Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes
Today is a high carb refeed day and I decided to try something I hadn't done before. For those who've had me work with them on their nutrition they know that I'm a believer in a couple of things related to bodyfat reduction. First is carbohydrate reduction for most people, especially sugars. Most Americans have a huge surplus of carbs in their diet. The second is carb timing. Carbohydrates are energy so eat them when energy is needed. Third is carb cycling. You need to be consistent with the plan in order to gain the benefits of this step. I'm 6.5 weeks out from my next bodybuilding competition and just finished a string of 80-90 gram low carb days on a sub maintenance caloric intake. Having a refeed meal accomplishes two things, it satisfies the cravings that can come from reduced calorie, reduced carb dieting and can help eliminate the urge to binge, it also boosts metabolic rate which tends to drop if carbs and calories are kept too low for too long. This was my breakfast refeed meal.
Pancakes
108 grams Hungry Jack complete pancake mix
40 grams old fashioned oats
1 scoops chocolate Divine Nutrition whey isolate
First off, as I always recommend, measure your food by weight not by volume. The pancake mix called for 1 cup or 108 grams. Upon measuring out one cup and weighing it I was about 50% over 108 grams. Nutrition information on packaging is always determined by weight. If I would have gone with the one cup that would have given me significantly more carbs and calories than I wanted. The oats are the same way. The package lists 1/2 cup or 40 grams. 40 grams is closer to 1/4 cup. If you aren't weighing your food you're certainly eating more than you think you are.
Mix the dry pancake ingredients in a bowl, add about 3/4 cup water. Heat up a skillet or frying pan that's been sprayed with Pam. When skillet is hot pour in 1/3 of batter. When bubbles appear on top flip your pancake, it doesn't take long so don't go anywhere. The second side takes even less time to cook. Use your pancake flipper to peek underneath, when it's lightly brown it's done. Set it aside on a plate and repeat.
Pancake topping
1 scoop vanilla peanut butter Divine Nutrition whey Isolate
12 grams PB2
For the topping I didn't want sugary syrup so I made a peanut butter topping with protein powder and PB2 to add extra peanut butter flavor. Mix the two ingredients together in a small bowl, carefully add a little water at a time until all powder is absorbed and you have a smooth creamy consistency. I heated mine up in the microwave afterwards which caused it to get a little clumpy. Next time I'll heat the water instead. Pour this delicious goodness over your 3 large pancakes and enjoy!
Makes 3 large pancakes
Protein 69 grams
Carbs 116 grams
Fat 7 grams
Calories 807
Obviously if the 3 large pancakes are too much for you you can cut this in half. You could also eliminate the old fashioned oats to cut out 150 calories and 28 grams of carbs. I like texture with my food so the oats were good. I hope you like it.
