Bone-Smart, High-Protein Versions Of Pancakes, Doughnuts, And Cake (Yes, You Read That Right!) - Save Our Bones

I’m really looking forward to the holiday season. That’s when I strive to get creative in the kitchen and prepare a variety of healthful, scrumptious dishes for my family and friends. It’s so inspiring to see how surprised they are when they discover how delicious “health food” can be!

And I’m quite sure you’ll be surprised and delighted, too, with today’s delectable pH-balanced, bone-building breakfast recipes. All three are rich in alkalizing protein, to keep you full through the morning.

Since there is some controversy regarding protein and its place in a clinical nutrition plan for bones, I’ll begin by clarifying this issue.

Protein And Its Role In Building Bone

While it’s true that strong muscles are a necessary component of building and maintaining fracture-resistant bones, it’s a common misconception that large amounts of animal protein are required to build muscle.

In fact, too much animal protein actually harms bones in the end due to its acidifying nature and a number of other factors, which you can read about in this blog post: Excessive Animal Protein Hurts More Than Just Your Bones.

Remember, we’re talking about excessive animal protein intake, which causes an imbalance in your body. Animal protein is not off-limits on the Osteoporosis Reversal Program; foods like beef, liver, and turkey provide vital nutrients (especially grass-fed, free-range meats). At the Save Institute, we consider eating large portions of meat three times a day as the main part of a meal excessive…yet that’s precisely what most Westerners do. From bacon and sausage for breakfast to beef and chicken for dinner (with a burger or chicken dish for lunch), modern eating habits are far too high in animal protein for optimal bone health.

So to obtain a pH- balanced portion of protein that you need for healthy bones and muscles, the key is to consume alkalizing plant proteins balanced with a smaller percentage of animal protein. If you’d like more information on vegetarian sources of protein, and how best to add protein to your bone-healthy diet, then feel free to click on this link: One Minor Tweak To Your Diet Can Make A Major Difference To Your Bones.

Protein For Breakfast

Now that we’ve clarified the role of protein in clinical nutrition, I’ll explain why foods high in protein make sense for your morning meal.

At the Save Institute we don’t recommend skipping breakfast, because the first meal of the day is a prime opportunity to consume nutrients that build bone and balance your plasma pH. And having enough protein in the morning means you’ll feel satisfied for longer, helping you to avoid bingeing on sugar-loaded bone-damaging snacks.

But here’s the really good news: today’s recipes are sweet tasting, so they’ll satisfy that sweet tooth while delivering loads of alkalizing protein to keep you feeling full.

Chocolate Layer Cake Pancakes

These chocolate pancakes are served in layers with a creamy filling, but they are full of protein and nutrients, not sugar.

1 Serving
pH-balanced

Ingredients for pancakes:

  • 1/3 cup oat flour or rolled oats
  • 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (flax meal)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup water or almond milk
  • Pinch of sea salt

Ingredients for filling:

Directions for pancakes:

  1. If you’re not using oat flour, place the rolled oats in your blender and whiz until oats form a flour-like consistency. Transfer oat flour to a medium-sized bowl and stir in the whey powder, flax meal, pinch of salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg until light. Whisk in the water or almond milk and vanilla, and pour into the bowl with the oat flour mixture. Stir well to combine the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly. Allow the batter to sit for 5 to 15 minutes before cooking. While it’s sitting, you can make the filling (directions below).
  3. To cook the pancakes, heat a skillet (not non-stick) over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the skillet with oil. Pour the batter into the skillet in three portions, cooking pancakes for 3-5 minutes per side.

Directions for creamy filling:

  1. Combine all ingredients in your blender, and whiz until fully incorporated and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. To assemble pancakes, place one pancake on a plate, top with filling, and repeat for three layers ending in filling. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top.

Holiday Spiced Doughnuts

8 Donuts
pH-balanced

Finally, bone-healthy doughnuts for breakfast! You’ll need a doughnut pan to make classic doughnuts with a hole in the middle, or you can use a muffin tin if you prefer.

Ingredients for doughnuts:

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 medium bananas, ripe
  • 1/3 cup vanilla whey protein powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, plus extra for greasing muffin tin or doughnut pan
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Stevia or monk fruit sweetener to taste

Ingredients for Honey-Cinnamon Glaze (optional):

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut oil
  • Extra cinnamon for dusting

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In your blender, combine honey and bananas; whiz until smooth.
  2. Add all other ingredients to blender and whiz until combined.
  3. Pour batter into doughnut pan or muffin tin. If using a muffin tin, fill each muffin cup halfway.
  4. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow doughnuts to cool before glazing.
  5. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl, and “paint” each doughnut using a pastry brush dipped in the glaze. Sprinkle each doughnut with ground cinnamon if desired.

Lemony Loaf Cake

8 Servings
pH-balanced

Cake for breakfast? You bet! This high-protein, brightly-flavored cake is a real treat to start your day, and it’s delicious with a fruit topping.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup oat flour or rolled oats
  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup plain, organic yogurt
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or melted virgin coconut oil
  • Juice of one large lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia or monk fruit sweetener, (adjust to taste)

Ingredients for glaze:

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons sugar-free powdered sugar substitute (recipe below)

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. If you’re using rolled oats, whiz them in your blender until they form a flour-like consistency.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients (oat flour through baking powder). In another bowl, whisk the eggs and whisk in the honey, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and stevia. Combine well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding to combine.
  3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 F, and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Cool cake completely on a wire rack before glazing.
  5. To make the glaze, simply whisk the ingredients together and drizzle over the cake.

