Why stand over a hot skillet flipping pancakes when you can bake up a big batch all at once? February is Pancake Month, and it’s the perfect time to embrace the ease of sheet pan pancakes. These easy pancake recipes feed a crowd with minimal effort—simply bake, slice, and serve! Plus, they freeze beautifully in individual portions, making pancake meal prep for busy mornings a breeze.
The Benefits of Sheet Pan Pancakes:
No flipping required – just pour, bake, and enjoy.
Feeds a crowd – great for meal prep or serving family and friends. Baked pancakes are ideal for entertaining.
Freezer-friendly pancakes – store individual squares for easy breakfasts, just freeze, defrost and reheat!
Better-for-you ingredients – lower sugar, higher protein options to keep you fueled. I am al about high protein pancakes and gluten-free pancakes.
My Favorite Sheet Pan Pancakes
Almond Joy Sheet Pan Pancakes (Gluten-free, Vegan, No Added Sugar) – A delicious chocolate-coconut-almond twist on pancakes. Read more
Red Velvet Sheet Pan Protein Pancakes – A festive and protein-packed take on a classic flavor. Read more
Pumpkin Streusel Sheet Pan Pancakes (Gluten-free) – Warm pumpkin flavors with a delicious streusel topping. Read more
Cranberry Orange Pecan Sheet Pan Pancakes (Low-carb, Paleo, Gluten-free) – A bright, nutty, and tangy combination perfect for winter mornings. Read more
Peach Blueberry Crumble Sheet Pan Pancakes (Paleo) – Bursting with juicy fruit and a delightful crumble topping. Read more
DIY Paleo Protein Baking & Pancake Mix – A versatile mix for high-protein, gluten-free pancakes. Read more
Bonus Tip: My favorite plant-based protein, Clean Lean Protein by Nuzest, is a great addition to pancakes for an extra protein boost. Save 15% with my code FITFORK15!
Celebrate Pancake Month the easy way—ditch the skillet, grab a sheet pan, and enjoy delicious, nutritious pancakes that fit your lifestyle!
Peanut Crunch Asian Edamame Quinoa Salad is a meal that is as vibrant and colorful as it is nutritious -the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and good, clean fuel for your body. At just 193 calories per serving, it’s a smart choice for healthy eating without sacrificing taste. Plus, it’s packed with plant protein and more that 20% of your daily fiber needs to keep you satisfied throughout the day.
PLANT PROTEIN TRIO
I love it when a plant-based salad, like this Peanut Edamame Quinoa, boasts an impressive protein content—11 grams per serving—thanks to the dynamic trio of quinoa, edamame, and peanuts. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body needs, making it a fantastic plant-based option. Edamame, or young soybeans, is another excellent protein source, rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients. And let’s not forget the peanuts! While they add a satisfying crunch, they also contribute a dose of protein and healthy fats, balancing flavor and nutrition. Together, these three ingredients make this salad a powerhouse for muscle repair, energy, and overall health.
FRESH VEGGIE INGREDIENTS
In addition to quinoa and edamame, this peanut crunch salad recipe is loaded with fresh, colorful vegetables that bring both crunch and a wealth of vitamins and minerals.
Carrots: A vibrant source of beta-carotene, which supports healthy vision and skin.
Cucumber: Hydrating and refreshing, cucumbers add a light crunch and are rich in vitamin K.
Celery: Crisp and fibrous, celery is a low-calorie addition packed with antioxidants.
Red Onion: Adds a zesty kick while providing vitamin C and beneficial compounds that support heart health.
These ingredients don’t just make the Asian Edamame Quinoa Salad look stunning and taste so crispy fresh, they also provide essential nutrients to keep you feeling your best. If you don’t like one of these ingredients, omit or swap – this recipe is forgiving. For example, you could do green onion instead of red onion, zucchini instead of carrot, or red bell peppers instead of or in addition to the carrots!
