If you find yourself looking for a healthy indulgent breakfast that is perfectly portioned and leaves you feeling light and energized, then this post is for you!

The majority of my early mornings start with a Pressed Juicery Greens 3, which contains kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon and ginger. But on weekends or holidays, I sip my Greens 3 while I cook up my Gluten-Freelicious, Portion-Controlled Pancakes!

These nutrient dense pancakes will make you feel satiated inside and out. Your taste buds will want to sing and your organs will thank you graciously. They call for only 6 ingredients, and you probably have most if not all of them already sitting in your kitchen: gluten free oats, almond milk, vanilla extract, apple sauce, a healthy sugar alternative such as raw coconut crystals or Stevia and cold-pressed oil such as grape seed or safflower.

I’ve decided to share my special pancakes with you because I know The Chalkboard readers can appreciate this type of simple health-conscious recipe!
Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free oats. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Whole Grain Oats are perfect for this! Fit fact 1: Old Fashioned oats have more fiber than instant oats. You can compare to the distinction between brown and white rice. You know the healthier option is brown rice because it is less processed and has more nutrients. Well, that’s Old Fashioned oats for you.

• 1 tablespoon raw coconut crystals. Coconut Secret Coconut Crystals is the one I often find in health food stores. Fit fact 2: Raw coconut crystals are literally the sap from coconut trees, which is very low on the glycemic index and diabetic-friendly.

• 1-1/2 cup almond milk. We all know how unbelievable Pressed Juicery’s Almond Milk is! Fit fact 3: Almond milk is super low in calories, sodium and sugar. I think it’s safe to say we all prefer those to be low.

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Fit fact 4: Vanilla can help to alleviate anxiety, improve skin tone and boost metabolism, which can potentially stimulate weight-loss effects in your body. We’ll take it!

• 4 tablespoons applesauce. I like Manzana North Coast Organic Apple Sauce because the only ingredient is apple; there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Fit fact 5: Applesauce contains many phytonutrients that act as antioxidants. These fight free radicals and protect your DNA and cells from oxidative damage.

• 2 tablespoons expeller pressed grape seed oil. I usually have this in my pantry, but feel free to substitute with safflower oil or another healthy preference with a high smoke point. Fit fact 6: Grape seed oil can decrease your bad cholesterol and increase your good cholesterol. Yet another win-win situation.

Makes 12 mini portion-controlled pancakes.

Directions:

1. Place oats and coconut crystals in a food processor. Process until flour is formed.

2. Add applesauce to food processor and pulse until consistent texture.

3. In a deep bowl, thoroughly stir oat mixture with almond milk, vanilla and oil. Allow batter to sit for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. I use a touch of Earth Balance soy-free vegan buttery spread to make my pan non-stick happy.

5. Pour a large spoonful of batter onto your heated skillet so it forms a circular shape. Allow the middle to bubble for 1 minute, and then carefully flip – roughly around 3 minutes each side.

6. Repeat until the batter is gone. Top with your favorite berries and possibly a dash of Grade B maple syrup.

I guarantee you that you will be hooked at your first bite. Happy cooking, foodie friends!

You can follow Sasha’s recipes at kalewithlove.com and via Twitter @kalewithlove