Boost your family’s brain power with this chia and blueberry-packed breakfast recipe! These pancakes serve up antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, iron, and calcium to help fuel your family’s day. And take a peek into The Creative Kitchen Founder Cricket Azima’s kitchen below and follow along!

Brainy Breakfast Pancakes

1. Mix up a batch of your favorite pancake mix according to package directions*

2. Stir in two mashed, overripe bananas.

3. Add 1/2 cup chia seeds.

4. Add one pint of blueberries.

5. Cook according to package directions**

*Cricket likes to make a double batch and freeze half of the cooked pancakes to enjoy on mornings when she’s too tired or doesn’t have the time to cook.
**Cricket sometimes bakes the pancakes on sheet trays in effort to cook a large batch at once.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

 Father’s Day is this Sunday, and what dad doesn’t want pancakes and waffles for breakfast? Cup 4 Cup’s gluten-free mix makes pancakes and waffles the whole family can enjoy! Their simple 1 to 1, cup for cup, concept makes delicious gluten-free products without having to add or adjust ingredients like many other gluten-free recipes. Cup 4 Cup’s line of family-friendly mixes are so good you’d never know they’re gluten-free!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

These pancakes are sweet and fluffy. They taste so yummy!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I’m so happy to offer a delicious gluten-free alternative to my children and even their friends. Gluten intolerance is on the rise and this mix is great to have on hand when looking to make a great breakfast without the dietary concern. They taste just like regular pancakes! I challenge people to notice a difference based on flavor!

Flavorful Features:

Cup 4 Cup is gluten-free (but you’d never know it) and is made with all-natural ingredients like cornstarch, rice flours, milk powder, and potato starch. They are available in the following mixes:

• Pancake & Waffle Mix
• Brownie Mix
• Pizza Crust Mix
• Gluten-Free Flour

They are all smooth and non-gritty and excel in the most important areas for baking: taste, texture, and performance.

The Icing on the Cake: 

The 8.7oz bag was developed by chefs for consumers in The French Laundry by Thomas Keller’s former Research & Development Chef Lena Kwak. All of their products are able to replace all-purpose flour in traditional recipes Cup 4 Cup in order to make gluten-free alternatives to your favorite baked goods, without skimping on the flavor.

Time to Eat?!

Morning is best, but who doesn’t like pancakes or waffles for dinner, too?!

Mix it Up!

Add ¼ cup of sugar, the zest of 2 lemons, 1 tbsp. of lemon juice, and 1 tsp. of poppy seeds for a delicious lemon poppy seed pancake or waffle batter.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

What better way to start a chilly winter morning off right than with a warm nutrient packed breakfast?! Sometimes it can be tricky making breakfast for the whole family when some members are gluten-intolerant or even celiac. Our friends at Cooking Light have put together some tummy warming delicious breakfast ideas that are gluten-free, nutrient filled, and will satisfy the whole family.

Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes

You can give these pancakes a PB&J flavor profile by spreading them with grape or strawberry jelly.

Click here to try this yummy recipe!

Hot Quinoa Cereal with Maple Syrup Apples

Once cooked, quinoa flakes are very similar in texture to cream of wheat. Pure vanilla extract is made from distilled alcohol and flavor extracted from the vanilla seeds (artificial extract gets its vanilla flavor from artificial vanilla flavoring). The distillation process removes the gluten from the alcohol. This is true of other extracts too, such as almond and banana.

Click here to try this yummy recipe!

Breakfast Tortilla

This hearty open-faced omelet, called a tortilla, uses potatoes inside instead of serving them on the side. This omelet maximizes flavor with Yukon gold potatoes, fresh tomatoes, and Manchego cheese.

Click here to try this yummy recipe!

Cilantro-Pear Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Making your own breakfast sausage is easier than you might think. Pear adds a subtle sweetness to this spiced breakfast side. Serve with eggs and fruit to complete the meal.

Click here to try this yummy recipe!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Feed your little sweethearts something sweet on Valentine’s day, AND good for their bodies too! Our friends at iVillage put together these scrumptious snacks that are adorable, easy to assemble and healthful too. 

Pancake Love Notes
For kids who “heart” pancakes, start the day with a sweet breakfast message. Put pancake batter in a squeeze bottle and help your kids spell out Valentine love notes or X’s and O’s. For a healthy twist, try this Green Tea Oatmeal Pancake recipe from Lisa Marie Nocera of Smart Food and Fit. Get the recipe.

Apple Heart Sandwiches
Who needs bread for a sandwich? Let the apples of your eye build their own healthy snack sammies. We love this idea from Happy Together, which combines sliced apples, peanut butter, granola and chocolate chips. Make it festive by using a heart shaped cookie cutter to “core” each apple slice. Get the how-to details.

Chocolate Pretzel Dippers Pretzel Sticks
Pretzel sticks get a seriously cute upgrade when they’re dipped in milk chocolate (or dark for you, mama) and topped with a candy heart. (Serve them up in a pretty paper cone if you want to get all Pinterest-y!) These dipped pretzels from Creatively Christy are easy to make assembly-line style, and hit that crunchy-salty-sweet snack trifecta. Get the how-to details here.

Strawberry Yogurt Cones
Want your kid to swoon over yogurt? Squeeze that ho-hum Go-Gurt tube into a waffle cone and top it with strawberries and a few candy sprinkles. (Go ahead and make one for yourself, too.) Get the recipe.

Fruity Cupid Kebabs
Let’s face it: Food is just more fun when it’s on a stick. So borrow this easy idea from Allergy Smallergy and slice fruit (melon works best) into flat pieces and let your kids cut them into heart shapes with cookie cutters; then help them thread the pieces onto bamboo skewers. Get the how-to details here.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Pancakes for breakfast…pancakes for dinner…pancakes are perfect for any time of the day! Making pancakes with kids is always fun because there are endless possibilities to get creative. Have fun with it, have your kids pick out ther favorite character-shaped cookie cookie cutters and let your pancakes come alive! Let them have pancakes their way– encourage them to throw in a few of their favorite treats, chocolate chips, blueberries, strawberries or maybe even a few bacon bits…YUM!

Mina’s Purely Divine Pancakes

Ingredients: