Make-Ahead Protein Pancakes

Pancakes are a staple in my house. With endless possibilities to add multiple nutrient-dense ingredients, they can make a nutritiously-complete meal. Pancakes are perfect if your child doesn’t eat a wide-variety of foods. It’s funny but no matter what I put in my pancakes, my kids will always eat them!

I call these make-ahead pancakes because they serve a purpose when you don’t have time to make breakfast. But of course, you don’t have to make them ahead of time. You can just make them and serve them warm immediately if you prefer.

I like to cook these on Sunday morning and make extra to supply our breakfasts for the first half of the week. They keep well in the the fridge for up to three days. I simply warm them in a little butter or coconut oil which saves us a ton of time in the mornings. These pancakes provide powerful nutrients for our active kids than standard cereal or toast.

I also take these with me when I’m working away from home, or taking the kids out. They make an excellent snack option and are just as delicious cold.

Pancakes can be made with any type of flour; buckwheat, cassava, spelt, wholewheat, green banana, oat or almond flours. I also include puréed carrot, sweet potato, spinach, apple, banana, berries, flaxseeds, chia seeds or protein powders. Although obviously not all at once!

These pancakes are made with organic oats, which are cheap to buy and blend easily. Oats provide protein and a type of soluble fibre called beta-glucans, which help to promote healthy bacteria in the gut and supports the immune system. Combined with healthy fat, oats are a great option for stable, lasting energy all morning.

Adding yoghurt to these pancakes provides an additional source of protein. I’ve found they work well with whole-milk greek yoghurt or coconut, as a dairy free option.

Eggs are one of the main ingredients in pancakes and are one of my favourite superfoods. They are one of the most nutritious foods we can find. If we think about it, a whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken!

Eggs provide a multitude of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, D, E, K, zinc, selenium and most of the B vitamins. They also contain protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, choline (important for brain function) and an amazing compound called sulphur, a nutrient which supports natural detoxification in the body.

Thankfully, it’s easy to get eggs into your child’s diet by making pancakes, even if they don’t like eating them in other ways. I use two eggs to make these pancakes but they do work well with just one if you prefer.

Simply double the ingredient amounts to make enough extra for the week. If doing this, you do need to cook them all, as the mixture becomes too thick if left too long.