Chocolate Banana Quinoa Pancakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

I love trying new foods and experimenting with pancakes. I always try to order one new item that I haven't tried before whenever I place an order at iherb.com (one of my favorite places to order most of my flours and stevia extracts). My last order included quinoa flour. Quinoa flour is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world- the Inca's called it the "mother of all grains". Quinoa is higher in protein than most grains, it is gluten free, and it is a rich source of iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. I am loving the flavor and texture that it gives my pancakes! It's similar to coconut flour in that it makes my pancakes fluffy, but it doesn't require as much liquid. Quinoa flour is officially a pantry staple for me! If you decide to order it from iherb.com, you can use my discount code (on my home page) to get money off your first order!

Note: If you don't have Sunwarrior protein powder, you can probably use regular whey protein, but don't use as much milk (whey protein doesn't absorb as much liquid). Remember, the thicker the batter, the better the pancakes! Also, don't fear the cauliflower. I use it in almost ALL of my pancake recipes because it gives such an amazing cake-like texture. You don't taste it- I promise!

Pancake time!

                               

                              

Chocolate Banana Quinoa Pancakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

Ingredients for Pancakes:

1/3 cup riced cauliflower (put in a food processor and pulse until it looks like couscous)
1/4 cup quinoa flour
3/4 scoop Sunwarrior Chocolate Protein Powder
1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 medium banana (about 50 grams)
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup almond milk

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce (optional- use whatever sauces and toppings you like!):

1 tablespoon Walden Farms sugar-free chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons peanut flour (or PB2)
Water

1. Put the riced cauliflower in a small bowl and cook in the microwave for 40 seconds. Set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add all of the pancake ingredients into a food processor (including the cauliflower). Blend until smooth.
3. Add pancake batter by the spoonful. Cook until the edges set and small bubbles start to form. Flip. Cook on the other side about 3-4 minutes.
4. To make the sauce, combine the chocolate syrup and the peanut flour. Slowly add water until it becomes a thick sauce. Layer the pancakes with the sauce. Enjoy!

Vanilla Almond Protein Pancakes

One of my favorite extracts to use is almond extract. Love the nutty, warm flavor! These were so fluffy :)

Also, don't let the cauliflower scare you! It makes the pancakes more moist and cake-like! You can omit if you don't have any, but I highly recommend it.

                              

Vanilla Almond Protein Pancakes 

3/4 scoop Vanilla protein powder (I use Cellucor Whipped Vanilla)

2 tablespoons oatmeal

2 tablespoons coconut flour 

1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 stevia packet 

1/3 cup riced cauliflower 

3 tablespoons egg whites 

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt 

1/3 cup almond milk 

Splash of almond extract (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Directions: 

1. Preheat a large non stick pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. 

 2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and finely chop. Place in a bowl and microwave 40 seconds.

3. Add all ingredients including the cauliflower to your food processor. Blend until smooth.

4. Add pancake batter to your pan by the spoonful. Cook until edges set and then flip. Be patient! They are thick and take longer than regular pancakes. Once you flip, cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Serve with your favorite toppings/fillings!

Strawberry Banana Protein Pancakes

The only thing that could've made these pancakes better is if I had fresh strawberries to decorate them with. So delicious! You can probably use a different type of flour if you don't have quinoa flour, but I definitely recommend it!

                             

Strawberry Banana Protein Pancakes:

Ingredients: 

3/4 scoop (20 g) Stawberry Milkshake whey protein by Cellucor (or any brand)

3 tablespoons quinoa flour

1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 stevia packet 

1/3 cup riced cauliflower 

1/2 medium banana (50 grams)

3 tablespoons egg whites

1 tablespoon almond milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat a large non stick pan over medium hear. Coat with cooking spray. 

 2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and finely chop. Place in a bowl and microwave 40 seconds.

3. Add all ingredients including the cauliflower to your food processor. Blend until smooth.

4. Add pancake batter to your pan by the spoonful. Cook until edges set and then flip. Cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Serve with your favorite toppings/fillings!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Quinoa Pancakes

These were so amazing that I contemplated crying when they were over. I love the combination of pumpkin and peanut butter. Plus the pumpkin keeps the pancakes moist. The cauliflower sounds weird, but trust me! You can't taste it, and it makes your pancakes thick and cake-like. 

                             

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Quinoa Pancakes

Ingredients:

 

3/4 scoop Peanut Butter Cookie protein powder (by Metabolic Nutrition)

3 tablespoons quinoa flour 

1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 stevia packet 

1/3 cup riced cauliflower

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

3 tablespoons egg whites

2 tablespoons almond milk

1/4 teaspoon butterscotch extract (optional)

DIrections:

1. Preheat a large non stick pan over medium hear. Coat with cooking spray. 

 2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and finely chop. Place in a bowl and microwave 40 seconds.

3. Add all ingredients including the cauliflower to your food processor. Blend until smooth.

4. Add pancake batter to your pan by the spoonful. Cook until edges set and then flip. Cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Serve with your favorite toppings/fillings!

Cafe Mocha Protein Pancakes

These pancakes had the perfect amount of coffee flavor . I layered these with stevia sweetened Greek yogurt and topped them with Wild Friends Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter (one of my top three favorite nut butters!). Perfect. 

                                     

Cafe Mocha Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

3/4 scoop Cafe Mocha protein powder (I used Dymatize)

1/3 cup riced cauliflower 

2 tablespoons oatmeal 

2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 packet stevia

1/4 teaspoon coffee extract

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt 

3 tablespoons egg whites

2-3 tablespoons almond milk 

Directions:

1. Cook cauliflower rice in the microwave for 40 seconds.

2. Grind oats into oat flour with a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients (includig the cauliflower!) and blend well. 

3. Heat a large, nonstick pan over medium high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Make sure the pan is hot!

4. Add the batter by the spoonful. Flip when the edges set and small bubbles start to form. Cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side.