A Healthy, Protein-Filled, Breakfast Treat: Banana Pancake

Considering all things medical for this issue of élite Magazine, I want to shed light on the importance of nutrition when pursuing a healthier body, mind, and overall vitality.
Often nutrition is only considered when someone is looking to obtain aesthetic results. But did you know that many daily ailments along with nagging symptoms can be attributed to poor nutrition. Waking up tired, experiencing brain fog, energy crashes, acne, bloating, water retention, mood swings and overall lack of zest can almost always be cured with simple and realistic nutrition adjustments.
So often a client will hire me to “look” better and they are pleasantly surprised when they feel better too! The power of nutrition is real; Afterall eating is the second most frequent thing you do throughout the day besides breathing.
One of the most common misses in the average diet is a lack of protein early in the day. The U.S. is one of the only countries that promotes carbs and sugar laden breakfast as a convenience food. We are all so rushed to begin our over scheduled days, we often miss breakfast entirely or settle for an easy grab at a packaged, processed, carb and sugar loaded option. Breakfast sets the tone for our energy for the entire day. That is why it is literally called “Break-fast” as in, breaking our fast from not eating through the night. When we wake up, our blood sugar is a bit low, naturally. Our blood sugar (and energy levels will respond) to the type of food we put into our body first. For example, a scone from a local coffee shop will spike our blood sugar. Unfortunately, it will then crash, and we will feel the harsh effects in the form of lack of focus, low energy, suddenly feeling tired, possibly even shaky and irritable. In contrast, a protein packed breakfast will give us energy that is more stable and will not spike or crash. Our solid, protein packed breakfast will sustain us through the morning with stable energy, great focus, and no hunger pains until it is naturally time to eat again around mid-morning or lunch. A protein filled meal will also decrease cravings for sugar, fat, salt, and excess carbs throughout the day.
My banana pancake recipe is one of my very favorite twists on the always reliable eggs in the morning. They are warm, a tad sweet, and full of comfort for the chilly morning. These freeze well so make sure and whip up extra and layer them in between parchment paper in a freezer bag to make those busy weekday mornings even easier!

Ingredients:
2 whole organic eggs
1 very ripe banana mashed until completely smooth
(you can easily sub ¾ cup applesauce)
½ teaspoon vanilla paste/extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Coconut oil, grapeseed oil or butter

Method:
Whisk all ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
Warm skillet to medium-high heat.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or alternative) over pan and spread to coat.
Pour ¼ cup portions of batter.
Cook 1-2 minutes on each side.
Top with peanut butter for added protein, fresh fruit, or even a drizzle of maple syrup.

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