Recipe: HealthIER Yogurt and Blueberry Pancakes

I woke up with a huge craving for pancakes.  I was wondering what to do with the remaining blueberries so I figured...why not throw them into pancakes?  I love being able to use Greek yogurt in baking and cooking at every opportunity possible.  Since I had some Chobani yogurt in the fridge, why not use them in the pancakes, too?  I was delighted the pancakes turned out just as fluffy, healthier, and no less satisfying to eat.

Dry Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour (or whole wheat)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used Chobani yogurt vanilla flavor)

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp honey

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup of blueberries

powdered sugar (optional)

olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl

2. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg and yogurt together.  

3. Add the milk to the egg and yogurt mix.  Mix together.

4. Add the lemon juice and honey (the amount of honey you use will depend on how sweet you prefer your pancakes).

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.  The batter will be a little lumpy.

6. Gently fold in the blueberries.

7. Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray.  Pour about 1/4 cup of the batter per pancake.  Brown both sides.

8. Garnish with powdered sugar, blueberries, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, or any other fruit to your heart's desire.  

Serve with a light maple syrup or honey.

Recipe: Health-IER Blueberry Scones

I love the kind of breakfast where you can grab and go.   That's not to say that I don't like to sit down with a hearty breakfast platter of scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles drowned in maple syrup, etc. but for those busy mornings when you just need to grab and go, scones are my favorite.

Because I'm a blueberry fanatic, I make my scones with blueberries every chance I get.  You can definitely substitute other fruits or fillings such as cranberries or raisins.  I'd add orange zest to the mix to give a hint of citrus.

Ingredients
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
half a stick of butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 - 1.5 cups of Greek yogurt (I use Chobani Vanilla flavor)
About 1 cup of blueberries

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. Cut in the softened butter.
4. Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.
5. GENTLY fold in the blueberries.
6. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into a rectangular log.  Cut the log into little triangles.

(Please ignore my picture borders.  I'm going a little nuts playing with a new camera app)

7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is beautifully golden brown.

8. Let cool.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Pair with jam, jelly, or my favorite, lemon curd.

Recipe: Blueberry Banana Milkshake

It's only early May right now but in California, it's practically summer.  One of my favorite breakfast options during the summer is to make milkshakes.  Maybe it's the childhood memories of my mother always indulging me with a McDonald's milkshake when I was a little girl every time I was let out early during half days at school, but I absolutely love a great milkshake.

I tried to make a healthier alternative to McDonald's milkshake by using blueberries for their antioxidants, bananas for their potassium, Greek yogurt, and instead of sugar, I opt for organic agave nectar.  Quite frankly, I've made this milkshake without any type of sweetener because the fruits used provide enough sugar for my taste, but for those with a sweeter tooth, agave nectar is a healthier substitute to good ole granulated sugar.

Ingredients
1 cup blueberries - frozen to keep your drink cold!
1/2 of a banana
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (I prefer Chobani)
1 cup of milk
1 tbsp of agave nectar (or honey)

Directions
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Do you enjoy milkshakes?  What flavor milkshake do you prefer?