LOW-FAT PEANUT DRESSING
I’m all about moderation, that’s why the tangy peanut dressing uses peanut butter powder to capture the nutty flavor and creaminess without the extra fat and calories that using regular peanut butter would. This smart swap keeps the Asian peanut dressing with peanut butter powder recipe irresistibly tasty while lowering the total fat content to just 5 grams per serving — and you still get to use chopped Spanish peanut in the salad toss.
MEAL PREPPING QUINOA SALAD
This salad isn’t just delicious—it’s practical too as are basically all high-protein quinoa salads. It stays fresh and crisp in an air-tight container (these are great, reusable meal prep containers) for up to 4-5 days in the fridge, making it a perfect option for meal prep. Whip up a batch at the start of the week and enjoy it as a grab-and-go lunch or an easy dinner side. Since it’s best served cold, it’s ideal for a brown-bag lunch, an on-the-go meal, or even a quick eat-at-your-desk solution. No reheating required—just open your container and dig in! If you’d like to make it heartier, add pre-cooked protein options like grilled shrimp, chopped chicken breast or salmon bites.
Vibrant, colorful, and fun to eat! This Peanut Crunch Asian Edamame Quinoa Salad is a nutrient-packed powerhouse with only 193 calories, 11g protein, and over 20% of your daily fiber needs per serving. It's great for meal prep!
Hulling a strawberry with a straw is a simple and effective method to remove the stem and the flavorless core. It’s quick, easy and efficient — especially if you are preparing a bunch of strawberries at once for a fruit tray, summer snack, or as an ingredient for recipes. Also, this strawberry hack is safe for kids — no knife needed and they will have lots of fun with the ‘chore’.
What you need: Fresh strawberries and a straw. A sturdy straw works best, such as a metal straw or a reusable plastic straw). Even a higher-quality disposable straw (like from fast food) will work — but a paper straw will definitely NOT hold up.
HOW TO HULL STRAWBERRIES WITH A STRAW
Wash berries under cool water to remove dirt and pesticides.
Hold strawberry with one hand, straw with the other.
Insert straw into bottom of berry, directly opposite of the stem.
Push and/or gently wiggle straw upwards to effectively remove core and stem in one motion.
Pull out straw, which also removes core/stem.
Pull stem out of straw and repeat with remaining strawberries. Compost or toss away this part.
Sometimes on bigger berries, a bit of leafy section will remain. Just nip that off with a paring knife.
By following these strawberry prep steps, you’ll have perfectly hulled strawberries ready for your recipes or as a healthy snack! Washed, dried, and hulled strawberries should remain fresh for about a week if stored in an air-tight container lined with paper towels. I find the paper towels help help soak up any additional moisture and lengthen the storage time.
Pulled brisket – also called shredded brisket – is a classic here in Texas and all around the South. Not only is that melt-in-your mouth meatiness pure comfort and joy, but it’s a versatile meal option that can be used is so many ways – stuffed into potatoes, and a salad, sandwich, you name it!
My Lean Honey BBQ Pulled Brisket in the Slow Cooker is a beefy family favorite. I like it because it’s simple to prepare with just a few quick steps in the morning: Rubbing with spices, throwing down in a slow cooker, covering with the homemade sauce ingredients and letting cook low and slow until dinner time. It’s also Paleo diet friendly and everyone loves it, mainly, because it tastes so dang AMAZING.
And – HELLO — finished recipes less that 250 calories per serving, with 24g protein and 9g fat. A 2.5lb brisket makes about 10 servings, so this pulled honey brisket is perfect for a crowd, second-day meals, or to freeze for make-ahead meal prep.
