Thursday, October 22, 2009

Pumpkin Pancakes


October seems to be the only month we see pumpkins in the grocery store. Coming from a nutrition perspective, that's really a shame! Pumpkins are a low-calorie vegetable that are rich in potassium and loaded with beta-carotene (a powerful antioxidant). Its natural sweetness brings flavor to baked goods without any added guilt.

Here's one of my favorite recipes that I use year-round for breakfast:

To make the batter, mix:

• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/4 cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon


(These measurements make one serving at only 130 calories.)

Since it's so low-calorie, you can add a topping depending on your taste preferences...but keep it healthy! I suggest 1 TBSP of chopped walnuts. Yum!

Mix all ingredients together. Pour onto a hot skillet, and treat it like a normal pancake batter. Eat and enjoy!

Additional Tip:

Don't have time to prepare in the morning? No problem! Whip them up the night before and refrigerate. The next morning, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and toast in the toaster on a light setting to keep them crisp. (You can also make a week's batch and freeze to keep them fresh!)

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