My vision for a healthy pancakes recipe came to me when I cooked a batch of barley to add to my morning oats. I noticed that barley blended has a consistency like a pancake batter. Barley is excellent for your digestive tract, your gut flora in particular. for added protein, I used oat flour (made with my blender) and tapioca flour to bind it all together. To complete, I used a hefty dose of baking powder for a lighter, fluffier effect. Tada! They rose as any great pancake should!

Life On The Road

Since I’ve been traveling, I haven’t been able to ‘blend’ anything. It’s been super frustrating not having access to proper kitchen gadgets, and boy, did I have a few of those back home! I broke down and ordered a portable mini blender that I carry around with me in my backpack!! The number of times I’d be standing in an Airbnb kitchen saying, ‘if only I had a blender.’ So now I do!

The list of things I can create is endless. I’ve blended rolled oats to create my oat flour and even continue to make my homemade almond milk on the go!

Eat Whole Foods Wherever You Are

More importantly, life with the blender means I can have more control over what I put into my body. No need to buy ready-made meals and sauces, spreads, or dips. No need to spend money on smoothies with added sugars. I make my own healthy, unrefined flour using rolled oats -one of the main ingredients in my pancake recipe. I’ve enjoyed creamy bulletproof coffees again; the list of creations is endless.

Healthier Pancake Recipe Substitutions

Replacing refined white flour

Make Sure To Get Enough Protein

If you’re not using eggs, both protein and fat content decrease by 5g. You can make up the protein by enjoying a spoon of nut butter or a couple of almonds with your pancakes.

Enjoy Healthy Pancakes with The Best Wholefoods

My protein-rich breakfast includes five of these delicious pancakes smothered in nut butter and fruit. I sometimes add a couple of almonds or a sprinkle of flax seeds. Occasionally I’ll add a scoop of my homemade date syrup or some full-fat yogurt. Of all my daily meals, breakfast has the highest amount of fat in it. Making sure my dinner has the least.

Heal Your Gut

If you suffer from indigestion or reflux symptoms, it’s essential to stick to a low-fat, high-fiber diet. By consuming “good fats” for breakfast, I have sustained energy throughout the day. Having a healthy dose of fats also lessens my chance of snacking on unhealthy treats later. Eating like this has worked exceptionally well for me. I hardly ever experience reflux flare-ups anymore.

Fruit Is Good

I’m not at all concerned about the sugar content (around 40g) in a serving of fruit. Fruit is high in fiber and phytonutrients, which help LOWER insulin spikes and blood sugar levels (3).

Making cauliflower breadsticks sounds like a lengthy process (after all, how cauliflower turns into a thin crispy crust), but let me assure you, it barely qualifies as baking. The whole process takes about 30 minutes and is so so worth it! 

Replacing Highly Processed and Highly Refined Foods

So, you probably eat a low-carb or gluten-free diet or, like me, you’re trying to cut out the most highly processed and refined foods. Most bread is a processed food with a high sugar content and not much nutrition (1). If we don’t have bread, what will we eat with our avocado o r hummus?

Put your favorite things on them.

With these cauliflower breadsticks, you can top them with whatever you want. The best part is the way they crunch in your mouth and make you feel like you’re treating yourself.

Why Are Cauliflower Breadsticks A Better Choice?

I looked at how these cauliflower breadsticks compare to regular breadsticks in terms of nutrition. This recipe has half the sugar, half the calories, and twice as much fiber. Because coconut oil is used, it still has the same amount of fat.

Cauliflower Breadsticks Have Good Carbs

The whole grains in the oats are what give this recipe its carbs. These carbs are very good for you because they are high in fiber. Fiber is important for keeping your gut flora healthy and fed.

It’s Not Just About Calories

Remember that it’s not all about how many calories and carbs you eat. This dish is full of vitamins and minerals that you wouldn’t normally get from a stick of bread. It’s low GI and makes you feel fuller for a longer time. Not only that, but they taste amazing and are very good for you in general.

What Else Can You Make With This Recipe?

This recipe is just the start of great things. When the flatbread comes out of the oven, Instead of cutting it up, use it as a pizza base. Another great option is using it as a wrap or burrito (because it has such high flex). Just put your ingredients in the middle and roll it up.

How Do You Store Cauliflower Breadsticks

You should make double or triple the amount and store some of it in the fridge or freezer after cooking and reheat it on a pan for a quick healthy snack!

Now all you need is a refreshing (and healthy) drink to pair these breadsticks with. Try my Thai Milk Tea Recipe. It’s undeniably refreshing and easy to make. 

Mango with sticky rice, also known as khao niao mamuang in Thai, is arguably the most popular sweet dish in Thailand. It’s found on every street corner and fanciest of restaurants, day or night.

What Does Mango, With Sticky Rice Taste Like?

If you see bamboo baskets littered all around, you can be sure that it’s sticky rice inside! What makes it so popular? There’s something about the sweet but somehow also salty rice that’s warm and gooey and creamy and full of great-smelling spices. Pair this with light and refreshing mango for an irresistible duet.

My First Experience of Mango with Sticky Rice:

Traveling around South East Asia, I got to experience this dish for the first time. Back home, we have rice pudding, though similar, not as good. Ever since the glorious Thai trip, I’ve wanted to experiment with Mango Sticky Rice.

Can We Make It Healthier

In terms of taste, this dish needs no altering. Still, for some of us that prefer less sugar, fewer carbs, and healthier food alternatives, I’ve got a version that still hangs on to the very essence of what makes this dish so great but is packed with wholesome, gut-healing properties.

Healthier Substitutions For Mango With Sticky Rice

Barley Replaces Rice

For the first alteration, this might sound crazy, but the rice has to go! Even though white rice is not the unhealthiest thing out there, there is arsenic in white rice (2), and it is highly refined to increase cooking quality and shelf life. As a result, white rice does not have a high nutritional value. Instead, I used Barley, a whole grain packed with vitamins and minerals and secret powers to strengthen gut flora through a very long and complicated mechanism involving butyrate. You’re more than welcome to read the research on it here. I found it VERY interesting!

A Healthy Sugar

The next thing that has to go is the sugar, and boy, does the original Mango with sticky rice recipe call for a ton of it! Instead of sugar, I opted for my all-time favorite natural sweetener -Dates. If you have a quick look at my Date Syrup Recipe, you’ll understand all the incredible abilities this marvelous stone-fruit has, and best of all, it can be substituted 1:1 with sugar and have weight loss abilities! Yes, that’s right, I didn’t stutter!   

The rest of the ingredients needed are the same as most traditional mango and sticky rice recipes. Have a look at the full recipe below.

Final notes

My recipes will always include the best possible food choices to encourage the healthiest possible outcome. Don’t forget that every time you eat, you are either fighting or feeding disease. Make good choices!