Banana Pancakes or 3 Ingredient Pancakes

Banana Pancakes

Aka  3-ingredient pancakes

These pancakes are my second favorite pancakes thus far, in my quest to find the best low carb pancake solution. I know it's crazy that I'm searching for the best pancakes. But it could be worse. :)

These pancakes are moist, and very banana nut bread flavored. I'm thinking a more browned banana would have tasted better. My banana wasn't too soft, these will be great with a bit of walnuts or pecans mixed in or coconut flakes for added texture. I also found this recipe on Pinterest. (are you noticing a pattern here?) These are super fast and easy to make. Great for if your in a rush and don't want to pull out the blender or mixer. These can be quickly made with a fork and a bowl. The flavor is very banana, and it has a kind of spongy texture. I kept thinking while I was eating them that they needed a little something different, maybe I wanted the nut crunch like banana nut bread but these were good and quick. I ate these with just a little butter on each pancake. No syrup or added any thing else.

Ingredients:

1 banana

2 eggs

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mash the banana with a fork, add the eggs and mix together. Add the cinnamon, mix together. Cook on heated griddle until browned, flip, brown and enjoy! :)

Super easy and fast. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you add any other ingredients to this and how you feel they turned out.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

I have been trying a bunch of low carb or no carb breakfast pancakes, to help me keep a lower blood sugar during this pregnancy. We love, I mean LOVE pancakes for breakfast here at my house. I can't have the regular pancakes because there are too many carbs, plus the sugar from the syrup. Therefore I've been scouring Pinterest for low carb or no carb pancakes and trying each one, to see which one I like the best. I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I halved it, since I was only feeding myself. These are the most "Pancakey" (I'm saying it's a real word) like pancakes. They are fluffy, and don't run when you pour the batter on the griddle. They make a thick batter. However, I thought the consistency was odd. Not bad, just odd. Very spongy. I don't know if I will make these again, but they were definitely interesting to make. I enjoyed the option to make these out of cottage cheese, and eggs. I generally love cottage cheese, and eggs of course. However, if you want pancakes that look like pancakes, but don't really taste like pancakes... These are for you. They will work for me in a pinch in the future.

Ingredients:

3/4 c cottage cheese

3 eggs

a pinch of kosher salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 c flour

1-2 dash cinnamon

1/4 tsp double strength vanilla

Directions:

Mix the eggs together until light in color. Separately blend cottage cheese until smooth in appearance. (I used an attachment to my submersible blender that acts like a food processor.) Once done, mix together with whisk the egg and cottage cheese, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Once all those are incorporated together add the vanilla and cinnamon. Heat griddle, spray with non-stick spray, and pour on griddle. Cooking @ 350 for about 1-2 min each side, then flip. Both sides should be browned. 

Serve with fresh fruit topping, or agave nectar.

Breaking News!!! Philly Steak Salad and Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes

Baby JellyBean #4 Due June 3, 2015

OK, I know it's been a while since I've updated this blog. I apologize, I have been under the weather and sick. I found out a year ago I was a diabetic and have been trying to get my blood sugars under control. That being said, I also just found out that I'm pregnant with baby #4... It's my 5th pregnancy but 4th baby (so far). I am still diabetic, with crazy blood sugar. My Dr. said I need to get it below 95 fasting and 140 when I eat or I'll be put on insulin. I am doing everything I can NOT to go on insulin. I have made a dramatic change since last night. After I realized that the "diabetic diet" I got from my Dr was still putting my blood sugars way out of whack! I am going to do a no carb or low carb eating from now on. I plan on cutting out all processed carbs like rice, bread, pasta, and even potatoes (except sweet potatoes). It will be a lot like a mixture of Atkins (r) and Paleo. I plan on eating lots of veggies and meats, while limiting several fruits and carbs. I am hoping this will help my body to work better and lower my blood sugar. I have already seen a drastic change since last night and this morning. That is saying something.

My average after meal BS level was between 250 and 350 with medication. My fasting BS average was between 150 and 220 depending on what I had for dinner the night before and if I had any snacks between dinner and bedtime.  Those numbers will make me have to be on insulin. I decided last night to try something... This was not what I wanted... I wanted to lower my BS numbers, not raise them.

Last night, I made Philly Steak subs for my hubby and kids. I emphasize Steak as I had cut up actual steaks and not those thin pieces from the freezer section. While they had it on hoagie buns, I had mine on a bed of lettuce, with extra bell peppers, onion and mushrooms.  It was delicious and filling. I did crave something sweet after dinner, but I think in time that will go away. I didn't have my after dinner snack either. My BS level an hour after eating was 165. That was a good start to being around where it needed to be. This morning my fasting BS was 121... that is a HUGE difference then the day before. So for breakfast I decided NO carbs or very low carb intake.  So I made low carb pancakes. OMGoodness! They were so delicious and easy to make, plus... I could eat every one I made! :) They were very crepe like and sweet enough without syrup on top, or anything extra added. Talk about delicious! I may need to make those again, later today or tomorrow for breakfast just because they are so good! I've posted the recipe and a pic or two of the dinner and breakfast.

I am planning on adding more recipes, reviews and updates to this pregnancy and diabetes as it affects me as the months progress. Thanks for stopping in and leave a message to say HI!

