Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

If you're having a cold winter where you live, then you know that there's no better way to warm up on a chilly morning than by eating a hot and hearty breakfast. Pancakes are notoriously delicious, but are not typically the healthiest things to chow down for breakfast. 'Till now ;) These heart-healthy whole wheat blueberry pancakes are vegan: which makes them cholesterol-free. Even without eggs, these pancakes are super fluffy and have that perfect pancake thickness. They're delish. And if you're not sold already, maybe knowing the fact that they only have about 150 calories per cake might convince you to give them a try. (You'll likely be full after one, trust me). I wrap the leftovers in foil and a ziplock bag and freeze them, and pop them into the toaster for quick breakfasts all week long! This recipe makes 7-8 pancakes, each about 6 inches in diameter.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

4.5 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash of salt

2 cups almond milk (+up to 4 tablespoons, as needed for texture)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. (Keeping blueberries out).

Mix wet ingredients together in a measuring cup or small bowl that holds a little more than 2 cups of liquid.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry, and whisk until everything is thououghly combined. Gently stir in the 2 cups of blueberries last.

Cook in a skillet (sprayed generously with cooking oil) on the stovetop over low heat. When bubbles start to pop in the batter, flip the pancake and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve topped with a little pure maple syrup, and enjoy!!

New Year's Confession (plus weight loss tips!)

Okay...Time for a New Year's Confession. I've been going back and forth in my head about whether or not to make this post, because it's a confession that I'm both proud of and ashamed of. Sound weird? Let me explain--you see, in 2012, I lost a ton of weight (that needed to come off). I'm really proud that I did it, and very happy with where I'm at now, but I'm ashamed that I didn't used to care about myself enough to keep myself healthy and my weight in check. I don't even have "before" pictures that I can find, because I was so ashamed of the way I looked that I would avoid cameras at all costs. Not a good place to be.

This is uber-scary sharing it on my blog that my friends and family check up on. I've never given anybody a number as to what I was at this time last year, but, I will tell you what came off in the last year: 70 pounds. Whoop, there it is! More than half of that I would attribute to diet changes. Going vegan last January was difficult at first, but got easier with time, and I found myself actually enjoying eating more fruits and veggies. I don't miss milk, because I grew to love almond milk more. I don't miss butter, because I love olive oil more. I kind of loved cheese, but I discovered that Daiya brand dairy-free cheese is just as good! And in learning that art of substitution, being vegan became one of the easiest things in my life. A vegan diet cuts out dietary cholesterol completely, which my heart has thanked me for. Switching to a veg-diet also cuts out a bunch of calories (meaning you can eat more food and consume fewer calories...um, deal!). So changing my diet was a huge part of my weight loss, but there are many other things I had to do in order to lose that 70 pounds. Here are some weight loss tips, the key things that helped me lose:

• Portion control--I came to realize that I was eating much bigger portions than my body actually needed! A way to fix this is to, instead of grabbing a dinner plate to fill up, grab a salad plate. Fill it with your regular food, just in smaller portions. It's okay if they look too small, if you're still hungry 20 minutes after you start eating, then go ahead and grab a little more.
• Fill up on fruits and veggies first--We all know that fruits and veggies are good for us. Full of vitamins, high in fiber, all-natural...and they also tend to be very low-calorie. Start your meal with fruits or veggies, fill yourself up a little, and you will likely eat less of your higher-calorie entree.
• Eat 5 small meals each day--Like the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings movies!! (What is it they have, breakfast, second breakfast, 11sies, lunch, tea, dinner, supper....okay, that's way too much food, but still). Eating 5 small meals everyday that average about 300 calories each will keep your blood sugar from dropping and spiking, you'll feel full all day, and you are less likely to binge.
• Water--Waterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwater. Get the picture?
• Don't drink empty calories--I had two soda drinks this year, and I didn't even really enjoy them. By cutting out soda completely, I saved myself a bunch of calories (I used to think I was addicted to Dr. Pepper). After not drinking it for awhile, I found that the carbonation in the drinks kind of hurt my mouth, and flat soda doesn't even taste good. Trust me, the first two weeks are the worst: if you can get through those, then you're golden.
• Plan your meals a day ahead of time--Having a plan will keep you from standing in front of an open fridge and succumbing to a binge. Be sure to have a plan that you like, or else you may not be keen to stick to it.
• Keep an "emergency" stash in your car or purse--you never know when something unexpected will happen, so always be sure to have a water bottle and some fruit or a granola bar close by, to power you through to the next meal if you're going to miss one.
• Treat yourself--If you feel deprived of something, eventually you're more likely to binge. But 100-calorie snack packs of a tasty treat will take away that feeling of deprivation, and help to keep you on track.
• Find at least 2 exercises you really like--And alternate them throughout the week. When exercise is enjoyable, you're going to keep at it, simple as that. As all the experts say, aim for an average of 30 minutes each day! (They say it because it works, I promise).
• Keep trying new things--The more we challenge ourselves physically, the more quickly we will see results. Even try things that you didn't used to like! Give something two weeks, and if you still hate it at the end of two weeks, you can stop. Make goals for yourself, like trying two new things each month. Running, walking, hiking, mountain biking, spinning, ballet, zumba, elliptical, yoga, kickboxing, calisthenics, swimming, rock climbing, stair-stepping, sports, a new workout video, ice skating, skiing...I could go on for ages, but there are so many ways to work up a sweat.
• Motivate yourself!--Read inspirational quotes, subscribe to a fitness magazine, hire a personal trainer, get a diet-and-fitness buddy, utilize self-talk...Do whatever you have to in order to keep yourself motivated and on-track. Motivation gets you started, then habits form and keep you going. :)

Well, I think that's all I have for tonight! May the New Year bring you all the best, and may you achieve each of your New Year's resolutions :)