Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

When I first went gluten free I never thought I would never have good pancakes again! I tried all of the mixes and a few rounds of making my own batter but was never satisfied.

After many trial and error recipes I finally nailed it using buckwheat (or oat groats)! I have been doing pancakes on Saturdays as a special treat and then I realized I was feeling really great after.

So what is buckwheat?

It’s actually derived from the seed of a flowering plant. Not a grain or cereal and it is in fact gluten free! Just disregard the very confusing name. 

Health Benefits:

• Fiber, Magnesium, copper, calcium, potassium, and small amounts of B vitamins.
• Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Buckwheat's beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants.
• Helps maintain blood flow, keeps platelets from clotting excessively which helps to protect against heart disease.
• The nutrients in buckwheat may contribute to blood sugar control.
• Canadian researchers, publishing their findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have found new evidence that buckwheat may be helpful in the management of diabetes.
• May prevent inflammation in the body.

So how do we consume these health boosting granules of delicious? PANCAKES!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of buckwheat flour - I made my own buckwheat flour (blog coming) but you can get it in the store as well.
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2- 2 ½ cups water

Directions

• Sift all dry ingredients together. (If you don’t have a sifter just mix well)
• Slowly add water and slowly mix well. You don’t want it to be too watery or too thick.
• On low to medium heat warm up coconut oil and pour batter into the pan. Drop in chocolate chips or any other additions you might want. Wait for it to brown on one side and slightly bubble on top.
• Flip over until golden brown.

Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!

Now your favorite guilty pleasure breakfast can be your favorite Make Yourself a Priority breakfast.

** I recommend eating these with raw sauerkraut (trust me the sweet and sour thing totally works) or a handful of greens to help with digestion. 

I learned CPR – Foods to Help Prevent Heart Disease

I took a CPR course this weekend; in order to get certified as a personal trainer it is a requirement. Honestly it just seems like a really great thing to know. The course was like $50 and lasted 2.5 hours; I went with my sister - we made a day of it!

Heart health is a touchy subject for me. My mother and sister have heart issues they were born with and it is believed my grandmother died (before I was born) due to a heart complication; they didn’t have the technology at the time to figure out exactly what she died from. Luckily with more ways to monitor these things and the knowledge we have about food and our health, even those who are born with conditions or are thought to be predisposed due to their genes can take preventative measures. Since my sister and mom both practice healthy plant based diets they are off meds and in good shape! 

This may or may not come as a shock to you but a healthy plant based diet can not only prevent heart disease but also reverse it according to Dr. Esselstyn, among many other doctors, based on a 20 year nutritional study. I feel the need to repeat that - PREVENT AND REVERSE heart disease.“The 17 patients in the study had 49 cardiac events in the years leading up to the study, and had undergone aggressive treatment procedures. Several had multiple bypass operations. After beginning the eating plan, there were no more cardiac events in the group within a 12-year period.” NO MORE CARDIAC EVENTS after starting the plant based eating plan. This is a no brainer.

According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine: Every day, nearly 2,600 Americans die of some type of cardiovascular disease, an average of one death every 34 seconds, and 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack during their lifetimes – and this can all be prevented with a healthy plant based diet.

On to the heart healthy food! 

Rosemary Roasted Carrots and Beets

• 5 small beets

• 3 carrots

• Juice of one half a lemon

• 1 tablespoon rosemary

• 1 tablespoon maple sugar

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Cut vegetables to bite sized pieces. Mix all ingredients and roast in the oven for 30 min at 400 degrees. The veggies should pierce easily with a fork when finished.  (If you don’t want to use oil use water instead! Just monitor the dish to make sure the water doesn’t evaporate burning your pan.)

Beets protect against heart disease because they are rich in betaine which has the ability to reduce homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is the toxic amino acid that increases risk of cardiovascular disease. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants that can combat free radicals that cause heart disease.

Make yourself and your heart a priority!