Red, White, & Blue Healthy Pankcakes

Here is a great 4th of July breakfast recipe! For those of you who do enjoy pancakes every now and then, I encourage you to try this version which I make for myself quite regularly when I do make pancakes. I have found a really great Multigrain pancake mix that Trader Joes sells and then add my own ingredients to make it a bit more delicious, healthy, and full of protein.

Ingredients:
- Multigrain pankcake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 scoop of high quality vanilla protein powder (I use Hammer Nutrition)
- Milk
- 1 ripe banana (1/2 of it mashed)
- 1 1/4 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries

Preparation:
I rarely follow recipes or measure for that matter, however you can use the measurements on your box mix if you like, or make the basic mix from scratch. Preheat one or two cast iron or non stick pans on low to medium heat. While the pans are heating up, grab two glass bowls (or any bowls large enough to mix) and combine all of the dry ingredients into one bowl including 1/2 mashed banana. Separate the egg whites in your second bowl and add one of the yolks to the dry mix bowl.

Begin adding the milk to the dry bowl and stir from the middle until the mixture is combined and the batter is thick but pourable. Don't add too much milk because then you'll have skimpy pancakes and no one will be impressed with that. Now here comes the fun part. Grab a large metal wisk and beat the egg whites until thick and peaks begin to form... much like making meringue. You could use a mixer if you were lazy but it literally takes no more than a minute by hand provided you have a glass or steel bowl.

Slowly fold in the egg whites into your batter until completely mixed. DO NOT just stir it in. You want the air bubbles to stay in tact and folding the whites in at this point is critical, otherwise there is no point in beating the egg whites.

By now your pans should be hot and now you can begin making pancakes. Any size will do! Once you have the batter on the pan, sprinkle on some blueberries and add sliced strawberries.
While these are cooking you want to heat up a cup of the blueberries in a sauce pan on low heat until juicy and delicious. You DO NOT need to add sugar. If you want it a little sweeter then you can add REAL maple syrup from Vermont or other New England state... lay off the fake stuff.
Okay don't forget to flip the pancakes when browned.

Once your pancakes are cooked (should be moist and fluffy.. do not overcook.) you can stack them up and pour on the blueberry sauce, remaining sliced strawberries, and sliced banana.

Happy 4th of July to you!