Cinnamon Apple Ring Protein Pancake Possibilities #ProteinPantry

Nothing is Impossible. I'm Possible.

So much more possibility when fueled up from the #ProteinPantry at VitaminShoppe.com

I love how the Protein Pantry at VitaminShoppe.com helps me put more “flex” into my fall baking and recipe making. I can turn a puny breakfast or snack into a pumped-up powerhouse of nutrition that makes achieving my goals possible. So, what is #ProteinPantry ? Online and in nearly 700 stores nationwide, the Protein Pantry is a specially curated, fitness-focused assortment of 40 protein-packed foods such as pancake mixes, nut butters, powdered peanut butter and more! Stocked in this cupboard of kick-butt awesome yumminess are some of my favorite brands like Buff Bake and About Time along with some new products to fall in love with like D’s Naturals, Mancakes, P28 Foods, FlapJacked and more. Look at some of the goodies that came my way:

Vitamin Shoppe Protein Pantry

Ya’ll know how I feel about getting enough protein and love to create and share protein recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Adequate protein intake helps to build and repair muscle, supports weight management by satisfying appetite and boosting metabolism, lessens cravings and mindless snacking, can lower cholesterol and support heart health, and offers a wide range of vitamins and minerals for optimal health.

I've been known to get a little excited about PROTEIN!

I’ve been known to get a little excited about PROTEIN!

Research shows that it’s best to spread out protein consumption evenly throughout the day, aiming for about 25g to 30g per eating opportunity – including refueling with a protein-rich snack within 30 minutes of an intense workout or long run.

While most Americans get enough protein, they tend to overdo consumption at dinner and skimp on breakfast. But, breakfast is covered thanks to all of the convenient and easy-to-make products in Vitamin Shoppe’s Protein Pantry, like the FlapJacked Mighty Muffins that cook in 35 seconds in their own container. No excuses!

 

Apple Ring Protein PancakesSince apples are everywhere this time of year (and also good for you), I’ve created an easy Apple Ring Cinnamon Protein Pancake recipe using a packet of Mancake Cinnamon Oat Protein Pancake Mix (feel free to swap for the protein pancake batter you prefer).Apple Ring Protein Pancakes

This easy breakfast recipe offers a full serving of both protein and fruit – the protein will keep you satisfied and skipping right over a mid-morning sugar crash while the apple offers lots of fiber and is a healthy source of complex carbs to fuel your body and brain.

Apple Ring Protein Pancakes

 

Tart Cherry & Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes - TheFitFork.comYou also might digging into the Tart Cherry Chocolate Protein Pancakes recipe I made a few months ago with the About Time Protein Pancake Mix. Time savings hint — make multiple batches and keep extra stored in single-serve portions in the freezer — on busy mornings, take out, reheat, enjoy!

What do you eat for protein in the morning? What is your favorite topping for pancakes? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Vitamin Shoppe. All opinions are mine.


Cinnamon Apple Ring Protein Pancakes
Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Pump up your morning with fruit and extra protein thanks to these Cinnamon Apple Ring Protein Pancakes - extra easy with mix from #ProteinPantry at the Vitamin Shoppe.
Course: Breakfast, Snack, Worout
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 serving (approx 6 rings)
Ingredients
  • 1 packet ManCake Cinnamon Oat Protein Pancake Mix or preferred pancake mix
  • 1/3 cup water divided
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 medium green apple, cored and sliced 1/4" thickness
  • 1 packet stevia
  • 1 dash cinnamon
  • garnish Garnishes (optional): warmed nut butter, syrup, Greek yogurt
Instructions
  1. In shallow bowl, mix together pancake mix and 1/4 cup water until combined.
  2. Chop up top and bottom apple rings and aside to make topping later.
  3. Heat skillet to med-high and heat coconut oil.
  4. Dip apple slices in batter and add to skillet, cooking for a couple minutes on each side until golden brown and apple has softened.
  5. Set apple ring pancakes aside on paper towel and add chopped reserved apple, remaining water, packet of stevia and dash of cinnamon to same skillet.
  6. Quickly sauté apples for about 2 minutes, until lightly softened.
  7. To serve pancakes, top with satued apples and optional warmed nut butter, syrup or Greek yogurt.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting are a great choice for breakfast, post-workout or a bedtime snack!I’m a big fan of protein, if you haven’t noticed.  Eating enough protein is how I stay lean and support my active lifestyle. But, it doesn’t do your body any good to skimp on protein in the morning and through lunch and the afternoon. It’s so important to eat protein for breakfast, from the time you go to bed through morning is the longest time your body goes without fuel – you need to but quality gas back in the tank so you don’t crash and burn. But, most Americans consume 2/3s of their daily protein at dinner – that’s whacked out!

