Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

• 40 g All-purpose flour (5¼ tbsp)
• 20 g Vanilla whey protein powder (0.7 oz (about ⅔ scoop))
• 3 g Baking powder (⅔ tsp)
• 1.5 g Ground cinnamon (½ tsp)
• 0.3 g Ground nutmeg (⅛ tsp)
• 0.4 g Salt (a pinch)
• 100 g (2 eggs) Eggs (2 large eggs)
• 70 g Canned pumpkin purée (2.5 oz)
• 60 g Nonfat milk (¼ cup)
• 2 g Vanilla extract (½ tsp)
• 4 g Vegetable oil (¾ tsp)
• 60 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (¼ cup)
• 12 g Maple syrup (⅔ tbsp)

You'll need: Mixing bowl, Whisk, Nonstick frying pan or griddle, Spatula.

Method

1. Mix the batter

   Whisk the flour, whey, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in the bowl. Add the eggs, pumpkin, milk and vanilla and stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick. Let it sit for 3 minutes.

   Stop stirring when the flour disappears. Lumps are fine; overmixing makes tough pancakes.

2. Cook the pancakes

   Brush the pan lightly with the oil and heat it over medium-low heat. Spoon in about ⅓ cup of batter per pancake and spread it slightly. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles pop on top, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more, until the middle is set with no wet batter. Wipe and re-oil between batches.

   Pumpkin batter browns quickly. Keep the heat at medium-low or the outside burns before the inside cooks.

3. Stack and top

   Stack the pancakes on a plate, spoon the yogurt on top, drizzle with the maple syrup and finish with a pinch of cinnamon.

   Yogurt gives a tangy cream-cheese-frosting feel with a fraction of the sugar.

Swaps

• Vanilla whey protein powder → Oat flour, 20 gLess protein (about 16 g fewer) but a softer, fluffier pancake.
• Nonfat Greek yogurt → Cottage cheese, blended smoothEven more protein, with a slightly saltier taste.