A sweet breakfast is often the norm – think sugary cereal, pop-tarts, donuts, granola bars. But these highly processed and sugar-filled foods give blood sugar levels a roller-coaster ride that often sets the stage for the rest of the day. It can be a never-ending cycle: eat highly processed, sugary foods -> big blood sugar spike -> big blood sugar drop -> crave more sugar.
The good news: to prevent this, we don’t have to drop the sweetness at breakfast! These chocolate pancakes satisfy the need for something sweet yet are full of whole, plant-based ingredients.
Whole grains (oats in this case), flaxseed, cacao and banana offer fiber that will prevent a big blood sugar spike. A typical serving is 3-4 pancakes – so there’s 11-14 grams of fiber in just 1 serving! Toppings such as peanut butter and sliced fruit make these even more filling!
Beyond fiber, cacao has other benefits – even outside of making these pancakes taste amazing! Specifically, cacao is a powerhouse when it comes to antioxidants. Cacao powder is raw (unlike roasted and more processed cocoa powder) and therefore doesn’t lose a bunch of nutrients in processing. Cacao nibs are simply chopped up cacao beans. This is vastly different than chocolate chips that have a little bit of cacao and a ton of add sugar and fat.
Leftover pancakes keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply heat for 20 seconds in the microwave and cover with your favorite toppings for a quick breakfast. Or – if you’re running late – grab a couple on the way out the door and eat with your hands. I can say from experience, they’re still delicious!
Dessert-for-Breakfast Chocolate Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
- 1 T apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 T baking powder
- 2 T cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- 1 T ground flax
- 1/2 medium banana, mashed with a fork
- 1 T cacao nibs (or dairy-free chocolate chips)
Toppings
- peanut butter, no sugar added
- sliced banana
- sliced strawberries
- cacao nibs (or dairy-free chocolate chips)
- pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Combine almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add oats to a food processor and process for 20 seconds.
- Add baking powder, cacao and flax to food processor and pulse 2-3 times to combine.
- Add oats mixture, mashed banana and cacao nibs to milk and vinegar mixture and stir to combine, avoid over-stirring. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly rub with oil to prevent sticking.
- Once heated, scoop batter onto skillet using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Since the batter is fairly thick, you may need to use a spoon to push it out into a small circle. Let cook until bubbles form (3-4 minutes), flip and allow other side to cook (2-3 minutes).
- Serve with toppings of choice. We recommend a thin layer of peanut butter and sliced fruit.
Notes
Nutrition
