Try Guiltless Pancakes Smothered in Strawberries

Once upon a time at the New York World's Fair there was a little girl who really wanted one of those giant Belgian waffles smothered in strawberries and whipped cream, but alas, her mom and dad wouldn't buy her one. Knowing what I do now, I have to admit that was a very good decision on their part, but it sure didn't seem so to me at the time. Fast-forwarding to the not so distant past, those Belgian waffles were still on my mind when I set out to come up with a Zone pancake along the lines of those puffed-up pancakes.

The result of my pancake experiments in the kitchen is nothing short of utterly delicious in the opinion of everyone who has tried it. The day after my daughter's engagement party we served this to more than a dozen people for breakfast. We had an assembly line going, much like an omelet station at a breakfast bar. One person mixed the individual batches of batter, while another had several skillets of pancakes going at once and a third person added the toppings. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe as much as we do!

Strawberry Topped Pancake

Makes 1 balanced 3-block meal
Recipe tip: Instead of buying a whole bag of oat flour, zap a small amount of dry, uncooked oats into flour using a spice blender.

Pancake Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 level scoop Zone Protein Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring (non-alcohol based is preferred)
• 1 tablespoon oat flour
• 1 teaspoon light olive oil, the tasteless kind (do not use extra virgin)

Toppings:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced (or thawed unsweetened frozen strawberries)
• Whipped cream (real or canned is fine but not an artificial topping)
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Whisk together the egg whites, Zone Protein Powder, vanilla flavoring and oat flour until mixed well. It should have the consistency of a thin pancake batter with slight bubbles here and there but not too frothy.
2. Heat the light olive oil in a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Pour all the batter into the pan and cook over medium heat as you would an omelet, leaving it flat in the pan.
4. Do not fold it in half.
5. When the pancake is almost completely set and the bottom is beginning to turn golden brown, gently flip the pancake.
6. Continue cooking just long enough to lightly brown the other side.
7. Transfer to a dinner-sized plate.
8. You'll have one large pancake, which covers the entire plate.
9. Top with the sliced strawberries.
10. Decorate the top with several dollops of whipped cream and then sprinkle with the slivered almonds.

Enjoy!