About an hour before I lace up for my morning cardio session, I work my forearms and wrists -- flipping pancakes for a protein-packed, healthy breakfast. I have a cup of coffee, eat a couple of cakes, and refrigerate the rest for a quick snack. (Just nuke them for 20 seconds and chow on your way out the door.)

As opposed to pancakes out of a box, the high-protein ingredients in these help balance the carbohydrates and fat so your blood sugar won't spike. Likewise, syrup or jam would ruin that balance, which is why I use flavorful ingredients.

• 3 tsp baking powder
  1 cup protein
  1 cup all-purpose flour
  2 whole eggs
  1 cup cottage cheese
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  1 tsp butter extract
  1 cup water
  1 tsp olive oil (for the pan)

Combine the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, vanilla and butter extracts, and water, and mix it up. While you let it sit for 10 minutes, spread the olive oil in a nonstick pan. Then take a paper towel and wipe off most of it. Set your heat to medium, and once your pan is hot, mix the batter again and pour about a 6-inch pancake onto the pan. When bubbles form on top, flip it. Makes 8 pancakes

Per serving (two pancakes): 270 calories, 25 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 78 milligrams sodium