Leala Luna McGinnis's Miss Power Protein Pancakes

To me, pancakes are a treat. They are soooo good, and sooo bad for you when you eat them a lot! I want to share a CLEAN pancake recipe with you that can substitute for a stack of sunday morning pancakes, but is packed with a lot more protein, less carbs, is a clean recipe and still tastes absolutely delicious! Remember, you can substitute so many different things for your favorite desserts and treats, it just takes some time to find what you like and what works for you and your body.

I like to do vanilla protein pancakes, banana pancakes , coconut flour pancakes , and chocolate pancakes. The secret here is that instead of using actual flour or chocolate chips, I use protein powder
for flavor. My favorite clean pancake toppings in replace of syrup: peanut butter, almond butter, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, coconut shreds, cinnamon, walnuts

Protein pancakes can actually be really hard to master...I used to spend time and time again trying to get mine evenly cooked and edible looking. The first time I made them, the result was really scary...I had a deformed lump of dough on my plate and thought it was supposed to look like that. So don't feel bad if you're first attempt is a little messy...and unappetizing. Although you should have no problem, I consider cooking protein pancakes an art, that one must simply master.

Gear up the griddle this sunday morning, pull out the spatula, and feel absolutely GOOD about eating PANCAKES. No regrets. No cheating. Just clean food.

Leala Luna McGinnis's Miss Power Protein Pancakes

dessertwithbenefits.com

• CHOCOLATE PANCAKES:
• 2 medium scoops chocolate whey protein powder
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour 
• coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut almond milk
• Combine all dry ingredients and mix together. In another bowl, add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix them together. Add to the dry ingredient bowl. Heat a pan over medium heat, coat with coconut oil, and drop pancake sized batter circles into the skillet as if you were makin regular pancaked. Flip them and repeat. 
• Top with banana or coconut shreds and enjoy
• VANILLA PANCAKES:



bride2befitness.com

• 1-2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1-2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• Same steps as the chocolate pancakes, but instead of mixing the Greek yogurt into the mix, use it as a pancake topping! You can also top the pancakes with peanut butter, almond butter, or chopped fruit! Mmmmm yessss.
• COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES:
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tbsp. coconut extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp splenda (optional)
• Same steps as above...top with coconut shreds or bananas. My all time favorite!

PREP IT OUT

People eat on the go. We eat on the fly. We do what's fast, we eat what's already made. If we have a 30 minute lunch break, we stop at McDonalds to get a burger because it tastes good, and it's fast. Why do you think it's called fast food? But guess what guys...this is what makes people gain weight, maintain weight, and not reach their goals or get that great body. When you eat what's convenient, it's usually bad for you...that's how this country makes money. People buy french fries because they are cheap, they get handed to you in a bag through a window while you sit in your car, and they are deceivingly filling since they're covered in salt and grease. So if you plan ahead for school or you plan ahead for a presentation or work meeting, treat your body like it's also a million dollar deal. Get prepared.

PREP. YOUR. MEALS. This is a tip that has gotten me very far. It's the reason why I feel healthy and energized everyday, it's the reason why I can stay on a path that I've worked hard to get on, it's the reason why I don't spend my day regretting what I just ate for a snack, and it's the reason why I don't overeat. I don't find myself buying packs of pretzels and cereal bars out of hunger when I'm running errands, because I prepare all my meals in advance for the day, I bring what I know I need with me, and I eat on time consistently throughout the day because I have organized containers of my small meals or snacks with me. Being organized like this helps you feel like you're on track with your diet, it helps you feel good about yourself and like you're making progress, and it keeps your diet ON POINT.

This is my snack, or meal #2 everyday while I am
usually out and about. Tuna fish, peppers, avocado
and brussel sprouts. Perfect. Quick. Prepped.

Yes...I'm that weird girl who's in a meeting or a college lecture and pulls a bag of broiled chicken out of her purse. I'm THAT person. I drive around with a shaker bottle filled with protein powder in my cup holder and I take containers of asparagus and broccoli with me. That's how I roll. Remember how I always talk about not caring what other people think? So yeah......I'm sure it catches people off guard when they're sitting in their seat, waiting hungrily for class to end so that they can go and quickly grab a pizza slice and they see me with a plastic fork and pre-made brussel sprouts, but it's a sacrifice you have to make if you're trying to eat throughout the day, eat the right nutrients, and be flexible at the same time. Let me explain my routine, so that you understand what meal prep means.

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

Some people prep all of their meals for the week on weekends, like on Sunday. They go to the store, buy what they need, put it all in the kitchen and store it away. Every morning, I make my breakfast at home...sometimes I've already gone to the gym before breakfast. Then either before my day starts or the night before, I make everything I know I need for that day...I cook some sweet potatoes, I have chicken ready on hand, I slice some peppers and avocado...open a can of tuna. I take containers and fill each one with my different meal and different portions, snap them up, put them in a bag and head out for the day. Since I eat 6-7 meals a day and make sure to eat every 2-3 hours, this is incredibly efficient and I have everything I know I need to eat on hand. You know when you go to McDonalds and they give you a bag with the food you ordered and you eat the amount they give you? Same thing...I eat the amount I already put in the container, and that's my meal.

Ideas for quick clean foods you can prepare for your day/week? 

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

• Put hardboiled eggs in a little baggy with some salt and pepper, plop it in your purse and BAM...you're ready to go. 
• Tuna fish...A+ for protein, mix in some avocado and it's a great snack
• Cooked broccoli and brussel sprouts...my FAVORITE. I can't get enough of these. They're as addictive as potato chips...but way better.
• Grilled chicken breasts...in a bag or container. Protein at it's finest.
• Rice cakes and apples
• Mason jar salads...take a mason jar and fill it with salad and vegetables
• Homemade granola- perfect to fill a jar with, keep on the counter and add into yogurt etc.
• Brown rice- cook a bag on the weekend, and store it in the fridge for a carb source for meals
• Fish- cook enough for the week and keep it in the fridge

So what advice can I give you to help with overeating and staying on track? PREP YOUR MEALS. It does take some time, but it saves you time for the rest of the week in the long run. If you're worried about what people might think...if you're sitting in class and have a container filled with tilapia...well. oops. Don't worry about what people think. 

Effort, consistency, and balance is my recipe to you...those are the core, and most important ingredients next to the grilled chicken.

-Lil Miss Strong