Ironically, I was never a breakfast person growing up. If I had my choice, I would rather have eaten leftovers from the previous evening's dinner. Not to mention that my time management skills were poor. Getting myself dressed and to school on time was challenge enough. So more often than not, I would skip my morning meal altogether. 

Of course, all of that has changed. Mornings are now my favorite time of day. On the weekends, I enjoy making a special breakfast for my husband and I, which may or may not be entirely healthy. But during the week, if my diet has been poor, I look at each day as a new opportunity to clean it up. 

Every once in awhile I get a craving for pancakes. I love pancakes. What I don't love is feeling like a slug whenever I eat them. Then, I happened on several recipes using protein powder and fresh bananas in place of the usual white flour and sugar batter. After some experimenting, I came up with my own rustic version of a protein pancake. They hold together just as well as the classic variety and are as satiating as a plate of eggs.

Ingredients:
1 banana
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 tablespoons oat flour
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil
8-10 strawberries, sliced
confectioners sugar for dusting, optional

Directions:
Place the banana, protein powder, oat flour and egg into a blender and puree until smooth. Using a non-stick griddle pan, warm the oil over medium heat. Pour the batter into 3-4 inch circles. Cook until the batter begins to bubble, then flip to cook the other side, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Layer the pancakes and strawberries on the serving plate. If desired, dust with confectioners sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Notes:

• I do not recommend a particular brand of protein powder, as the brands available in one area may differ from those available in my location. However, I do suggest looking for one that does not contain GMO's, pesticides or a ton of chemicals. There are a number of vegan options on the market, for those with dietary restrictions.
• If vanilla protein powder is unavailable, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and increase the oat flour as a substitute. Generally, one scoop of protein powder is equal to 2 tablespoons of oat flour. Keep in mind that this substitution will lower the overall protein content. 
• If using a high quality non-stick griddle, the amount of oil may be reduced.

Yield: 5 small pancakes

Rhubarb season has finally arrived here in my home state of New York. Of course strawberry-rhubarb is the quintessential pairing, but I've discovered that many other sweet fruits contrast well with its sour quality too. Pears, raspberries and mango to name just a few. In this recipe, the combination of both apples and peaches adds textural interest and depth to the overall sweetness. If you're an imprecise baker and more of a throw-it-together cook like myself, this dessert is the perfect way to use the stalky rhubarb plant. 

My recipe leaves a lot of room for modification for those with dietary restrictions or a limited pantry. For example, a golden delicious or tart Granny Smith apple can be swapped for a sweeter fuji or gala variety. Replace the brown sugar with a lower glycemic sweetener such as maple syrup, honey or stevia. It can also be left out entirely, particularly if an especially sugary variety of apple is used. No oat flour? No problem. All-purpose, pastry or even almond flour will work. Think out of the box.

Tip: The recipe, as written, is for a single serving. I used small ramekins from Pier 1 Imports, but ingredients can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled and baked in an 8x8 pan for larger groups. The cook time remains the same either way. 

Yield: Single Serving

Filling Ingredients:
1/4 apple, diced
1 medium peach, pitted and diced
1/3 cup or 1 thin stalk rhubarb
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon oat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Topping Ingredients:
1/4 cup Irish quick oats
1 tablespoon oat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water

Filling Directions:
Pre-heat the oven at 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all of the filling ingredients into a bowl and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until the fruit is coated with the dry ingredients. Spoon into a small ramekin or baking dish and set aside.

Topping Directions:
Using the same bowl, mix together the oats, flour and sugar. Add the vegetable oil and continue mixing until evenly coated with the oil. Spoon the topping over the fruit mixture. Place the ramekin onto the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and add the water to the ramekin. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool, about 10 minutes before serving.

Stuffed peppers are a great what's-left-in-the-pantry meal. This Mediterranean version works well with both ground lamb and turkey. I generally prefer to eat my peppers raw, but the recipe includes a cooking step for those who like softer vegetables. Stuffed peppers reheat well in both the microwave and the oven.

Pepper Filling:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey or lamb
1 yellow onion, finely minced
1 medium zucchini, shredded
2 large carrots, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh or dried rosemary
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup raisins
1/8 cup slivered almonds
3 large bell peppers, halved
2 cups tomato sauce, (recipe below)
feta or parmesan cheese, (optional)

Directions:
Pour the oil into a large sauté pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the ground meat and cook through, stirring occasionally. Add the onion, zucchini, carrot and rosemary and continue cooking until the vegetables become translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in the zest, salt, pepper, raisins and almonds. Allow to cook for another minute, then remove from heat. 

Submerge the peppers in hot water for 5 minutes to soften. Then drain and fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Ladle the tomato sauce onto a serving dish and arrange the peppers overtop. If desired, garnish with feta or parmesan cheese.

Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients:
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 large whole onion, peeled with ends removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried or fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried or fresh oregano
1 tablespoon honey or sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredient in a large saucepan. Set heat to medium and cover until sauce begins to bubble. Turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until the onion has softened, stirring occasionally. Remove onion prior to serving.