It’s January, which means we’re all on diets, or at least doing some sort of “detox” for the next 7 days, right?? Â Like a juice fast, liver cleanse, or the “cayenne pepper drink”?? Â Aren’t we?? Â I mean, isn’t that the thing to do in January???
Weelll, as my Pa would say… “THAT’S THE BIGGEST BUNCH OF HOOEY I’VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE!!”
And he’s heard some big bunches, I can assure you.
The whole principle of “detox” really gets me… it’s as if the authors of said diets have forgotten that our bodies have built-in detox mechanisms already: namely our kidneys, livers, and skin. Â These organs work 24/7 to process and eliminate the toxins we’re exposed to through the air, our food, or… ahem… our adult beverages. Â In my estimation, depriving these vital organs of calories and protein (and this is the common denominator of all “detox” diets) in the aftermath of some pretty heavy and sustained abuse (think 18 sugar cookies a day & all those lovely bottles of wine with friends!), is just plain wrong. Â It’s like asking someone to run an ultra-marathon with nothing but a glass of spinach water. No thanks.
Yes, after the indulgence that marks the holiday season, we should re-set ourselves… rein ourselves in… by cutting back or eliminating the stuff that’s really no good for us (sugar, white flour, booze) for awhile… but let’s not deprive our detox organs of the vital nutrients they need to do their jobs well.
A better answer?  I say let’s pour as much whole-food nutrition into our bodies as possible!  And one way to do that is with these simple sweet potato pancakes.  This is the first pancake recipe I’ve ever put on the blog… shame on me!! But we actually eat them quite often.  And now that I’m on my training diet, they’re a regular part of my meal plan.  Not the kind with flour & dairy & oil… nope, these guys have nothing but mashed sweet potato, an egg plus an egg white, vegan protein, & a little cinnamon & baking powder.  (I’ve also made them without the protein powder and they work great.)  You’ll be nourishing yourself with Vitamin A, potassium, fiber, & protein, and one serving will keep you full for hours, but without that heavy feeling you get after eating regular pancakes.
They came about one day when I got tired of eating an egg white omelet with a side of sweet potatoes for my afternoon snack, and reckoned it might be good if I mashed it all up into pancakes… it was!  So here we go, our gluten-free, oil-free (except what you cook it in), dairy-free pancakes.  They take 5 minutes to mix up, 3 minutes to cook, and just as long as you like to sit & savor them.  The recipe makes enough for one pretty big serving, or 2 smaller ones, and it can easily be doubled.  Just cook your sweet potatoes ahead of time… they keep several days in the fridge.
I topped mine with almond butter and homemade cranberry sauce leftover from Christmas, but top yours however you like, depending on how just how virtuous you feel…
It is January, after all…
Notes
If your sweet potatoes are very moist, you might not need the 2T. water to mash them. In Philippines our local sweet potatoes (camote) are a bit more dry, so if using those, you'll need the water.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, baked (about 7-8 oz)
- 2 T. water (if your sweet potato is dry, to help it mash)
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites (or just use 2 eggs)
- ½ scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
- few drops of liquid stevia (optional, can also use 1/2 t. coconut sugar)
- ½ t. cinnamon
- ¼ t. vanilla
- ¼ t. baking powder
- 1/8 t. salt
- 1 t. grapeseed oil (to cook pancakes)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, peel & mash sweet potato with water. Add remaining ingredients in the order given (except oil to cook them in), and mix well.
- Heat the oil a skillet or pancake griddle over medium-high heat and pour 4 equal-sized portions of batter into the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles form & break on the surface.
- Flip over and cook on the other side about 30 seconds-1 minute more, until browned and set.
- Serve hot with almond butter, maple syrup, or other toppings of your choice. Serves 1-2 and recipe can easily be doubled.
Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Serves: 4 medium pancakes
Amount Per Serving: 4 pancakes
|
||
---|---|---|
Calories | 345 | |
% Daily Value* | ||
Total Fat 5.5 gm | 7.7% | |
Saturated Fat | 0 | |
Trans Fat | ||
Cholesterol | 0 | |
Sodium | 0 | |
Total Carbohydrate 46 gm | 15.3% | |
Dietary Fiber 7 gm | 28% | |
Sugars | ||
Protein 28 gm |
Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
Calcium | Iron |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
The Expat Dietitian
I so get where your dad is coming from! I love the sound of these pancakes and will definitely try them…I like the idea that it will keep me full for longer and therefore keep my body working and functioning well.
I always need something like this for late morning or early lunch.
They look and sound delicious 😋
Thanks, Jo! Yes, detox, shme-tox! 😉 These pancakes would be perfect after bootcamp… Xx
This is a great idea. I have been putting cooked sweet potatoes or cooked squash in breads for a long time. I don’t have protein powder, but I use whole grains a lot. I’ve been doing this since the 70s after I read “True Confessions of a sneaky organic Cook” (I think that was the title.)
Judy, yes, the squash & sweet potato add so much moisture (not to mention nutrition!) to breads & baked goods. Feel free to leave the protein powder out, they turn out well without it. I’ll have to try to pick up that book, it sounds very interesting! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
These look so yummy and easy to prepare. Do you think I could add some nuts to them?
Aunt A, nuts would be fab!! Toasted pecans, walnuts, almond flakes… all would be great either in the pancakes themselves, as toppings, or hey, how about BOTH??! And yes, they are SO quick & easy… hope you enjoy! xoxo