Powdered sugar substitute:

  • 2 teaspoons powdered stevia or monk fruit sweetener
  • ½ cup arrowroot powder or potato starch
  • ½ cup vanilla (or unflavored) whey protein powder
  1. Whiz all ingredients in a blender and use in place of powdered sugar.

Share And Prepare Bone-Healthy Dishes With Bone Appétit

Sharing bone-smart foods is one of the most pleasurable aspects of eating your way to healthier bones. Yet as the holidays approach, it’s often tempting to prepare (and eat) bone-damaging foods.

With Bone Appétit, you won’t have to compromise your bone-smart diet for the holidays (or any other time). With over 200 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks, it provides you with the tools to build your bones without compromising taste and variety, no matter what time of year it is.

Eat Your Way to Stronger Bones!

Discover over 200 mouth-watering bone healthy recipes for breakfast, smoothies, appetizers, soups, salads, vegetarian dishes, fish, and plenty of main courses and even desserts!

Learn More Now →

I encourage you to share your healthy, nutritious dishes with friends and family — they will be delighted!

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. t

    Why do all of the recipes contain oat or oat flour? Many diabetics cannot tolerate oat flour due to extreme sugar spikes.

  2. Margaret

    Can anybody help me with what a ‘scoop’ of whey protein powder is in cup measurement, please. I live in Aust. and am using a whey available here…one that doesn’t have a ‘scoop’.
    I have to be aware already that I am using different size cooking measurements to US and have that covered, but what in the heck is a ‘scoop’ ???

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Margaret,

      Generally speaking, a “scoop” is 30 grams, so 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons. 🙂

  3. joy markman

    Thanks Vivian, I love your post, & have two of your books – love them!

  4. Monique Gray

    Your recipes are too complicated and take too long, it is also true for your cooking book that I bought

    • Hillary

      I don’t know why you think that, Monique. The recipes are quite simple. I have the cookbook and even my husband sometimes makes some of the recipes by himself. And he never even stepped in the kitchen before…

  5. Margaret

    a scoop is not a measurement….if we are using a different whey protein powder to what you do.
    Can we have the ‘scoop’ in cup measurements please

  6. Linda

    Can unflavored, beef gelatin collagen powder be used as a substitute for the whey protein powder?

  7. Jacqueline

    Honey is just as toxic for bone density issues as processed sugar.

  8. Gaetanne

    Does whey in your cooked recipes loose any of it’s health benefits because of the high heat during cooking?

  9. Vida

    Hi Vivian,.
    Protein powder gives me constipation problem ,
    I am taking collagen peptide powder from dr bernd fridemend .what do you think about it?

  10. Gaetanne

    Hi Vivian,
    I’m constantly impressed with your information, your recipies and your exercise information. IF YOU HAD a 1 or 2 week retreat with cooking classes and exercise program, I’d gladly treat myself to it. We have spa retreats but this would be even better. Just a thought. I wonder if this could be done and if others would be interested.
    Thank you for empowering women to manage their own bone health.
    Gaétanne, Ottawa, Ontario

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      What an interesting idea, Gaétanne! And you are most welcome – but please, thank yourself first. You’re the one who’s chosen to get informed and implement what you’ve learned!

  11. Ron Thiessen

    for the holiday spice dounuts how much yogurt should I use thank you.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Thanks for bringing this up, Ron. We fixed the typo… it now says to combine the honey with the bananas.

  12. kitty

    Hi Vivian:
    Not only can my system not tolerate wheat/flour, but that also includes no dairy.
    What are my substitutes for dairy. Help.
    Thank you for your great articles!!
    Kitty

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Kitty,

      Many people who have dairy or lactose sensitivities are able to tolerate whey, but that’s not always the case. You can substitute pea protein for whey powder in today’s recipes if you like, as I’ve mentioned to others below. 🙂

  13. Judy Fredrickson

    Dear Vivian, can you recommend a good protein powder that does not contain whey. I cannot eat casein.

    Thanks

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Judy,

      As I recommended to Helen below, you can use pea protein instead of whey if it’s a problem for you.

  14. Elaine

    Dear Vivian – So much to assimilate …and that’s just in my mind…
    Thanks for All you do and keeping in touch to save our bones amidst long term ignorance and disinformation from established ‘wisdoms’ – I have many questions regarding my own health but also many answers as I progress…
    home alone in my own skin and bone

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re welcome, Elaine, and I thank you for taking time to read and learn so you can make informed choices about your bone health. And remember, you’re not alone! The Saver community is a supportive and informed group. 🙂

      • Elaine

        Thanks for the reassurance

  15. Evelyn D Oden1

    Good morning, Anna, Vivian recommend, Solgar Whey to go, from the vitamin shop, that’s what I use.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re right, Evelyn! Thank you for chiming in.

  16. anna

    hello what kind of brand of’
    whey powder which is the
    brand I need to buy?
    Thank you, Anna

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Anna,

      At the Save Institute, we recommend Solgar Whey To Go. It’s easily found online or in health food stores, and it’s free of heavy metal contamination.

  17. Helen

    I love these recipe ideas, but I cannot tolerate whey. Would bean or lentil flour work as a protein substitute in these recipes–nutritionally? And would they create the right consistency in the batter or dough?

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Helen,

      You could try pea protein powder. It generally works as a substitute for whey powder. 🙂

      • Carolyn

        Is pea protein acid? I’ve been using it for a while, but really didn’t know.
        Thanks,

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