TIPS ON MAKING HONEY BBQ SHREDDED BRISKET
BRISKET CUT: I’ve used a flat-half brisket to keep the recipe lean. Flat-half is also sometimes called “center cut” or “first cut”. The “flat” (as opposed to the fattier “point” cut) is typically used for braised brisket that you want to hold up in slices, but it will also shred if cooked low and slow. It’s considered a lean cut by the USDA with 170 cal, 6g total fat, and 28g protein per 3-oz cooked serving (where all visible fat has been trimmed). I’ve been getting my brisket from Butcher Box, a premium meat and seafood delivery service, and been very happy with their grass-fed, grass-finished beef selections.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE CUT AND/OR SIZE? Yes, you can use the “point cut” of brisket, if preferred. Also, a Chuck Roast works well. Just note that switching the cut does alter the nutritional details. Also, if you’d like to make a bigger batch, just scale up the ingredients (doesn’t have to be precision, this isn’t baking) and also ensure the cooker is big enough. Also, you may want to add another hour or two of cooking on low – check center, thickest part with meat thermometer and pull at 190F-200F.
SLOW COOKER SPECS: You want to make sure that the slow cooker you are using approximately matches the piece of meat. For example, for a smaller brisket (like this 2.5 one), I used a 4-quart slow cooker instead of my 6-quart one to ensure that the sauce depth would adequate. If I poured the sauce into the big slow cooker, it would spread out too much, not covering the meat as well, and possible burn to the bottom and/or create a dry meat outcome.
HONEY BBQ SAUCE: I’ve used ingredients to make this a Paleo pulled beef recipes – for example, coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch. However, you can use what fits your dietary preferences.
LEFTOVERS: Store leftover cooked beef in the fridge, in an air-tight container, for up to 4 days. OR freeze for up to 6 months. ALSO, this recipe turns out more sauce than needed for coating the pulled beef. Pour the remaining Honey BBQ Sauce in a jar store in the fridge for up to 4 days – or freeze in a freezer-friendly container.
2.5lb.approx. flat cut or center cut brisket (can substitute “point cut” brisket or a chuck roast for a similar, but higher fat result.)
Spice Rub:
1 ½tbschili powder
1 ½tbsgarlic powder
2tspblack pepper
1tspsalt
Sauce
½cuptomato sauce4 oz can
3tbsphoney
1/3cupmolasses
1/3cupapple cider vinegar
1tbscoconut aminos
1tbspstone ground mustard
1tbspcoconut sugar
2tspgarlic powder
3tbswater
1.5tsparrowroot powder
Instructions
Mix together spices and rub into brisket generously.
Transfer brisket to slow cooker, fat side up.
In glass mixing cut, stir together all sauce ingredients (except for water and arrowroot powder) and pour over top of brisket.
Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or until internal temperature about 190F -200F.
Remove brisket from slow cooker to rest.
Skim any fat off the top of liquid in pot, the best you can, and discard. Carefully pour remaining liquid into a sauce pot.
Mix the water (cool) and arrowroot powder together until dissolved. Stir into sauce pot and simmer on medium for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Now that brisket is cook enough to handle, trim off fat side with serrated knife, and discard.
Shred the brisket using two forks and bring it back to the slow cooker. If it is being stubborn, pull with fingers and/or use a knife to cut into large chunks to help shred.
Dress beef with about a cup of the sauce, more or less to taste. Serve as desired.
Keep leftover beef and remaining sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in freezer for up to 6 months.
I’m here to give you all the juicy details about watermelon juice. Not just why I personally adore it, but why you will be hard-pressed not to love it too! Ex-squeeze me for all the puns. Also, learn how to make watermelon juice at home, how to store it plus how long it will stay fresh, and discover simple 1-ingredient stir-ins to entertain your taste buds.
At 92% water, watermelon is one of my favorite choices to stay hydrated, especially after runs, workouts and other active endeavors. During the summer season, icy cold juice (or even handful of frozen cubes) is so refreshing and in the winter months, I’ve been known to warm it up, which is surprisingly delicious. Either way, an 8-ounce serving of watermelon juice provides me fluids, vitamins and minerals that my body needs like vitamin C (19.4mg), vitamin A (67.2mcg), and B6 (108mcg), potassium (269mg), and lycopene (10.9mg).
Watermelon is a Smart Alternative to Soda
If had to name one vice, it would be drinking soda. But swapping with watermelon juice satisfies my craving in a naturally sweet way and helps me avoid the refined sugar, caffeine and artificial stuff. At 72 calories per 8-ounce serving, watermelon juice is a great alternative to sodas – plus you can even add sparkling water to make it a bigger, bubblier treat.
How to Make Watermelon Juice
Watermelon juice is really something you should make at home if you want to ensure the best beverage every time plus save a ton of money. I’ve seen bottled fresh watermelon juice in some better stores, but you really have to scrutinize the label to make sure you’re getting 100% juice and not flavorings and sugar fillers. Also, those elusive cold-pressed bottles of watermelon juice out there are expensive – anywhere from $3 to $5 or more for a “single” serving bottle. Heck for $5 or a little more here in Texas, I can get the whole watermelon and make much, much more juice (plus have leftovers enjoy a wedge or two on the side).
Also, here’s an easy watermelon juice tutorial from Watermelon.org You can see it’s as easy as cutting, blending and straining (if you desire).
Straining watermelon juice is not necessary, just stir up pulp before serving.
You can also avoid food waste by making watermelon juice with the remaining flesh of a cut watermelon that is over-ripe or is about to reach expiration in the fridge. Watermelon.org says that a large watermelon can last up to 7 days chilled between 9°F and 36°F. Also, I have another watermelon juice collecting hack. After I cut up a big watermelon to store in the fridge, I pour off the seeped juice sitting in the bottom of the container every night and morning – it’s amazing how much juice you collect, even when you end up eating all the watermelon! I also feel like it helps keep the texture of the cut watermelon at its best.
How Long Does Watermelon Juice Stay Fresh? Watermelon juice, because it is fresh and unpasteurized, should be consumed in 24 to 72 hours after juicing and kept chilled between 9°F-36°F In addition, the USDA recommends not leaving unpasteurized juice sitting out for more than 2 hours to prevent bacteria growth. At this time, watermelon juice can be frozen for longer term storage
How to Freeze Watermelon Juice Freeze watermelon juice within 24-72 hours of making it and having storing it properly in the fridge. You can freeze watermelon juice for up to 6 to 12 months in a freezer set to 0°F. Freeze watermelon juice in glass canning jars, air-tight freezer containers (tubs or heavy baggies), or even ice cube trays (later pop out and store in a freezer bag). Make sure that your container has enough headroom at the top, about 1 or 2 inches for a jar, to allow for expansion during the freezing process. When ready to thaw, please set in the refrigerator overnight rather than leaving on the counter
Other Food Safety Tips for Cutting Watermelon & Juicing
Only use watermelon that are free from signs of damage. Bruises, fissures and mushy spots could indicate contamination. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before cutting watermelons. Before cutting watermelon for juicing (or just eating), wash the outer surface thoroughly with cool tap water to remove surface dirt. Use a clean knife. Chill cut watermelon within 4 hours of cutting and store between 9°F-36°F for no more than 7 days.
Single-Ingredient Watermelon Juice “Mix-Ins”
Looking for a simple way to switch it up! Have fun with these easy flavor ideas to boost your watermelon juice.
Watermelon Juice Pro-Tips for School-Age Parents:
Pour watermelon juice into ice-pop molds for a naturally sweet dessert.
Add a frozen bottle of watermelon juice to a child’s lunchbox as a drink that will thaw out by lunch and also keep the lunchbox cool.
Add sparkling water to watermelon juice as a faux-soda for children who are starting to beg for bubbly drinks.
Enjoy a refreshing, hydrating, nutrient-packed beverage by making watermelon juice. Making your own watermelon juice is much more economical the purchasing fresh in the store (if you can even find it). So great for post workout refueling (or to make cocktails and mocktails)!
