipes to help you give coconut oil a try.
Nutrition Facts
|
Serving Size
|
1 Pancake | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Number of Servings
|
8 | ||
|
Amount Per Serving
|
|||
|
Calories
|
110 | ||
|
Calories from Fat
|
25 | ||
|
Total Fat
|
2.7 g | ||
| Saturated Fat | 1.7 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0 g | ||
|
Cholesterol
|
10 mg | ||
|
Sodium
|
50 mg | ||
|
Potassium
|
150 mg | ||
|
Total Carbohydrate
|
14 g | ||
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g | ||
| Sugars | 3 g | ||
|
Protein
|
7.7 g | ||
| * Nutritional calculation provided by Dailyburn. | |||
Pamela’s Vanilla Coconut Protein Pancakes
- 1 cup vanilla soy milk (you can also substitute vanilla almond milk)
- ¾ cup quick oats
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 6 oz Fat Free Greek yogurt
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 scoop Designer Whey Vanilla Praline protein powder
- Olive oil cooking spray
In a medium bowl, add oats to soy milk and let sit 5 minutes
In a separate bowl, mix Greek yogurt, egg whites, vanilla extract and coconut oil till smooth.
Add yogurt mixture, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and whey protein powder to the oat mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Spray a well heated griddle lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Pour batter onto griddle and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are lightly browned.
Makes 8 pancakes.