Philly Steak and Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

4 oz steak, sliced thin

1/2 cup diced bell peppers

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (bella)

1/4 to 1/2 cup diced onion

1 Tsp dried Italian seasoning (the kind for spaghetti)

1 Tsp seasoning salt

1-2 Tbsp oil

1 slice swiss cheese

1 slice yellow american cheese

Directions:

Sauté bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms in the oil and season with Italian seasoning; until onions are translucent and bell peppers are softened. Add thinly sliced steak and season with seasoning salt. continue to sauté until beef is cooked all the way through. Add the cheese slices to the top of piled beef and veggies. Add about 1-2 Tbsp water and cover once cheese is placed on top, and let heat and melt cheese for about 1 min or 30 sec. depending on how thick the cheese slices are. Remove and place on bed of lettuce. No dressing needed. Enjoy! 

Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 oz cream cheese

1-2 Tbsp Agave Nectar

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together. I used a cup attachment to my Ninja blender. Heat griddle or pan sprayed with non stick spray until hot. Pour batter on heated griddle in (4) 4-6 inch size pancakes. Flip after about 1-2 min when sides are dull looking and bubbly. Make entire amount of batter. Enjoy when all cooked. * These are very thin and crepe in texture. They will cook quickly and spread fast. 

** These pancakes are so delicious and are only 2 grams of Carbs per 4-6 in pancake. If you are allowed 15-20 grams of carbs for breakfast. Then you get the whole stack of pancakes, with no guilt! Even if they look like mine and fall apart because they are so thin, that's ok!  :) they still taste delicious!

Pancake Muffins

This morning, I decided to make some Pancake Muffins. There is no picture because they were eaten by the boys before I could get a picture. I will make more since they are such a hit with my kids. I hope to be able to update this post with a picture when I make more of these.

Since school started at my house, for my kids. I've been wanting them to have a healthy breakfast before they leave for school. I have seen on Pinterest different posts about Pancake Muffins. I decided to try my hand with it. They are baked in the oven and are SUPER easy to make. My one regret is that I don't have more muffin tins. I can only make 12 at a time. With three boys, sometimes that just isn't enough muffins. My children LOVED these. I hope you like them too. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

2 cups Krusteez Pancake Mix
2 scoops protein drink powder (I used vanilla)
4-5 Tbsp agave nector
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3 dashes pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp vanilla
and enough water to make slightly thinner than normal pancake batter
Chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven 350F.

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, except the chocolate chips. Place in Non-Stick sprayed muffin tins. Sprinkle with chocolate chips (these will sink to the bottom). Bake for 15 min. Remove from muffin tins and enjoy!

My kids ate these all UP. My middle child was begging for more. These are a nice alternative to typical pancakes with syrup. No syrupy mess and the kids can eat it on the run. They also bake while your helping to get the kids ready for school. I don't have to stand over the griddle making pancakes. I just mix it up, pour in muffin tins and move on to the next thing. You can add fruit or really anything to this. I hope you find these as easy as I do. I'm going to try to make up a bunch and freeze them. So they can just grab, heat in microwave and go to school.

This recipe made 12 plus enough batter left for at least 2 more.

Potato Pancakes

My grandma lived in Germany for several years as an adult while my grandfather was in the Army. She is also from North Dakota where there is a huge European influence. When I was a little girl, she used to make these potato pancakes that would make your eyes roll back in your head. That's how good they were. Well, unfortunately the concensus in the family is that the recipe died with her. :( how sad. I remember they were creamy and crunchy and had a nice oniony flavor that with maple syrup was just so heavenly. I can't quite explain it. Yes, you read right, she used to serve it with maple syrup, not sour cream or cottage cheese, but maple syrup. And on rare occasion with sweetened applesauce. This was a typical breakfast. I am assuming that she made these with leftover mashed potatoes but that is so fuzzy in my memory right now. Well, last night I had this huge craving to have potato pancakes. I searched online for a recipe... little did I know, that there are so many recipes for potato pancakes. I thought it was something that she made up. Well, obviously not. I read several that used shredded potatoes. I thought I'd try it with my red potatoes, I have about 10 lbs. Here is what I made....

Ingredients:

8-10 large red potatoes peeled and shredded

1 small/medium onion diced

3 eggs

1 tsp minced garlic

3 Tbsp flour

salt and pepper to taste

reserved bacon grease

Peel and shred potatoes into a medium bowl, mix in diced onion, eggs, garlic, flour and salt and pepper. Once this is all incorporated.

In a skillet on the stove heat oil of choice, I used Bacon Grease, but vegetable oil or olive oil will work fine. Heat til sizzling, then add by large spoonful into the oil, flatten as best you can.

Then when browned on bottom flip and brown on the opposite side, when browned it's done.

Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm. This made about 15 good sized potato pancakes.

VERDICT!

These were pretty good. They are not my grandmothers. I will try these again with mashed potatoes to see how they taste. I found this a fairly easy recipe. The hardest thing was hand shredding those potatoes. I'm hoping for a kitchenaid shredding attachment for christmas. Which would make it really easy to do this again in the future. My husband and kids didn't try them. They are hooked on plain pancakes. But I had some leftovers for lunch today, they were tasty. I will make these again, the next time I am craving potato cakes. Enjoy!