It's pancake Saturday!

I have been meaning to share with you yet another recipe from Gourmet Nutrition, but it'll have to wait because I've got two from Oxygen—although I'm only going to give you one today. You'll have to keep reading, as the other will come soon enough. So which one am I sharing today? Well, it's Saturday and I can imagine the child within you wants nothing more than a syrupy pancake breakfast. There's no better way to start off your weekend, right? But when you're living the fit life, there isn't room in your diet for all the unnatural ingredients so commonly found in those boxed mixes we all know and love. But it's always a good idea to start your day with some carbs. So what's a lover of pancakes to do? Make them from scratch using healthy ingredients. It's entirely possible:

Now, Oxygen calls all of this deliciousness "Preworkout Pancakes" because they contain a good dose of carbohydrates and protein, all of which your body needs before a workout. Wait—protein? Indeed. Aside from the use of eggs, there is also a scoop of protein powder in these puppies. Let me give you the full recipe before we discuss that ingredient.

Oxygen's Preworkout Pancakes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
2 egg whites
1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Your favorite pancake toppers

OK, now let's go back to the protein powder. If you don't have any, don't rush out and buy some. I had a few sample packets in my cupboard, which I only truly sample when a recipe calls for it. As you know, you can get protein from a variety of different sources. And in the case of this particular recipe, you'd be getting it from the egg whites. So try adding an extra tablespoon of oats or flaxseed instead. Then mix in a dash of pure vanilla extract for added flavor...

Directions:
Throw all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Place the mix in your refrigerator as you heat a pan over a burner set to Medium. When the pan is ready, coat it with non-stick cooking spray if necessary, then pull the dough from the refrigerator. Drop by the spoonful, creating three equally sized pancakes. Flip when they begin to bubble. Continue to flip until both sides are browned to your liking. Remove from heat, then top with your favorite pancake toppers. I used half a banana and some pomegranate seeds, then a drizzle of honey. And now that I think about it, I should have added some Chia seeds, too. Darn and DARN.

Note that you should be able to get three complete pancakes, and that three pancakes is a decent serving size in the case of this recipe. However, if you want to share...by all means! But they're so good that you might not want to. You be the judge.

And so, as you read this, we will be venturing back home from sunny Cozumel. Back to freezing cold temperatures and a lake that's far from Caribbean blue. I sure can't wait to share with you some of our exciting adventures. You KNOW I had my camera with me. Expect at least one picture (maybe two or three) of a nice, lovely and delicious bowl of guacamole. My favorite part about Mexico! Well, at least when it comes to the food.

We'll travel safe, I promise.

Question: What's your favorite pancake topper? Do you have protein powder in your kitchen? Why or why not?