Flip Out for Blueberry Pancakes

As the month is coming to a close and the weather is getting even colder, take some time on January 28th to celebrate National Blueberry Pancake Day! I have searched for any reason that this special day is dedicated to a certain type of pancake to no avail, so I’ve put together my own list of reasons Blueberry Pancake Day is worth celebrating.

First, pancakes are a traditional breakfast food, and we have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a night of fasting, your body will be running low on fuel and breakfast is needed to provide energy for the day. Pancakes can be a great source of carbohydrates which will be broken down into glucose, which your body uses as energy.

Next, I would like to take a moment to appreciate blueberries. These small fruits are popular not only because they are a natural tasty snack but because they are an abundant source of nutrients. Blueberries are low in calories, fat, and sodium while full of dietary fiber, vitamin C, manganese, phytonutrients like anthocyanins. Manganese is an essential nutrient which helps in the absorption of other nutrients, processing cholesterol, and possibly promoting bone health. Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties which help reduce cell damage and inflammation.

A traditional pancake recipe using all-purpose flour, butter, and sugar tend to be low in fiber and high in sugar and fat. For an extra boost, swap out the all-purpose flour for whole wheat and cut back the sugar and butter you use. All this added fiber from the whole wheat flour and the blueberries will help you eat less by filling you up faster. As always, be mindful of your portions and don’t get carried away with syrups and sweetened jams.

Here is a recipe for protein packed blueberry pancakes. They require very few ingredients and are incredibly quick to make.

Recipe yields: about 6 small pancakes

What you’ll need:

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 egg

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

What you do:

Mix the yogurt and egg in a small bowl until smooth
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda
Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined
Spoon the mixture onto a nonstick pan over low-medium heat. You may need to use the back of the spoon to flatten the batter as it is very thick.
Sprinkle the blueberries on top as the pancakes are cooking. You will know it is time to flip when the uncooked side of the batter begins to bubble slightly.

I like to add extra fruit on the side and a drizzle of honey to my blueberry pancakes. That’s all there is to put together a tasty and nutritious morning. For an even easier breakfast, make extra and save them in the freezer for the week!

Your turn to take action: Give this recipe a try and share it with friends and family to get them involved in a healthy breakfast!