Don’t let the word pancake fool you! These slightly sweetened, yet highly nutritious, protein pumpkin pancakes were the perfect way to start our morning! Say that 5 times fast (protein pumpkin pancakes)!
Our trip the the mountains were fueled with these amazing protein pumpkin pancakes. They are packed with protein and Dave already declared them his “new favorite pancake” (that means I’ll be making this recipe half asleep for the next few weeks!).
I wanted to do a recipe with oatmeal in it to fuel our hike through Dupont Forest. There were waterfalls to go see and I didn’t want us getting hangry to ruin out trip! I have been experimenting with an applesauce oatmeal pancake (the texture is just not 100% yet – either too dry or too wet) and planned to make those except we were out of applesauce. I remembered I just bought a few cans of pumpkin and I couldn’t resist trying it out!
I absolutely LOVE pumpkin and I get really excited when I see blog posts for pumpkin or apples. I adore summer but there is just something about those fall favors that I look forward to all year long! This recipe came together beautifully and we were able to get out and see some gorgeous waterfalls.
The drive to Dupont Forest was about 2 and 1/2 hours. We decided not to go super early, as there would be crowds and the pictures would not be as nice (as people get in the water at the calm parts of the falls). We left around 2 pm and got there around 4:30. This gave us plenty of time to see a majority of the park and get some amazing pictures.
Luckily Dave knows that I am 5 years old inside and will quickly veer off the “recommended” path to go see what I can find in the forest. So things always take a little longer with me. Not to mention the handstand and yoga pictures I’m always taking… oh and the selfies. Haha. What can I say – memories are made to be documented if you ask me 🙂
Dave and I were able to hit 3 of the 5 falls in the park before it started getting dark. Since we were starting to get hungry, we thought we would be able to find a quick snack at the grocery store in the small town. Well the grocery store had everything except a healthy snack – a Starbucks, a video rental store (not a redbox, a store like Block Buster!), whey protein bars with tons of additives and sugar.
Here are some of my favorite shots at the falls! My protein pumpkin pancakes are below! I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far!
If you love protein pancakes, you MUST check out these Red Velvet Pancakes.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 6 egg whites
- 2 scoop protein powder
- 2 tbs. coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
- 4 packets stevia
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the blender and mix until the oats have been milled into a powder and are no longer visible. Stop blender and scrape all the sides down and make sure there is no pockets of powder or spices left on the bottom. Blend one more time and viola!
- Lightly spray a preheated griddle or pan on medium heat with cooking spray (I use coconut oil) and distribute the pancake batter evenly. This batter is not as thick as the banana pancakes but still may need some help from you in becoming perfect. That being said, you may need to flatten these babies just a bit to ensure they will cook through.
- These pancakes get a nice lightly tan color when they are cooking but retain their beautiful pumpkin hue (my favorite). Cook 2-3 minutes on first side and check the bottom of the pancake to see if it is browning (take a peek with your spatula). If so, they are ready to be flipped. These pancakes hold up very well to the flipping process so don't be worried!!
- Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until pancakes feel firm to the touch when you press down on the top (they shouldn't jiggle or feel mushy under your touch).
- Chop up some pecans or you can use homemade granola (recipe soon!) for an amazing crunch on top! Enjoy!
Nutrition
How did you spend your labor day weekend? Did you take a million pictures everywhere you went?
Michaell | Foodscape
These got my husband’s stamp of approval that’s for sure, and that’s a feat. He stopped me after breakfast and said, “Love, those were some good pancakes.” We both agreed they were 5 stars across the board! I made some modifications based on the ingredients I had in the house: sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin puree, 2 “scoops” were replaced with 2 tablespoons of ground hemp seeds instead of pea protein, and 4 tbsp of coconut sugar instead of 4 “scoops” of stevia. Turned out wonderfully even with my risky modifications. I’ll be making this again.
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron
I just made some pumpkin waffles but they were not protein packed or quite as healthy – now I need to try these! YUM!
Sam
Oh I haven’t had waffles in so long. A waffle maker is on my “must purchase or get for Christmas” list. I hope you enjoy these! Thanks for commenting!