High-Protein Pancakes

I recently learned about Saint Genevieve’s life, and I haven’t quite stopped thinking about her since. For decades, she only ate twice each week. I’ve been struck by her extraordinary faithfulness. My patron, St. Macrina, embraced a similarly remarkable level of asceticism, and I’ve found myself marveling at the profound freedom these women possessed. They required so little in bodily comfort because they had found true and sustaining nourishment in Christ.

A few days later, my 2-year-old was helping me in the kitchen. And as I grabbed the milk jug from the fridge, I turned around to see him trying so hard to gently stir the contents of the bowl. Despite his sweet efforts, there was flour and protein powder sprinkled all over the counter, his legs, and the floor.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Sometimes, in my imagination, saints like Macrina and Genevieve seem almost to glide through their ascetic struggles: walking on clouds, radiating humility and wholly devoted to Christ. I know it’s an exaggerated image and not exactly fair to them, even. They struggled far more deeply than I can imagine. As I stood on flour-dusted hardwood floors, I realized just how ordinary my own attempts to live faithfully and ascetically are.

The beauty of Orthodoxy is that though my participation in fasting looks very different than that of the saints who inspire and encourage me, I am not isolated from them. As I commune with them, and as they pray for me, we are united in Christ. No, I cannot yet fast as St. Genevieve, nor have I acquired the freedom from bodily comfort as St. Macrina attained. But even my small efforts to keep this Dormition fast are acts of participation in the same Christ who strengthened them.

By God’s grace, I cling to the same ladder, looking up to these saints. As I take just the tiniest step upward, I find encouragement in the truth that we’re climbing toward the same Kingdom.


—Erin (Macrina)

This recipe is written in its simplest, most budget-friendly form for the fast. Review notes below for other additions/options per your preference.

Recipe made 6 pancakes  – Per 1 pancake: Calories ~170   Protein 10.5g   Fat 8g   Carbs 14g

INGREDIENTS

• ¾   cup of almond flour
• ¾  cup of regular flour  
• ½ cup of Orgain vanilla protein powder 
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk
• 2 Tbsp melted vegan butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, all purpose flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl.
3. Add both soymilk and melted butter to flour mixture, Mix until batter comes together, careful not to overmix. The batter will be very thick.
4. Let  batter sit for 10-20 minutes (see notes for details)
5. Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat. Generously grease pan with vegan butter. Place ~⅓ cup of the batter onto pan. 
6. Using a spatula or the pack of a large spoon, light press the batter down to encourage spreading and thinner pancakes. The dough will spread as it cooks as well. 
7. Cook over low to medium heat until the edges start to firm up and you can easily slide your spatula under. 
8. Flip pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
9. Repeat with remaining batter. 
10. Top with a drizzle of creamy peanut butter, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds for an even more filling breakfast.

NOTES

• Pan heat: Almond flour tends to burn more easily. I’ve found a medium/high heat as I’m adding the batter and pressing down and then medium/low heat for the duration of the cook is best. The lower heat will take a little longer to cook than your normal all purpose flour pancakes. 
• Resting the batter: Almond flour doesn’t absorb liquid as readily as all purpose flour. This rest time allows the almond flour to hydrate, which helps improve the structure of the pancake. This is especially important since this recipe doesn’t include eggs/flax eggs. If you’re unable to rest the batter, continue on with the steps being especially careful when flipping the first set of pancakes. 
• Soymilk: You may sub in other plant based milk BUT soy milk has the highest protein content at 8g per cup. Subbing in almondmilk (lower protein) or oatmilk (higher carb) will result in differing nutritional composition
• Protein powder: You may sub in another protein powder though I have only used Orgain Vegan Vanilla Powder. This protein powder has a moderate amount of carbs and is sweet, which allows this recipe to have no added sugar. 
• Vegan butter: If you are allowing oil in your personal fast, feel free to use canola, vegetable, melted coconut oil or olive oil here. 
• All purpose flour: You may sub in all purpose flour for the almond flour (a total of 1 cup of all purpose flour) but the pancakes will then have less protein/fat content and more carbs. As a result, the pancakes won’t be as filling.