Recipe: Healthy Protein Pancake Puffs with Hidden Fillings

I've got to admit something...

I'm someone who is ridiculously uncoordinated at the best of times. But first thing in the morning, I really shouldn't be allowed to function.

You see, I'm a morning person but I guess my limbs are left in la-la land when I wake up as for the first our I'm a fumbling, bumbling idiot. Don't believe me? Last week I managed to smash four glasses at one time. 

I was emptying the dishwasher, stacking the glasses on top of one another as I opened the cupboard with one glass stack in hand, only to have something come flying out at my from the cupboard, smashing the glasses in my hand which then crashed into a second stack, smashing them to pieces to. I wasn't kidding... fumbling, bumbling idiot.

So I have learnt, over the years that pancakes just aren't going to happen first thing in the morning. Not unless I'm feeling like a pancake scramble. 

I could wait until my limbs decided to wake up - but I'm someone who needs to eat as soon as  they wake up so usually I just go for another kind of breakfast. 

Usually. But last week, I also decided that I NEEEEEEEEEEEDED pancakes for breakfast and nothing else was going to do. Not oats, not breakfast bakes, not toast - nothing but pancakes would satisfy. 

So what does a girl do when she can't control her limbs but desperately wants pancakes? Why, she sticks them in the cake pop maker, of course! ;) 

That, my friends, is how these incredible puffs of joy were born. You see, it isn't so bad to be a fumbling bumbling idiot when that makes you realise that pancakes made in the cake pop maker are really just healthy poffertjes or dutch pancakes that are just calling out for delicious fillings. 

Poffertjes was one of my favourite childhood treats. Whenever we'd go to a food festival or market (maybe once or twice a year), we would all split a plate of poffertjes. Even though I hated pancakes at the time (weird kid, I'll tell you!), I loved these little doughy balls of heaven and they're something I always wistfully eye off when we're at the farmer's market, wishing that I wasn't a coeliac. 

But now, I have my own healthy poffertjes recipe that's secretly healthy and high in protein and absoluteeeeeeeeely delicious! Best of all? It's made in minutes and you can fill your little pancake puffs with whatever your heart (or stomach) desires!

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Healthy Protein Pancake Puffs Recipe makes 1 serve

also known as Healthy Poffertjes or Dutch Pancakes 

low fat, gluten free, high protein, clean eating friendly, refined sugar free 

1/4 cup (30g) oat flour (ground from gluten free oats)

2 tbsp (15g) protein powder *see notes 

1 1/2 tbsp (10g) peanut flour (or more protein powder) 

2 tbsp water or milk 

2 eggs whites (60g or 1/4 cup) 

1/2 tsp baking powder  

1 tsp maple syrup (or more if you like things sweeter)

Filling ideas: small chunks of banana, blueberries, diced strawberries or fruit of your choice, chocolate chips or peanut butter/nutella/nut butter

• Heat up your cake pop maker (alternatively, you can make these just like pancakes in a pan over a medium-low heat, they'll just be flatter) and lightly grease, ready to make your pancake puffs. If you have a cake pop baking pan, simply grease this and preheat your oven to 180C/355F 
• Mix together all of your ingredients and set aside. 
• Prepare your filling ingredients and set aside. 
• Once your cake pop maker is hot, fill the bottom indents about 1/3 full, add your filling and then cover with your pancake mix until your indent is full. Repeat until all of your indents are filled.
• Close the lid and cook for ~5-6 minutes or until your pancake puffs are cooked and lightly golden on the outside. I'd suggest trying just one single pancake puff for the first batch to see how long it takes so you can test to make sure it's cooked through.
• Repeat until all of your pancake mix is used up!
• Serve with maple syrup, a dusting of icing sugar or whatever you fancy!

Notes: 

*I highly recommend either brown rice protein or whey protein for the best results. Do not use a protein shake mix (aka nutritional supplement/meal replacement). I suggest this unflavoured organic brown rice protein powder or this unflavoured whey protein powder or a flavoured/sweetened brown rice or whey protein powder of your choice. Adjust the sweetener depending on your tastes and whether or not your protein powder is sweetened.