Stack'd: The Gluten-Free Protein Pancake Cookbook

By Jessica Kahn and Rianna Alberty

Protein pancakes: the perfect jump-start to a clean & healthy lifestyle. Dig into stack'd to discover the good 'ole flapjack, refreshed. These gluten-free, protein-packed recipes are founded in heart-healthy oats and provide a light, delicious & nutritious alternative for any meal of the day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483503547

Book preview

kitchen.

the skinny

My family is full of picky palates, yet I will eat just about anything. I simply adore food. But as the curves got curvier, I decided my gastronomical love affair needed revamping and the overhaul began with a stack of pancakes. What you’re probably thinking: this girl is off her rocker. What I’m actually talking about: protein pancakes – the good ‘ole flapjack, refreshed. Sayonara digestive backlash and the distant hum of baby beluga – protein pancakes have won my heart. Excited by this newfound good mood food, I tested them out on the most finicky eaters around – said kinsfolk. Long story short, they asked for more. So, I wrote a cookbook.

These pancakes are so easy to whip up and, with just a few kitchen staples and a dash of sweet goodness, bring a nutritious, low-calorie twist to a true classic. While there are many variations in this book, I hope you get the creative itch to find new and delicious flavor combinations of your own. As you will soon discover, almost anything goes.

As a fan of full disclosure, I must admit that I am merely the foodie next door. More often than not, the countertops are sprinkled with ground this or ground that, broken eggshells are residing comfortably in the sink, and the open milk carton is sitting ever so coolly on the stove. Kitchen theatrics aside, this cookbook details what was many months of many pancakes, in a galley far, far away. Enjoy every bite.

blend it like…

Pancakes are awesome, but protein pancakes are on another level – light, airy and gluten-free. Impossible, you say? Au contraire, my friend. It is delicious, healthful simplicity. As an added bonus, they are sky-high in protein – something most of us just don’t get enough of each day.

Based in heart-healthy oats, all of the recipes in this cookbook can be prepared using a blender for a smooth batter in seconds.

For ease of use and the perfect portion size for two, the Magic Bullet is especially handy for whipping these up in a pinch. Marketed through one of the more famous infomercials of our time, it’s one of those gadgets you impulsively buy (perhaps in the wee hours of the morning?) and then can’t imagine your life without.

Though not recommended, you may certainly mix the ingredients by hand. However, the unblended batter will yield fewer, thicker & oatier (yes, that’s a technical term) pancakes. Unless of course, you have oat-crushing mixing technique, in which case, you’re awesome.

sweet talk

If you’ve flipped through some of the recipes in this cookbook, you probably noticed the sweetener of choice is agave. I settled on agave for a few reasons, not the least of which is it hails from the tequila bush. Technically, it is agave tequilana, but for the record, I like tequila bush.

In any case, agave nectar is a neat commodity. Namely, it is about fifty percent sweeter than sugar. For example, most of the recipes here call for two teaspoons of agave, whereas traditional pancake recipes may call for one to two tablespoons of white sugar. The proof is in the pudding, er, batter as it yields a sweet, but not too sweet pancake – a little really does go a long way.

Be aware that agave isn’t necessarily a healthier alternative to sugar. After all, it is processed out of its natural state and into nectar. But because it is so much sweeter, you need much less to achieve the same sweetness.

If you’re not hip to the idea of using agave, by all means, use your sweetener of choice. Remember, you can add an additional 1 - 2 teaspoons if using sugar or 1:1 sugar substitutes like granulated Splenda. Agave is sweeter than honey, but not by much so a 1:1 ratio should work well. If you’re concerned, consider using half agave & half honey.

Since sweetness is subjective to some extent, I decided to keep the pancake base only mildly sweet. That way, should you choose to dust with powdered sugar or drizzle (read: drown) in maple syrup, your taste buds won’t go completely berserk. I recommend about 2 tablespoons of syrup so as not