If you’re a busy person – and who isn’t – then pancakes can make a great meal for you.
The options are endless for what can be mixed into a pancake or what can be scattered on top of a pancake. It’s a savory and nutritious pancake when you mix in sauteed onions and mushrooms, shredded cheese, or even chopped up Korean kimchi before cooking.
It’s a mildly sweet and nutritious pancake when you mix in blueberries, raspberries, or a mashed, ripe banana before cooking. Don’t forget to sprinkle some herbs and spices into your pancakes, too. You can even get totally funky with pizza pancakes. Simply mix in shredded cheese, finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, onions and garlic, dried oregano and dried basil to the batter before cooking, and then serve the pancakes with Marinara sauce to dip. Who knew?
You might be surprised to read about other ideas for Breakfast for Dinner which is a nice finish to a busy day.
Packing Pancakes with Nutrition
Here are a few guidelines on how to make sure your pancakes – savory or sweet – are packed with good nutrition.
- Use a whole wheat pancake mix as your starting point. Or make them from scratch using whole wheat, whole oat, corn, or almond flour as your primary ingredient.
- Be sure to include better nutrition ingredients in your pancake batter, like l% milk, eggs, and a cold-pressed oil.
- Think up a healthy duo or trio of mix-ins and a topping. For example:
- Blueberries + ground cinnamon; sweeten the top lightly with pure maple syrup
- Mashed up fresh banana + vanilla extract, a couple drops in the batter; sweeten the top lightly with pure maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar
- Canned pumpkin + ground nutmeg + chopped nuts; sweeten the top lightly with a mixture of berry jam and ricotta cheese
- Chopped fresh green onions, including green part + grated cheese + Korean kimchi; dip into a mixture of half soy sauce and half rice vinegar and a few drops of sesame oil
- Minced fresh rosemary + fresh or frozen and thawed corn; sweeten the top lightly with cherries or berries and a bit of pure maple syrup sauce
Pancakes Make Healthy Eaters
It’s not easy to become a healthy eater until you unlock the door to your favorite foods – made with better nutrition. Made with better nutrition merges perfectly with pancakes if you’re willing to try a new mix-in combo or topping like the options above.
And, bring your entire family on board if you are part of a family unit. Make it colorful, make it fun, and make it a new meal that promotes good nutrition for feeling your best! For ideas about other quick meals that are packed with nutrition, take the next step and grab my free Mediterranean Menus e-booklet.
Will you make a savory or sweet pancake to try first?