Buckwheat pancakes

Have you eaten buckwheat before? I hadn't before I tried these pancakes a few months ago, but I'm so glad I experimented with it! Here's a fun fact: buckwheat isn't actually a wheat at all, but rather a grain. And a very healthy one, at that; it is high in amino acids and contains rutin, a chemical that strengthens capillary walls. Being a grain, buckwheat is gluten-free, making it a perfect substitute to create delicious, healthy pancakes for your gluten-free friends. So why not give it a try?

Add your own personal touch to this recipe with your favorite fruit! For the batch I made this morning, fresh bananas were the perfect compliment. However blueberries, strawberries, and peaches all work well. Which would you fancy?

Ingredients

2 cups buckwheat flour
1 1/2 cups nondairy milk
1/2 cup water
1 egg replacer (I prefer 1 tbsp flax meal, 2 tbsp water, mixed)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 banana, cut lengthwise into quarters, then thinly sliced
(If you've got a sweet-tooth, you may wish to add 1/2 cup sugar or agave nectar)

Directions

1) In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir well
2) Mix together flax and water, let it set for a minute to congeal
3) While flax is congealing, warm a pan on medium heat or turn a griddle to medium
4) Add flax/water mixture and wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir until the batter is smooth
5) Add banana slices to the pancake batter and stir well
6) Spoon the batter onto the pan or griddle in any desired size or shape
7) Once bubbles appear throughout the pancake, flip it
8) Let the pancake cook for roughly two minutes on this side, or until it is golden
9) Serve and enjoy!

A buckwheat feast!

Call me crazy (my family does), but I like to eat these pancakes with peanut butter! I'll stack them three high with peanut butter in between, making a triple-decker peanut butter sandwich. Then I'll pour just a tablespoon or so of maple syrup on top, letting it soak through the pancakes. This makes a delicious breakfast with enough protein, fiber, and other nutrients to get you through any morning!

Simply divine pb sandwich

Asparagus quiche

Quiche was always a favorite at our house growing up; my dad is quite the talented cook, and quiche was often inhaled as quickly as it was made. As complicated as it is to read aloud for the first time, quiche is fairly simple to make. It keeps well in the fridge, and can be sliced and reheated for meals through the week. Here's a slightly spicy asparagus rendition I made last night. I haven't mastered pastry yet, so I currently use vegan pie crusts from the grocery.

Ingredients

- Filling
13 (or more!) stalks of asparagus
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large stalks of celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp purple basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt

- Base
1 package of extra firm tofu, drained well
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- Filling
1) Chop 8 stalks of asparagus into 1/4'' pieces, boil for 3-5 minutes. Save remaining 5 until the end.
2) Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Saute all veggies for 7-10 minutes, or until onions become translucent and liquid has mostly evaporated
3) Remove skillet from heat, add the spices and stir well

- Base
1) Combine tofu, oil, lemon juice and mustard in food processor. Blend until smooth.
2) Add spices, blend again
3) Add the veggie filling to the base, stir well to mix
4) Pour combination into pie crust
5) Using remaining asparagus, lay them over the top of the quiche in any pattern you like
5) Bake for 40 minutes
6) Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes before serving

Protein Smoothie

As I sat down to enjoy my post-run protein smoothie today, I remembered that my brother has been imploring me to post recipes for this very same shake. So Bryce, here you go!

For those of you in search of a more tradition fruit smoothie, simply cut out the beans, powders, and oatmeal, and you have a delicious fresh fruit shake. 

Ingredients
1 banana
1 handful of strawberries
1 mango, sliced
1/2 cup white beans (great northern or cannellini)
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water (depending on desired consistency)
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 scoop pea protein (I use Olympian Labs)
3 tbsp hemp protein
1 tsp glutamine powder
3-5 ice cubes

Directions
1. Blend fruits and milk in blender
2. Slowly add remaining ingredients
3. If consistency becomes too thick, slowly add more water

Note the color: I didn't use hemp protein, so it's much lighter than normal.

This is a great recovery shake after any hard workout or long run. It's packed with calories, protein, and nutrients. It's basically a meal replacer, so I will have one of these after the gym around 730 or 8pm and that will be my dinner.

Approximate Nutritional Facts
Calories: 780
Total Fat: 16g
Protein: 61.5g
Dietary Fiber: 23.5g