Fabulous “Flaxjacks”

I love it when you can take 5-6 healthy ingredients, throw them together, and come up with a mouthwatering concoction that you almost feel guilty eating. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does-wow!

Just take this taste-tempting breakfast dish. Chef Jeannette took a handful of superfoods, mixed them together, and came up with pancakes! OK, technically, they’re not pancakes, they’re “flaxjacks,” but who cares? They look like pancakes, taste like pancakes, and you can eat them without a shred of guilt. Just look at the ingredients.

Eggs are one of nature’s most perfect foods. And apples, well, they’re about as perfect a fruit as you can get: high in fiber from pectin, a great source of anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer quercetin, packed with bone-protecting boron, and rich in vitamin C. Organic coconut oil, one of the healthiest oils on the planet, is filled with antimicrobial fatty acids such as lauric acid and caprylic acid. And flaxseeds are the penultimate source of plant-based omega-3s, not to mention lignans, a component of flaxseed that’s been found to have cancer-fighting properties.

Spice it up with a little anti-inflammatory ginger, toss in some high-antioxidant cinnamon, and sweeten with all-natural stevia, and you’ve got the winning recipe for a healthy new breakfast (or snack) favorite.

Apple Flaxjacks
Serves 1

These flaxjacks are so delicious that you can forego the syrup completely and save yourself a sugar crash right before lunch-not to mention a load of extra calories.

1 jumbo egg

2 Tbs. ground flax seed, such as Barlean’s Forti-Flax

1 small apple, unpeeled, cored, and shredded1/2 tsp. ground ginger and/or cinnamon

2 tsp. dry sweetener (such as palm sugar or erythritol), or a few drops NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia, optional

2 tsp. coconut oil

1. Whisk egg to lightly beat in small bowl. Add flax seed, apple, spices, and sweetener, if using, and mix well.
2. Melt coconut oil in skillet over medium heat, swirling pan to evenly coat bottom.
3. Transfer batter to skillet in three sections, using spoon to shape into three approximately 3-inch flapjacks. Cook, undisturbed, 2-3 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. Flip flapjacks with large spatula, and cook 1-3 minutes more, until bottoms are lightly browned. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 299 cal; 10g pro; 21g total fat (10g sat fat); 22g carb; 208mg chol; 84mg sod; 6g fiber; 14g sugars

Notes from Chef Jeannette:
This recipe uses no flour at all. In fact, these pancakes are completely grain-free. The combination of the egg and slippery soluble fiber in moistened flaxseed acts as the perfect binder for the shredded apple. To mix up the flavors a little, replace the apples with pears, which are also in season right now. Choose a drier over juicier variety, though, such as Comice or Bosc (shown here), so your flaxjacks aren’t too wet. If you end up with a juicy one, sprinkle a little extra flax into the batter to absorb it.

Jeannette Bessinger, CHHC, is a certified holistic health counselor and recipe developer. Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, is a nationally known health, nutrition, and weight-loss expert. Bessinger and Bowden have collaborated on numerous cookbooks, including The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes. Visit them online at thecleanfoodcoach.com and jonnybowden.com.