Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Protein Packed Flapjack and Waffle Mix

Pancakes and waffles are one of those foods that I feel is a cult favorite. They're versatile and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner (no judgement zone!). So when I heard about Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Protein Packed Flapjack and Waffle Mix I made sure to venture to my local Target in search of the hidden gem. When they're not on sale, a box of mix averages around $5 - which is pricey, but it's a lot cheaper than buying a box with online retailers such as Amazon.

Admittedly, I enjoy pancakes or waffles but if I don't have them with an equally packed protein side I find my hunger creeps back a lot faster than it should. Partly because waffles or pancakes are more carbohydrate than protein and the balance doesn't always set well in my system. Kodiak cakes have a whopping 14 grams of protein in it. This of course can be increased if you choose to incorporate your mix with egg whites, skim milk, etc.

My first attempt at making pancakes was a complete and utter fail. Why? I used banana in the mix (as I normally do with regular pancake mix). This unfortunately made the batter way too wet and the pancakes wouldn't form while cooking and turned to complete mush when it was time to flip. I posed a question on Instagram I was so frustrated and the folks who run the Kodiak instagram reached out and advised bananas make the mix too wet so they suggest cutting back on the amount of liquid if you really want to use banana - or just use banana to bake with the mix.

My second attempt, I opted to go with water as my base liquid and I added a few fresh blueberries to the mix. This turned out to be successful and the pancakes formed perfectly and cooked up to perfection. I ate them for breakfast served with some sliced banana and some Walden Farms blueberry pancake syrup.

Outside of banana pancakes being out of the running, I do quite enjoy this mix. I find a serving when paired alongside a small protein (breakfast sausage) it's more than enough to keep me satisfied until lunch time. The pancakes are light in texture and I don't notice any real difference between these and your average run of the mill pancake mix. They're quite good and I can't wait to experiment with what I can whip up using this mix in either pancake, waffle or baked goods form.

A serving, 1/2 cup dry mix, is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Chocolate Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Protein pancakes have become all the rave with folks who aim at eating healthier and amping up their protein intake.  Now, I personally try to have protein at all meals because protein keeps me satisfied.  I’ve looked up protein pancake recipes and after calculating out the recipes, the points plus would be rather high and too high for what I am comfortable with for one dish.

I’ve heard about making pancakes with Weight Watchers smoothie mix, so curiosity got the best of me. I decided to go the “safe” route and use the Creamy Chocolate since it was a flavor I could add a fresh fruit to.  I figured chocolate and blueberry would be a perfect combination because the natural tartness from the blueberries would help cut down on the sweetness from the chocolate smoothie.  It’s totally perfect and a great way to get pancakes for a very low points plus value – with a boatload of protein (15 grams)!

I will say the pancakes once cooked are slightly crisped on the outside, but the inside is softer … reminiscent of a soft baked cookie.  It’s not gooey, it’s just soft. It’s not that fluffy consistency you get with regular pancakes.  The blueberries gave it a nice contrast because as I ate it, the blueberries began to burst and it was a delicious experience.

I served my pancakes up with ½ cup scrambled fat free egg substitute (1ppv), 4 slices of dry rubbed all natural uncured bacon (2ppv), and ½ cup of spaghetti squash (0ppv) that I “fried” in a non-stick pan to make reminiscent hash browns. The greatest part is that the entire plate of food pictured was only 5 points plus!  Delicious, filling and totally worth it!

Serves 1. 2 Points Plus Values.

Ingredients:

-          1 Weight Watchers Creamy Chocolate smoothie mix packet (Note: Any flavor of Weight Watcher smoothie mix can be used in replacement of the chocolate. All smoothie mixes are 2 points plus values)

-          3 tbsp All Whites 100% Liquid Egg Whites

-          1 tbsp water

-          1/3 cup fresh blueberries

In a small bowl empty the contents of the smoothie mix into the bowl.  Add in your 3 tbsp of egg whites and mix.  The batter will become very thick like brownie batter.

You can cook these up as is, or you can add fresh fruit. If you’re adding fruit, add in the 1 tbsp of water to help make the batter slightly looser.  Add in your fresh fruit and fold until blueberries are coated with the mixture.

Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and spoon in your batter mixture.  You can make a big pancake, or a few smaller ones, whichever you prefer.  Allow the batter to cook for a few minutes (2-3) but watch it closely.  The batter does not bubble like pancake batter.  When one side is cooked to your liking, flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat, plate up and enjoy!