Blueberry Heartcakes

Name: Blueberry Heartcakes
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/3 Cup All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour; 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 Tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer; 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon; 1/4 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract; 1/3 Cup of Water; 1/4 Cup of Frozen or Fresh Blueberries (plus more for topping); Heart-Shaped Pancake Molds

February 17, 2014 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 88 Comments

Turn your pancakes into an even more loving gesture with some gluten-free vegan Blueberry Heartcakes! A wonderful healthy breakfast recipe that will make your heart happy and healthy too!

***This post has been updated in June 2016. Original writing stands***

Did you know that February is heart health month? Isn’t that ironic that Valentine’s Day also falls in the month 😉 Even though February is more than half way over, I thought I would share some heart health tips with you all this Power Monday. Your heart is the power house of the body and it is so important to keep your ticker happy and healthy!

Here are some heart health facts and tips:

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of men and women in the United States and costs over $300 billion every year to the US.

Risk Factors: a poor diet, little physical activity, tobacco use, obesity , high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, genetics, and certain races and ethnicities (African Americans are at a high risk).

Prevention: see your doctor to learn your risk level and schedule check-ups regularly, monitor your blood pressure and get your cholesterol checked, maintain a healthy body weight, stop smoking, exercise regularly including strength training and cardio, learn how to effectively manage your diabetes, and most importantly, eat a heart-healthy diet.

For more info visit the CDC’s website or The American Heart Association.

I think diet plays one of the most important and key roles in any aspect of health and as long as you eat a minimally processed whole foods diet (that means whole grains, lean protein, veggies, and fruits) you should be good to go! Remember to watch you trans and saturated fat, processed sugar and sodium intake. But sadly a majority of Americans lack that essential knowledge and struggle to eat in a healthy way. I put together a chart of some easy and delicious foods that are widely available and perfect for a heart healthy diet!

To get you started with a delicious heart healthy recipe, here are some Blueberry Heartcakes (i.e. pancakes) to make for breakfast!

Blueberries are full of Beta-carotene and lutein (carotenoids); anthocyanin (a flavonoid); ellagic acid (a polyphenol); vitamin C; folate; calcium, magnesium; potassium, and fiber! Crazy what can be packed in a little berry, right? Plus, these pancakes are heart-shaped, so that just speaks for itself!

There is so much “heart” in this recipe. I think the act of making pancakes just screams love and heartfelt comfort. Whether you’re making them for yourself or someone else, there’s going to be a lot of heart in this breakfast! Good for the soul and your physical heart, you’ll be berry much in love!

Blueberry Heartcakes