Flour-free Pancakes...

Even though they are the best possible way to wrap up a weekend morning of sleeping in, let’s face it - there’s nothing terribly nutritious about pancakes. These classic, edible pieces of Americana are simply dessert for breakfast. Much like the majority of breakfast diets in the US, pancakes boast little nutritional value and loads of fat, sugar, and simple carbs. Pancakes, muffins, waffles, Danish, doughnuts … all variations of the same basic thing. But of course, there are healthy alternatives to each of these morning treats, and today I’d like to take a look at pancakes.

The gut-busting quality of pancakes (without the syrup) is the amount of carbs that can be ingested with a typical serving. A short stack of classic buttermilk pancakes (3) at the International House of… Hotcakes packs a whopping 69 grams of carbs. And that’s without the butter and syrup. Yikes.

These simple carbs, from the flour, are then processed into sugar in the body, causing a massive blood sugar spike and slamming on the pancreas afterburners to produce enough insulin to handle everything. However, take the flour OUT of the equation and the overall carbs on this meal are drastically reduced, resulting in a much more manageable glycemic load for the pancreas (and waistline).

But... how in the world can pancakes exist without flour?

I love this kind of question because I’m always experimenting with way to avoid flour and feature a gluten-free menu in my house. How about oats? Or oatmeal – a much healthier alternative to conventional, refined, bromated, white flour. Check out the following recipe for flourless pancakes to put a twist on a classic breakfast food, feel satisfied for longer, and avoid another carb-induced “diabetic” coma.

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1 C      cooked old-fashioned oatmeal

½ C     organic, low-fat cottage cheese

2          eggs (or chia seeds and soy milk)

            vanilla

            cinnamon

            nutmeg

Process ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth.

Heat up the griddle and cook this batter just like any other.

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It’s simple and tasty – the way I like it.

The texture is definitely different. These cakes are a bit more dense and soft compared to the quintessential fluffiness of regular pancakes. However, I loved the crust I was able to get on these and the flavor was different too, but totally in a good way - a bit tangy, which is a welcome refresher to the breakfast table.

Overall, this recipe in my opinion is a great way to avoid a carb-o-load and enjoy a delicious, healthy, GF breakfast!