Big-Protein Breakfast

I love breakfast, but I have to be really careful what I eat in the morning.  If I eat lots of carbs, I end up having a major sugar crash about an hour later that leaves me shaky.  So for me, cereal is pretty much off the table unless I'm in a hurry and I pack a snack.  I love pancakes but they cause me similar issues or just leave me with that "ugg" feeling.  Awhile ago I saw a recipe on pinterest for almond meal pancakes.  I love almond meal and add it to all sorts of things like muffins and banana bread.  So, I pinned it mostly to remind myself to try out something similar - not necessarily the exact recipe (it didn't quite look like my thing but I liked the idea).  Using almond meal instead of flour means these are heavy on the protein and light on the carbs - a perfect way to start the day.  These are even gluten-free.

This morning I finally had a chance to experiment with a couple of different batches and we all liked the results - particularly the 2-yr-old.  He ate more breakfast than I've seen him eat in ages. 
These are a pretty flat pancake, and they have a nice somewhat crumbly texture and a light, nutty flavor.  I'm not a syrup fan (we don't even have any in our house) so I just dusted a little powdered sugar on top.  Honey would be another great alternative topping.  Jam or applesauce would work too.

Almond Meal Pancakes
1-1/2 cups almond meal
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tbls oil
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add milk, eggs, oil and vanilla and whisk until all ingredients are combined.  Fry on medium-low to medium heat in a well-oiled pan.  Watch closely for bubbles, when the bottom side is lightly browned and the pancake is firm, flip and cook the other side for about a minute.  Re-oil pan between batches (even if it's non-stick).  Makes about 6-8 6" pancakes.