For all of my adult life, I have been someone who works out. Before having kids, I worked out a few days a week, at the gym or with a fun workout video at home, but never really took it all that serious. About five years ago, when my first son was born, I was left with a little baby weight to lose and it sparked something in me. I decided then that I didn’t want to just lose my baby weight, I wanted to be in the best shape of my life. So, I took to learning and researching and making as many fitness friends as I could on Instagram. Yes, that’s right, my first Instagram account was a personal fitness account. I would share my progress, my workouts, what I was eating and encouragement for my fellow Insta friends. One thing that was a common theme at the time, on all of those accounts I followed, were healthy treats. Of course I followed accounts that were most like me, and I love me some treats. I love cakes and muffins, donuts and pancakes; but when you’re #OnAQuest to be super fit, those don’t always fit in the equation. So, my fellow Insta friends and I would make healthier treats to satisfy our sweet tooth. There were protein pancakes and muffins and donuts; and I tried each recipe as if my life depended on it. Soon, I nailed down a recipe for protein pancakes that I loved, I would make them most mornings. They were gooey and cakey and satisfied my need for a sweet treat, without derailing my fitness goals.

If you know my story well, then you know that this fitness interest sparked something bigger in me. I pursued my ACSM certification and decided I wanted to share what I learned online, with women just like me; Pumps and Push-Ups was born! When I started Pumps and Push-Ups, I stepped away from my personal fitness Instagram, which meant I also stepped away from my daily protein pancake stacks I was posting on that account. I actually haven’t made a stack of protein pancakes in years, until recently. I was contacted by Quest about their new Cinnamon Crunch Protein Powder and asked if I would like to try. When I saw Quest, I thought about all of the Quest Protein Bars I heated up to taste like cookies. Quest bars are tasty! So, even though this was my first try of their protein powder, I was game! I immediately thought of my old friend, protein pancakes.

Quest let me in on the fact that their new Cinnamon Crunch Protein Powder was at GNC, so off I went to my local GNC. You can grab a couple of sachets if you just want to try the flavor, or if you’re like me, you can go ahead and commit to the big guy here:

The Cinnamon Crunch flavor tastes a lot like the milk that’s left over in your cereal bowl, but with a lot more protein and a lot less sugar, it’s good! Plus, Quest protein bakes well, so the possibilities go way beyond a protein shake.

Anyway, back to these pancakes! Here’s what you’ll need:

PANCAKES

1/2 scoop Quest Cinnamon Crunch Protein Powder
1/3 cup oat flour (oats ground into flour)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup mashed banana
1 tbsp nut butter (you can use any kind here; peanut butter, almond, cashew, etc.)

TOPPING

1/4 cup powdered peanut butter
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 banana
1 tsp honey
cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. In a blender, blend 1/3 cup of oats into oat flour.
3. Mix the oat flour with protein powder and set aside.
4. Now, blend together the almond milk, mashed banana, nut butter and egg whites.
5. Combine your wet and dry ingredients.
6. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into your pan and wait for those glorious little bubbles to pop up, then flip.
7. While your cake cooks, blend powdered peanut butter with almond milk, until smooth.
8. As your cakes finish, top each one with a little bit of the powdered peanut butter blend and layer.
9. Finish off the top with another layer of powdered peanut butter, sliced banana, a drizzle of honey and a dash of cinnamon.

Done!

Now, I wouldn’t call myself a chef or anything, so let’s be honest, my cakes are a little flat. Probably because I over blended. I have made this recipe before and my cakes were fluffier, so fluffier cakes are possible. I also burnt my cakes a little, let’s be real. But, I’m not picky, they were tasty and reminded me of my old favorite; cakey and sweet, without the guilt!

Now, you tell me, have you ever tried protein pancakes or any Quest products?

– Brooke