Pancake Post #2 of the Week

Peanut Butter Chocolate Avocado Pancakes

Recipe adapted from here

Last night as I was typing out my post for Peanut Butter and Jam Banana Pancakes my mouth was literally salivating.  I loved those pancakes so much, I mean, what is there to dislike about my favourite sandwich and pancakes all in one beautiful mesh of goodness?  Nothing, that's what.  Well, obviously I was not going to make the same type of pancakes twice in one week, let alone in a measly four days, no of course not.

Last week as I was making my meal plan for the week following (yes, I usually make it a week ahead, so I can tweak it, and make sure I have the proper breakfasts - especially on work out days, and then the proper post-work out shakes, and a lot of protein to go with it for the rest of the day.  I had stumbled across a recipe for chocolate avocado pancakes.  Needless to say this jumped out to me because avocado is such a great way to get healthy fats into your diet.  When you sneak them into pancakes, protein shakes/smoothies brownies, frostings, truffles, puddings or even ice cream, it makes you feel like you're still doing the body good - and that's because you are!

I remember last year the only reason I started eating avocado on a regular basis (other than trying to up my weight in a healthy way) was simply because it was a good way to sneak in good fat's.  I really hated avocado, the flavour, the texture (even though it's practically Mother Nature's butter), it just had the weirdest taste to me, and I'd only really eat it when I would go out for sushi.  I slowly started adding avocado to my favourite bean salads, and then even sandwiches.  I'm not sure if it was the constant exposure I was putting myself through but I no longer dislike this rich fruit, instead I continually seek out ways to get it into my diet, even if it's just mashing it in a bowl with some salsa, salt and pepper, whatever the case I love it.

One thing that's amazing about avocado is that when you add it to baked goods, it makes a really amazing moist result; these pancakes were no different.  This morning, I decided I wasn't going to go see my personal trainer as yesterday I was in a lot of pain, worked through it nonetheless, but when I woke up this morning I definitely felt it and I definitely didn't want to overwork my body when it could just harm it even more.  So, this gave me a lot of time to make a wonderful breakfast (see, here I am again thinking that pancakes take sooooooo long to make, these took a mere minutes what with the additional mashing of the avocado, and making a flaxegg whoop-dee-do.

Between the Peanut Butter and Jam Banana Pancakes and these ones, I can't really decipher which batch I liked more.  Yes, they are two completely different pancakes other than peanut butter and of course the flour, salt, milk etc... if you want to get technical and all, but this is like comparing apples to oranges.  Oh, I also thought I should add, avocado's are also making me kind of a fan of chocolate too ackkkk.  Nonetheless, these pancakes were like biting into moist chewy brownies.  They were fudgy, not too rich, perfectly sweet, full of flavour and just amazing.  I seriously took about twenty minutes just to eat three medium-ish sized pancakes, I did not want them to go away.  They were incredible especially with the specked peanut butter and carob chips, as well as the peanut butter protein powder I snuck in.  Pure perfection.  This would certainly be an amazing pre-work out meal, I'm sure this would give you energy for a loooooong time, and it leaves you really full (but not the gross bloated full feeling!)

This is certainly one to add to your must-try list, I guarantee you will not regret it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp peanut butter protein powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fleur de sel
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 rip avocado, mashed
• 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 1/2 tbsp water
• 1 heaping tbsp peanut butter chips
• 1 heaping tbsp carob chips + more for garnish
• Maple syrup - to garnish
• Sliced banana - to garnish
• Peanut butter - to garnish

Directions:

In a teeny tiny bowl or cup mix your ground flaxseed and water to make your egg.  Allow to sit and thicken for a few minutes.

In a large bowl mix together your flour, cocoa powder, protein powder, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the center and add your milk, flaxegg and avocado.  Stir together until smooth.  Fold in your peanut butter and carob chips.

Preheat a large greased skilled over medium heat.  Pour in desired amount of batter and swirl to make round.  Flip pancakes when pin size bubbles begin to form.

Plate and top with your desired garnishes or how I did with carob chips, banana, peanut butter and maple syrup.