These are the pancakes for people who think protein pancakes taste like sweet sponge. Canned pumpkin, oats and a scoop of protein blend into one smooth batter, and warm spices make it read as pumpkin pie. Four pancakes come out to 41g of protein for 428 calories.

Everything but the chocolate chips goes in the blender — no measuring bowls, no lumps.

Ingredients

  • Oats — ½ cup (quick or rolled) [P 5 C 27 F 3]
  • Protein powder — 1 scoop, ~30 g (vanilla) [P 25 C 3 F 1]
  • Egg whites — ¼ cup [P 6 C 0 F 0]
  • Milk — ¼ cup (1% skim) [P 2 C 3 F 0]
  • Canned pumpkin — ⅓ cup [P 1 C 8 F 0]
  • Dark chocolate chips — 1 tbsp [P 1 C 6 F 3]
  • Sugar-free maple syrup — 2–3 tbsp
  • Baking powder — 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon — ½ tsp
  • Ginger powder — ½ tsp
  • Salt — ¼ tsp
  • Olive oil — ½ tsp (or spray)

Method

  1. Blend. Add everything except the chocolate chips and oil to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  2. Cook. Heat the oil in a pan. Pour ⅓ cup of batter per pancake and cook ~1 minute a side. Repeat for 4 large pancakes.
  3. Top (optional). Greek yogurt, cinnamon, fruit or nuts.

What to eat it with

  • Sugar-free syrup — keeps it dessert-like for no real calories.
  • A dollop of Greek yogurt — adds a few grams of protein and a creamy finish.
  • Fresh fruit — berries or sliced banana.

Variations

  • Different flavour: swap the pumpkin for unsweetened apple sauce or mashed banana.
  • More traditional: fold in a few chopped pecans.
  • Dairy-free: use almond or oat milk.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 7g, from the oats and pumpkin.
  • Protein powder: a 25–35g scoop swings protein by a few grams — the 41g figure assumes a ~30g mostly-protein scoop.
  • Macros: reconcile with the 428 cal / 41g protein listed; no correction needed.