About Time Chocolate Chip Protein Pancake Mix - make donuts with it

Last year I discovered About Time Protein Pancake Mix – it’s a hearty, healthy breakfast solution that offers 21 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber for about 290 calories. And, it still has that sweet, indulgent taste that so many of us crave! For me, this pancake mix offers an optimal serving size of protein – I strive to consume 20 – 30 grams during each meal (and snacks). Actually, I learned firsthand from nutrition researcher, Dr. Heather Leidy, that eating adequate protein in the morning can help curb unhealthy snacking later, even much later, in the day.

Banana Chocolate Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Thinking outside the box, I decided to use my Chocolate Chip Protein Pancake Mix (Cinnamon Spice also available) to make delicious baked donuts – Banana Chocolate Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting, to be exact!  Super simple to make, the easy recipe is basically just mix, an egg, a mashed banana and splash of milk. I’ve also done a healthy peanut butter frosting that is optional. Make a batch of these donuts ahead of time and ration out through the week – I think they are also the perfect choice for a post-workout or bedtime snack.

Tart Cherry & Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes - TheFitFork.comAlso, don’t miss the recipe for Tart Cherry & Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes I’ve featured in a past post.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Fisher xgames handstand

Keeping fueled up with About Time at the X Games 2015.

About Time Whey Protein Single ServeAbout Time also offers a wide range of additional products to support optimal nutrition. I enjoy their protein powders and always keep a stash of About Time Whey Protein single serves  in my gym bag and/or purse (along with a shaker) so that I can whip up something nourishing on the spot.

 

About Time at the X GamesRecently, at the XGames in Austin, I was so happy to have a packet of Birthday Cake flavor secretly hidden in my backpack so that I could avoid the not-so-healthy look food truck food fare that was being offered. Things to know about this protein powder à  For 100 calories you get 25 grams of cold-processed, micro-filtered 100% whey protein isolate available in seven flavors. Also, there are no artificial sweeteners, no growth hormones and the protein powder is lactose and gluten free and non-GMO.

TWITTER PARTY: #TryAboutTime Twitter Party on Tuesday, June: 16 at 9pm EST! Hope to chat with you there!

What is your go-to protein food for breakfast? Please share in the comments below! XOXO — Jennifer

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of About Time.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
18 mins
 
Start your morning or finish your workout with Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting -- an easy breakfast recipe to make muscles!
Course: Breakfast, Snack, Worout
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 mini donuts
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups About Time Protein Pancake Mix Chocolate Chip Flavor
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 medium ripe banana mashed
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice or water
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter may substitute another nut butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk of choice more if needed to achieve desired consitstency
  • 1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia more or less to taste
  • 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. In large bowl, mix together pancake mix, egg, mashed banana and 1/4 cup milk. Spoon into mini donut baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. Bake for 8 minutes or until set and turning lightly golden brown. Remove donuts from pan and let cool on wire rack.
  2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together peanut butter, milk and stevia until a frosting consistency has been achieved. Frost tops of donuts with mixture and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Muscle-Making Mudslide Smoothie & Saturday #ShoutOuts

Oh yeah, it rained in Austin yesterday and goodness knows we can use it. For the last couple years, our beloved lake has been in jeopardy of drying completely up and blowing away. In honor of this precipitous precipitation, I’m sharing one of my favorite chocolate smoothies – a Muscle-Making Mudslide Smoothie. healthy protein mudslide smoothie Muscle-Making Mudslide Smoothie Recipe

  • 10 ounces of almond milk*
  • 1 scoop (1/3 cup) favorite protein powder*
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 4 ounces strong coffee, chilled
  • 1 large frozen banana, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cacao nibs
  • Ices, as needed
  • Chocolate syrup (optional)

Blend first 7 ingredients together until smooth. If desired, drizzle sides of glass with chocolate syrup before pouring in smoothie.  *An 11.5 ounce bottle of Chocolate Core Power may be substituted for the almond milk and protein powder.

I also have lots of favorite new products to share that have been sent to me complimentary for my opinion.  I tell it like it is, so don’t worry about getting some polished sales pitch. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments.

procakes packageProCakes High Protein Pancake Mix:  I’m back in town and finally had a chance to whip up a batch of these yummy pancakes. The founder of ProCakes is a fellow FitFluential ambassador and came up with the idea for this protein pancake mix while training for her first fitness competition – she wanted to show people how easy and tasty it can be to eat in a way that does the body good. This product has lots of protein, no added sugar, no gluten — meaning no guilty conscience about enjoying a stack of these light and tender hotcakes in the morning. That is, no guilt unless you soak ‘em up in a sugar bomb of syrup – how about some fresh fruit and dollop of Greek yogurt instead?

ProCakes wit greek yogurt and blueberriesProCakes Protein Pancakes with Greek Yogurt & Blueberries Recipe

  • 1 packet (45g) ProCakes pancake mix
  • 1 large egg or egg white equivalent
  • 1/3 cup 2% milk
  • 1/4 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
  • 10 drops liquid vanilla Stevia
  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Mix pancake mix, egg and milk together in bowl. Heat lightly oiled skillet to medium-low heat. Pour batter onto heated skilled into three pancakes. Cook until pancake bubbling on top, then flip over until golden brown. Mix yogurt and stevia together in small bowl. Top pancakes with dollop of sweetened yogurt and blueberries. Makes 1 serving (3 pancakes)

 

love grown granola

Love Grown Foods – I’m still on the breakfast bandwagon here and am a new-ish fan of Love Grown Foods, an awesome company that offers all sorts of nutritious products to start the day including Power O’s (great for kids), Oat Clusters (this granola-lover’s favorite), and Hot Oats which I haven’t tried yet. With no genetically modified ingredients, high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils, I feel confident feeding my family Love Grown Foods. I love how the Power O’s are made with a bean blend to add protein, fiber, and additional health benefits. Yes, that’s right BEANS FOR BREAKFAST. Although, you’d never know they were in there! How lucky am I that when I stopped in the gym yesterday, I bumped into one of my favorite bloggers, Ms. Cotter Crunch and the company founder, Maddy – they loaded me up with a big haul of LOOT and LOVE.

Lindsay from CotterCrunch.com and Maddy of Love Grown Foods

Lindsay from CotterCrunch.com and Maddy of Love Grown Foods

altra zero drop The Ones SquaredAltra’s The One2  I am totally digging my new running shoes from Altra Zero Drop – in fact, they may be my favorite yet. Lighter and less clunky that some of the past models, these streamlined babies weigh in at only 5.4 ounces yet have loads of wiggle room for toes (yay, no black nails) and some real, honest-to-goodness cushioning that you don’t get in a lot of other zero-drop shoes.  Goodness knows I love me a minimal shoe, but sometimes my feet have had enough impact– Altra calls the cushioning “light” and I call it great compromise for my road weary feet. The One2 running shoe is perfect for speed work and shorter road racing. I’d even be comfortable wearing them through a marathon, but I know many of you like a running shoe with more cushioning – Altra has those, too!

the fit fork altra running shoes

Altra’s The Ones Squared are light & speedy, plus lots of wiggle room for toes. #EmbraceTheSpace

body fat scaleSurpahs Body Fat Scale BFS-835 Okay, I have always avoided body fat scales because I felt like I didn’t need one more thing to obsess over. But, when Surpahs offered to send me one, my curiosity got the better of me – and now that I’m used to it, I think it’s a great way to check in every week or two for a benchmark. Some people say, “oh these body fat scales have a huge margin of error” – who knows, because I know I’m fit, I am not so concerned with my body fat being 100 percent correct – I am just looking for discernable changes in my weight and body fat from week to week.  Not only does this body fat scale measure body fat, water, muscle mass and bone mass, it can be pre-programmed for up to eight people making it convenient for large families or fitness / nutritional coaches. The scale is super sleek and looks great with my bathroom décor. Get a good deal at Amazon.com:

  • So, what products are you loving right now?
  • Have you ever used a body fat scale?
  • What are you eating for breakfast?
  • Have you ever tried Altra Zero-Drop running shoes?