11 Ways to Give Pancakes a Healthy Makeover

Pancakes are so delicious, but so unhealthy, right? Incorrect. These healthy pancake makeovers aren’t your mother’s white flour pancakes. They’re packed with healthy goodness, so you can still enjoy pancakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner without feeling guilty.

Make your pancakes healthier with these tips:

People enjoy pancakes all over the world. But they have different names all over the world. In the United States, we could call them flapjacks. Australians call them pike / The French enjoy a thinner cake, crepes. To create a pancake, you need flour, a liquid, and some rising agent. They are cooked in a pan or on a griddle and turned over to cook them on both sides.

Once you understand how pancake ingredients work together, it’s easy to substitute alternate flours and ingredients in the batter. Whether you’re mixing salty or fruity pancakes, the possibilities are endless.

Amaranth flour is also a healthy substitute for flour. It has more protein than most gluten-free flours and even more than whole wheat flour. It has a nutty flavor. In a pancake recipe, combine it with another flour in 1 part amaranth flour and 3 parts other flour. You can substitute 1 cup of amaranth flour to replace 1 cup of wheat flour.

4 – Oatmeal

Oatmeal does not contain gluten. Makes your pancakes moist and tender. Because oatmeal is dense, it is important to combine it with other flour so that the pancakes rise.

5 – Binding and rising agents

If you are making gluten-free pancakes, you will need to add xanthan or guar gum for clumping, structure and elasticity in your pancakes. Another good binder is eggs. In addition to giving structure and clumping together the pancake batter, eggs also act as yeast when whipped with sugar and butter.

If you don’t eat eggs, you can use mashed bananas to replace them. Baking powder and baking soda are also good rising agents for pancake batter. Use 1 teaspoon of baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to rise a cup of flour in your pancake recipe.

6 – Whey or yogurt

Buttermilk and yogurt are acidic ingredients that help pancakes stay moist and tender. These ingredients also add a little yeast to your pancakes. Baking soda and buttermilk work well together, but don’t substitute buttermilk for regular milk. It will flatten your pancakes.

7 – Milk of plant origin

Plant-based milk it is a perfect substitute for normal cow’s milk. You can use the same amount of plant-based milk in your pancake recipes that you would use regular milk. You can use rice, almond, soy, or cashew milk in your pancake recipes to add nutrition and flavor. Just keep in mind that a little non-dairy milk will add extra flavor. You can create buttermilk from plant-based milk.

Vegetable whey: To make 1 cup of soy milk, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir and let it rest for five minutes. Then add it to your pancake batter.

• Blueberries, raspberries
• Sliced ​​bananas
• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Cherries
• Blueberries
• Apples
• Pomegranate
• Mango

9 – Dark chocolate

Yes, dark chocolate It is the real deal to boost your pancake makeover. Dark chocolate helps fight inflammation, balance blood sugar, and increases blood supply to the brain. Eating dark chocolate is believed to reduce stress and help improve memory so you can focus better.

10 – turkey bacon

Lean than pork bacon, turkey bacon is also lower in calories and fat. But because it’s an animal product, you still get important vitamins and minerals like zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. Cook the bacon, shred it, and add it to your pancake batter.

11 – Add nuts and seeds

Walnuts and the seeds are packed with protein, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, phosphorus, and selenium. They are packed with antioxidants that boost your immune system. They are high in fat, but it is the kind of healthy fat that helps lower cholesterol. Chop, sauté, or process into healthy nut butter for pancake toppings.

• Walnuts
• Almonds
• pinions
• Cashew nuts
• Brazil nuts
• Flax seeds

12 – All-Natural Organic Maple Syrup

Maple syrup gets a bad rap. This is mainly due to the fake maple syrup that is sold in many grocery stores and which amounts to nothing more than sugar boiled in water. But a 2017 study found that dark colored maple syrup actually inhibits the growth of gastrointestinal cancer.

Following the ancient tradition, maple syrup is made by boiling the sap collected from sugar maples. Maple trees have been used by Native Americans for centuries as traditional medicines and tonics.

Maple syrup contains phenolic compounds that act as antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Eating maple syrup makes it difficult for cancer cells to grow.

Look for real organic dark maple syrup at the grocery store. Many fake maple syrups are made from dark corn syrup or brown sugar, which are not as healthy and don’t taste as good.

13 – Honey

Honey is a natural product made by bees. Studies show that honey contains flavonoids and polyphenols, both antioxidants that can help treat conditions and diseases such as diabetes, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, and cancers. Make sure you buy real honey. There are a few fake types of honey on the market made from corn syrup. There are more than 300 types of honey in the United States.

The flavor and color come from the nectar source that the bees visited. Here is a short list of a few different types of honey that you can buy.

• Acacia
• Alfalfa
• Avocado
• Beech wood
• Blueberry
• Clover
• Dandelion
• Healthier
• Macadamia
• Orange flower
• Pine tree
• Wise

14 – Make crepes instead of pancakes (they are lighter!)

Crepes are traditionally thinner than pancakes. You usually create a filling for the inside of the crepe and then roll it up to eat. Crepes can be salty or sweet, depending on your preference. Try these crepe filling ideas.

Crepe fillings:

• Spinach, Feta, and Egg: Sauté the spinach in olive oil. Layer with spinach, feta cheese on the crepe and top with an egg fried in olive oil. Delicious!
• Cheese, Egg, and Bacon: Follow the tradition and create an egg, cheese, and turkey bacon filling for your crepe.
• Vegetarian Crepe Filling: Sauté the spinach leaves, add Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Very delicious.
• Sweet crepe filling: Sauté the blueberries, apple slices, lemon juice and cinnamon for several minutes in a skillet with a teaspoon of vegetable butter. Pour the warm mixture over your crepe and top with a little mascarpone. Tasty!
• Fruit and ricotta jam: Mix any fruit jam with 1 cup of ricotta. Top with toasted almonds.

Weird but healthy pancake toppings

Maybe you are a type of person who thinks outside the box when it comes to cooking. If so, then you will love these crazy but great pancake topping ideas.

• Sauteed Mushrooms, Fresh Grated Parmesan, and Caramelized Onions: Carmelize the onions and then sauté some mushrooms. Layer them over your homemade pancake and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
• Homemade Chili & Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese: Prepare your chili according to the recipe of your choice. Pour ½ cup of homemade chili on your homemade crepe or pancake. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
• Roast chicken, cheese and Granny Smith Apples: Buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. Shred the meat and heat in a pan. Place the shredded chicken on top of your homemade pancake or crepe, then top with shredded cheddar cheese and diced Granny Smith apples.
• Hawaiian Flare: Top your homemade pancakes with crushed pineapples, diced macadamia nuts, and shredded coconut. Aloha!
• Salmon and Cream Cheese: Buy ready-to-eat smoked salmon. Spread a dollop of cream cheese or alternative cream cheese on your homemade pancake or crepe. Top with chunks of hot smoked salmon. Amazing!

Final thoughts on adding a healthier twist to traditional pancakes