Breakfast-for-Dinner Night: Blueberry Yogurt Protein Pancakes (Kids Cook Monday)
| May 28, 2013 | Posted by Stacy under Breakfast, Dinner, Kids Cook Monday, Recipes |
The crack of bats, missing baseball caps and dirt-crusted cleats can only mean one thing: Little League season is in full swing. And now that all three of my bad news bear cubs are old enough to play, we’ll be at the field–and arriving home an hour past our regular dinnertime–twice a week.
Whipping together a healthy meal when it’s late and the kids are famished is both an art and a science. Preparation is key. So is having a list of go-to dishes that are fast and easy. That’s where breakfast-for-dinner night comes in.
I don’t know many kids who wouldn’t be excited by the idea of pancakes for dinner. Don’t worry, though, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill, not-quite nutritious ‘cakes. Plain Greek yogurt and almond meal pack in muscle-building protein, while the whole-wheat flour, almonds and ground flax deliver a generous dose of fiber. Add blueberries, and they officially gain “Superfood” status.
If possible, I like to make the batter ahead of time or even cook the pancakes so all we have to do is re-heat them in the oven. Kids can help measure and stir together the ingredients. Older children can scoop the batter onto the griddle and help flip the pancakes.
I find these pancakes naturally sweet enough that they really don’t need syrup (or a tiny drizzle at most). Two of my three kids eat them with unsweetened applesauce.
For a complete meal, serve with a side of fruit, a fruit– and– veggie packed rainbow smoothie, or a glass of milk. Your children will be happy, and you’ll be satisfied knowing that they’ve eaten well.
Blueberry Yogurt Almond Protein Pancakes
Yields: 10 or 11 3-inch pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup almond flour
4 tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups plain Greek yogurt (I use Fage 2%)
1 tbsp. melted butter, cooled
1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
Butter for griddle
Directions
- Preheat a non-stick griddle over low to medium heat F.
- Combine first six ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Stir eggs, vanilla, yogurt and butter together in a separate bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring only until just incorporated. The batter will be thick and airy. (If it is too thick, you can add a little milk of your choice–cow’s, almond, soy or hemp–to thin it out a touch.).
- Place small pat of butter onto preheated griddle and swirl around to coat. Put four 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto griddle, leaving space for pancakes to expand. Gently press in blueberries (about 6 to 8 per pancake).
- Cook until dry around the edges and golden brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until done in the middle and golden brown on opposite side, another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove cooked pancakes and repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining batter.
How do you manage to get dinner on the table when you’re juggling kids’ sports? Do you have a favorite quick-and-easy meal idea to share? Please scroll down to leave a comment!
I created this blog to raise awareness and start a dialogue about the various issues involved in school food. By writing about it, I hope to provide parents and educators with ideas and inspiration for making healthy changes in their own schools. Since healthy eating habits start at home, I also address common feeding challenges faced by parents.
These really look wonderful. I love the ingredients you used.