Luteal Phase Pancakes

Luteal phase can be one hell of a roller coaster ride. This season can cause increased discomfort if your hormones are unbalanced or you lack knowledge about the phases of your cycle. Prior to a year ago, I considered this the worst time of my month. I judged the increase in my appetite and my body’s signals for rest. Little did I know that if I honored these changes in my body, this time of the month wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable. If I listened to what my body was trying to tell me, the symptoms of womanhood wouldn’t feel so symptomatic. 

Around this time last year, I felt so defeated in my body. My periods were painful and heavy; I was experiencing severe bloating and discomfort after every meal I ate; and my hormonal acne felt out of control. Both my gynecologist and gastroenterologist told me nothing was wrong. I have always opted for alternative methods for managing a medical diagnosis, but without any diagnosis, I felt defeated. At the time, I didn’t want to spend the money on a naturopathic doctor, so I resorted to my old friend google. It took some time digging, but eventually I discovered cycle syncing. I then went into Spotify and listened to any and every podcast that I could regarding this method. 

A year later, I feel the best I have ever felt in regards to my cycle. It is definitely not perfect. I do believe that there are still some hormonal imbalances that a naturopathic doctor could further support me with. However, my periods are no longer painful and heavy. The bloating, discomfort, and hormonal acne flare ups are much less consistent. Most importantly, I began honoring the times of the month where my body needed extra nourishment and rest which in return has helped to decrease both my stress levels and anxiety. 

I know I know, you’re probably wondering, ‘Where the fuck are the pancakes Bree.’ I say all of this to you because before I would consider pancakes a cheat meal instead of being more intentional with the ingredients I was putting into them and the time of the month in which I was consuming them. During luteal phase, our bodies require more complex carbohydrates to help us feel satiated. The more satiated we feel, the less likely we are to binge. The same goes for protein. Our resting metabolic rate is much higher during this time as well, meaning we are burning more calories than we do during the other phases of our cycle. Now that you’re convinced, here’s the goods…

Luteal Phase Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

The Mix

2 cups Spelt Flour

1 scoop Truvani Vanilla Protein

½ Tsp Baking Powder

1 ¼ cup  Elmhurst Unsweetened Cashew Milk

2 Pasture-Raised Eggs

1 Banana

4 Dashes of Cinnamon

2 Dashes of Nutmeg

1 Dash of Himalayan Salt

Top 

Maple Syrup

Fresh Fruit

Other Ingredients

100% Grass-Fed Ghee

Directions

• Put all of the mix ingredients in a blender and blend thoroughly.

• Line a pan with ghee over medium heat.

• Pour your desired size pancakes onto the pan (I prefer mine around two inches).

• When little bubbles appear, flip the pancakes over.

• Top your finished pancakes with maple syrup + fresh fruit (I like to top mine with strawberries or blueberries).

Notes 

• If you are not a fan of spelt flour, you can substitute this for any other gluten-free flour, however I have found spelt flour to create the best consistency. 

• I have tried many vegan proteins, however, Truvani takes the cake for me. It has only five ingredients and no refined sugar. If you don’t like Truavni, I suggest opting for a protein powder that meets that criteria.

• When opting for a plant-based milk, please be mindful of the ingredients as many plant-based milks have a lot of junk in them. I really enjoy Elmhurst because it has only two ingredients: cashews + water.

• I always opt for pasture-raised eggs. This ensures that the chickens have free land to roam instead of being stuck in a coop all day with 80 other chickens which creates stress + disease. 

• Maple syrup > pancake syrup anyday. Pancake syrup has a lot of shit in it including refined sugar which is a no go for your hormones.

• As always opt for 100% grass-fed cow products. The cows that are not grass-fed are fed junk that doesn’t support the cow’s microbiome and in return harms ours.

• Lastly, if you can, please choose all organic products. Many farmers who do not grow organic are spraying cancer-causing pesticides on their crops.

If you have any questions/thoughts/ideas in regards to these delicious luteal phase pancakes, please feel free to send me a DM or email. I would love to hear from you. Maybe even send me a pic of your creation!!

xx

b