Protein Blueberry Pancakes

Who doesn't love pancakes? Moreover, who wouldn't love guilt-free pancakes? That's right: now you can enjoy every single bite of your towering stack of pancakes, all the while knowing (or not) that they are healthy full and packed full of protein!

I do have to give a major shout-out to Fit Vegan Chef, as this recipe was adapted from hers. This not only creates a larger batch (more to share) but is still light and fluffy and incredibly filling.

One thing that I love about this recipe, is that it uses buckwheat flour in place of regular flour and vital wheat gluten as a binder, which also boosts the protein content of these pancakes. Vital wheat gluten, in general, is a great source of protein for vegans and can be used in many recipes. In fact, for 4 -5 of these pancakes averages 33 grams of protein!

Moreover, these pancakes are very low in fat: so if you are someone who must watch your fat intake for health reasons, then these pancakes will be suitable for you.

Makes 20 - 24 pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 4 - 5 cups of plant-based milk*

• 3 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

• 2 cups of Buckwheat Flour*

• 1 1/4 cups of Vital Wheat Gluten*

• 1/4 cup of Cocoa Powder

• 1/4 cup of Sugar (I prefer to use a stevia blend)

• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

• Dash of Salt

• 1 cup of Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

*Seems like a lot of milk right? This is the main thing that I adapted from Fit Vegan Chef's recipe. As mentioned, vital wheat gluten is a binder and therefore, the batter gets pretty thick with a smaller amount of milk. If you're skeptical, start with three cups of milk and then slowly add more until your desired consistency is reached.

Directions:

1. Preheat your skillet.*

2. Pour the milk into a small bowl and add the apple cider vinegar and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, vital wheat gluten, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Add the milk and apple cider vinegar to the dry ingredients and combine.

5. Fold in the blueberries.

6. Using 1/3 cup, scoop your batter onto your pan. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes, or until cooked.

*I personally like to use an electric, non-stick griddle. This allows me to not only cook more at once, but it also saves me from having to use use oil to cook the pancakes..

*If you are not sure where to buy buckwheat flour or vital wheat gluten, we personally get them at our local Bulk Barn. Having been in two different cities and different store locations, I can assure you that every Bulk Barn that we have been to carries the same stock, so you shouldn't have any issues finding it at your local store.

If you tried this recipe, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment!