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These high-protein pancakes are not just for the kids, even though they are kid approved! Anyone can enjoy these light, fluffy pancakes that are packed with protein and healthy fats. These pancakes, unlike the traditional versions, leave you full and satiated for hours, without the blood sugar swing and subsequent crash. They are easy to make in large batches and freeze perfectly, so make an extra big batch so you always have some on hand.
I have been making these high protein pancakes for years. Ever since Jacob started eating solid food back in 2020, pancakes have been one way that I have gotten extra nutrition into him. The recipe has evolved over the years (my first batches included bone marrow), but this is the one that we consistently use now. I make this recipe in large batches and then freeze them so that we have quick breakfasts and snacks whenever we need. In all honesty, it is not uncommon for us to have turkey bacon and protein pancakes for dinner more than once a week.
Why Protein Matters
I have talked about the benefits of adequate protein for years on this site. Most of my content has been directed towards women, especially women who are entering or nearing their 40s and the change of seasons referred to as perimenopause. Muscle mass is our organ of longevity and women lose their muscle mass rapidly after the age of 35.
But the benefits of higher protein diets don’t just benefit women (and men), but also our kids. And there is no comparison between the bioavailability of animal protein over plant protein. Don’t be fooled by clever marketing and propaganda against meat. Plants (and bugs) are not the proteins of the future — nor will consuming them lead to long-term vibrant health for most people.
Ensuring our children get enough protein is critical for their growth and development because protein is a building block for muscles, skin, and bones. It is essential for creating hormones and enzymes that are used to run every system in the body. Protein also provides energy, helps with concentration, supports the immune system, and aids in digestion and metabolism. When our little human’s bodies are developing, they are in need of LOTS of nutrition to make sure every system is working optimally. So don’t skimp out on the protein and healthy fats when serving up the kiddo’s meals.
Getting adequate nutrition into your child is sometimes a little challenging. While some kids seem to miss the picky eating phase completely, many more kids struggle with this challenge no matter how they’ve been raised. I know I am not the first person to have a child who turned into a picky eater even though we started out eating all the things. From day one, I was introducing lots of herbs, spices, different textures, etc., yet around age two and a half the adventurous side of him seem to disappear. I was determined NOT to have a picky eating (see the next section of this article for more on that).
We are starting to make some progress in the picky eating front, but it has not been without its struggles and angst on my part as a mother, especially with my background and nutrition and holistic living. Navigating the picky eating phase has been a bit of a challenge. I do encourage all parents not to give up and just do the best you can and give yourselves some grace. Parenting is the hardest job in the entire world…
A Note About Picky Eating
The topic of picky eating can be a controversial one, leading to passionate and heated debates online. No matter who you talk to, someone is going to have their own opinion about why a child is a picky eater (and what you should do about it). I have seen many the arguments online about this topic.
I am here to tell you that I was one of those super opinionated, “my child will NEVER do that” people for many years. I did my very best parenting before I ever had a child. I was certain that my child would NEVER be a picky eater and I would NEVER have to deal with “those” issues. Because picky eaters developed out of bad parenting, ya know…
And then…
I actually became a parent and all of my self-righteous, haughty ideas about what my kid “would” and “would not” do got tossed right out the window. I am ashamed of the opinionated views that I used to have on such topics (and many others) in regards to parenting. Like I said, I always did my very best parenting before I became a parent.
~insert face palm here~
One thing that I wish I had known more about sooner was the relationship between sensory issues, sleep disorder breathing, and picky eating. This is something that didn’t really come on my radar until after the picky eating stage had started. But I can now look back and see how I think that things like tongue and lip ties, sleep disorder breathing, sensory/texture issues, etc. have led to the issues we have had around food. Also, I have determined that our son is a supertaster and that has led to some of the issues we have had around food too.
I do not have space in this article to dive into this topic, as it is a huge topic. But I would encourage any parent out there who is experiencing food issues with their child(ren) to dig deeper. Please look into sleep disordered breathing to start (from there, you can spiral off into tongue/lip ties, sensory processing issues, dental issues, behavioral issues, etc.). Sleep disordered breathing has an array of symptoms and many of them can be tied into sensory and behavioral issues in children — including picky eating. When I have more time, I will try to write a more detailed article on this topic.
Notes About High Protein Pancakes
As I mentioned earlier, this recipe freezes wonderfully. I usually put most of one batch in the freezer for meals later on. To freeze, I like to line a sheet pan with parchment paper and layer the pancakes in single layers as they come off the griddle. Let them cool completely and then freeze them on the parchment lined pans. Once frozen, I put them in a large resealable container and they’re ready for quick meals.
If you can tolerate dairy, feel free to use dairy milk instead of coconut milk. I do like the added fat that coconut milk gives so I would use whole milk, or even half and half, if I was using dairy milk. Truly, any milk would work fine in this recipe.
The bananas are part of what gives some of the texture and sweetness to the pancakes. But if you are avoiding bananas for some reason, I have successfully made these with mashed sweet potato or pumpkin instead. Just know that the flavor will change and you may need to add some other spices if your kiddo will be averse to pumpkin or potato.
I use cassava flour because it is what I typically have on hand, but you can use any flour you want, although I can’t advise ratios. Cassava flour can many times be used 1:1 for wheat flour. But when you start getting into the gluten free flours, the ratios change. I have used a few brands of gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the cassava flour successfully. I typically use 1 – 1 1/4 cups per recipe.
Feel free to adjust the spices as you like. Jacob and I both really like the flavor combo of the vanilla and cinnamon with the banana so that is what we always stick with. But please play around with your favorite flavor combos and see what you like.
I have a Blendtec blender and this recipe will fill it to the brim. If you have a smaller blender, I would halve the recipe so you don’t end up with an overflowing blender. Don’t ask me how I know this can happen…
Why I Prefer Beef Protein Powder Over Whey Protein
If you don’t have any issues with dairy, the this might be a moo-t (haha! see what I did there?!) 😉 point for you. You may be able to tolerate whey protein with no issues and there are some great, very clean whey brands out there to choose from (I talk more about that in my protein ice cream eBook). But if you are among those of us with dairy sensitivities or allergies, then read on!
In my opinion, beef protein powder (like the Equip Foods brand Prime Protein) is far superior to any of the dairy-free protein powder options on the market. This clean protein powder is made from actual beef and is the equivalent to eating 4oz of grass-fed beef per serving.
Whey protein can be very hard to digest for some people and can leave the user feeling gassy and bloated. The same goes for plant proteins, which are much harder to digest. Plus, even with all the clever marketing, the fact is, plant proteins are simply harder to digest than animal proteins. Prime Protein is a rigorously tested, doctor-formulated protein powder that is made from 100% grass fed and finished beef. This is what you can expect from every scoop of Prime Protein:
- Grass-fed beef isolate protein providing complete protein.
- Nutrition equivalent to 4oz of grass-fed beef.
- Less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems like whey.
- Collagen and gelatin, which repairs your joints and soft tissues like plant protein won’t.
- No added chemicals, fillers, binding agents or artificial coloring or sweeteners.
- Beef protein that’s made the same way that bone broth is made, low and slow heating to preserve the nutrition. No chemical processing.
- Paleo, carnivore, and keto approved.
- Unflavored Prime has only ONE ingredient, grass-fed beef isolate. It can’t get any cleaner.
- Surprisingly versatile, 1-5 ingredients in each flavor. Endless possibilities.
- Tastes like dessert, not beef.
- 30 servings per bag.
Beef protein is packed with the collagen, gelatin, and micro-nutrients your body needs. They work to repair your joints and soft tissues like plant protein won’t. Studies have shown that beef protein provides additional benefits to strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss over whey. And, while Equip Foods trusts their partners completely, they still do independent, routine quality and contaminant testing to make sure their beef protein powder is free of harmful amounts of heavy metals and toxins like glyphosate.
I love adding both the Prime Protein powder and Equip Foods collagen powder into my recipes whenever appropriate. When I am sick, I will often add a scoop of unflavored collagen into my soup or broth for an added protein boost. I spoke in detail about collagen and its health benefits in this post: Why I Stopped Using Collagen (and Why I Started Using it Again). When I wanted brownies one day, I knew I needed to add some clean beef protein powder to it. It took me several batches to get the taste and texture just right, but these healthier fudgy protein brownies are truly a treat!
I’ve been using Equip Foods brand products for years now and they are one of my most trusted brand partners. I am very picky on the brands I recommend on this site and only recommend ones I personally use and love. Equip Foods is one of those brands. If you would like to check them out, you can save 15% on your first order with my coupon code: DELICIOUS. Shop the Equip Foods site here!
OK, let’s dive into the recipe!
High Protein Pancakes (Kid Approved!) :: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free
Ingredients
- 16 eggs
- 1 can coconut milk (13.66 oz)
- 3 bananas
- 6 scoops Equip Foods Beef protein powder (we typically use ½ vanilla and ½ unsweetened)
- 1 cup cassava flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- butter, coconut oil, or ghee for cooking
Instructions
- Toss all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Let the batter sit for about 5-8 minutes (it will thicken some) while you heat up your frying pan(s).
- Make as you normally would pancakes and serve with your favorite toppings.
- To freeze, place in single layers on parchment paper lined baking sheets. So paper, pancakes, paper, pancakes, etc. until they get as high as you want. I usually do about 8 layers per sheet pan. I let each layer cool completely before laying another layer on top. Then I freeze them until solid and then store in reclosable bags.
Notes
Note 1: Each batch makes 15-30 pancakes, depending on how big you make them.
Note 2: I have a Blendtec blender and this recipe will fill it to the brim. If you have a smaller blender, halve the recipe so you don't end up with an overflowing blender.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
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Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour (2 Lb. Bag) Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Baking Flour - Made From 100 % Yuca Root - Certified Paleo & Non-GMO Verified All-Purpose Wheat Flour Substitute -
Native Vanilla - Pure Vanilla Extract - 16 Fl Oz - Made from Premium Vanilla Bean Pods, For Chefs and Home Cooking, Baking, and Dessert Making -
Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Milk, 25.36 fl oz (Pack of 6) -
Equip Foods Protein - Real Food to Fuel Your Body
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