There isn’t a standard definition of ultra-processed foods, but all the foods pictured fit the bill. They contain added fat, sugar or salt, plus preservatives to extend their shelf-life.
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The consumption of ultra-processed foods is on a slow decline, though most Americans — and especially children — are getting most of their calories from unhealthy, manufactured foods, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) eaten by everyone age 1 and older was 55%, during August 2021 and 2023, when the National Center for Health Statistics conducted its survey. The survey underscored a persistent difference by age; among those between the ages of 1 and 18, the mean consumption of UPFs was higher, 61.9% of calories. Those 19 and older consumed less, at 53%.
But there is no standard definition of what constitutes an ultra-processed food, though they are generally energy rich foods with little nutritional value, containing added fats, sugars and chemicals to preserve their shelf life and make them very palatable. In short, they are manufactured to be cheap, convenient and tasty. Foods like sandwiches, including hamburgers, as well as snacks and sugary beverages made up a large portion of the ultra-processed foods consumed.
The trend in U.S. consumption over the past two decades has been a bit mixed. Consumption of UPFs fell for a couple years after 2013, then increased, and has been trending down slightly since this survey was last conducted in 2017-2018, according to the data brief on the study.
The study was conducted every two years since 1999-2000 until the cycle was interrupted during the pandemic, CDC spokesperson Brian Tsai wrote to NPR.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to curtail the prevalence of ultra-processed foods in the American diet. Here is recent coverage from NPR on the topic:
Garden design incorporates many elements that lend to a space’s interest and style. For example, diverse textures and forms are both essential for dazzling displays. However, during the peak of the growing season, no matter what kinds of plants you grow, we’re all looking to enjoy more color! One gardener savoring the height of color in her landscape is Cindy from Rochester, New York. Cindy has shared her lush and lively garden twice in the past (Cindy’s Garden in New York and A Garden Through the Seasons), but a lot has evolved since then, and there are plenty of new plants and combinations to enjoy.
I have been gardening in this spot in Rochester, New York, for 13 years. I love orange, chartreuse, and purple. This is the time when the colors are bold and working together to create an explosion before going to seed. We converted a previous owner’s 30-foot veg garden into a pollinator buffet. There is a vast mix including goat’s beard(Aruncus dioicus, Zones 4–8), digitalis, poppies, echinacea, phlox, black cohosh(Actaea racemosa, Zones 3–8)—a bee magnet, fennel, campanula, betony, and for scent—buddleia and Henry’s sweetspire(Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’, Zones 5–9). To break up the lawn space, we added an island of shrubs: male ilex, viburnum, fothergilla, mixed with obedient(Physostegia virginiana, Zones 2–8), Fireworks solidago(Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, Zones 4–8), and others.
There is a small water feature that serves as a toad nursery and watering hole. The deer for the most part stay away, due to sight-blocking foliage along the fence line, spray, winter fencing, and the fearless canine!
Cindy’s gardens surround her back deck, which offers ample seating for all her guests to enjoy the riot of color that erupts from every corner of her landscape.
A bright white Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa, Zones 5–8) is the perfect backdrop for this vignette of goat’s beard, ‘Dark Towers’ penstemon (Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’, Zones 5–8), and lofty foxgloves.
What a treat to find a plant that features two of your favorite garden colors! Burning Hearts false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra ‘Burning Hearts’, Zones 3–9) doesn’t need perfectly planned pairings because the combination of bright orange and yellow flowers with dark green and purple foliage is enticing all by itself.
This grouping of containers on Cindy’s deck is a delicious mix of citrusy colors, and a large planting of Candy Corn spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘NCSX1’, Zones 4–8) is the perfect complement in the background.
A small path leading you to the back half of Cindy’s gardens takes you through another chorus of delightful plant color. A large oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia, Zones 5–9) anchors the design on the left side.
In a shadier area of her garden, Cindy relies on foliage to keep the interest and color going. This corner features mostly greenery, but a small purple Japanese maple allows her to still incorporate her favorite color theme.
And here is Cindy’s fearless canine! Some downtime sunbathing on the deck is well earned after all that hard work protecting the garden.
Where color is a little more subdued, like this mostly white planting of Goat’s beard with black cohosh and Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum, Zones 4–9), Cindy smartly turns to texture to provide plenty of interest and contrast.
One final container on her deck brings even more color to this entryway. A ‘Tickled Pink’ euphorbia (Euphorbia ‘Tickled Pink’, annual), Pegasus® begonia (Begonia ‘Pegasus’, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) and tiny fuchsia plant is the perfect marriage of moody foliage and bright pink flowers.
Thank you so much for this fabulous update on your garden, Cindy! Your ability to fill your space with so much color without making it feel chaotic or overwhelming is impressive.
What are your favorite colors to use in the garden? Do you stick to a strict color palette, or do you find ways to incorporate an endless mix of colors with some unifying shades to tie them all together? Let us know in the comments, or consider sharing your garden color with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
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Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
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Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs.
As a self-sustainable gardener, I prefer to grow edible plants in my backyard. But ecological role played by ornamental plants can’t be denied.
Flowering plants are known to attract pollinators to the garden that can increase your yield. Apart from this, vibrant blossoms leave a positive impact on your mental health.
Anise hyssop is an herbaceous perennial with blue flowers, which you can grow as an ornamental or an herbal plant.
Not just the appearance Anise hyssop gives similar scent as anise and some compare it with basil.
Depending on the variety you choose to grow, this plant produces blue-lavender to purple flowers that blooms from mid-summer to early fall.
Excellent thing about this herbaceous plant is it has immense benefits.
You can grow to attract pollinators, mitigate pests, as an ornamental plant, use as cut flowers or use it’s leaves to make an herbal tea.
Native to North America and hardy to USDA zones 3-8, Anise hyssop can be grown from seeds or propagated through cuttings.
I’ll shall discuss both ways of growing anise hyssop later in this article. Before that let’s know about the growing requirements of the plant.
Growing Requirements of Anise Hyssop
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is adaptable plant that requires minimal maintenance while providing beautiful purple-blue flower spikes from midsummer through fall.
Sunlight Requirements: Anise hyssop performs best in full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight daily) but tolerates partial shade (4-6 hours). In partial shade, plants may become leggier and produce fewer blooms.
Soil Conditions: The plant tolerates a wide range of soil types, from sandy loam to clay loam and even rocky conditions. Good drainage is essential, as anise hyssop is susceptible to root rot in wet soils. It prefers slightly acidic, well-draining soil.
Water Requirements: Once established, anise hyssop is drought-tolerant and prefers medium-moist to dry soil conditions. Avoid overwatering or planting in areas prone to flooding, as excess moisture can cause fatal root rot. Water regularly during establishment, then allow soil to dry between waterings.
Temperature: The plant thrives in warm season temperatures between 65-85°F and cannot tolerate frost.
Spacing and Maintenance: Plant seedlings 18-24 inches apart to ensure adequate airflow. Annual compost application provides sufficient fertilization. The plant self-seeds readily and spreads via rhizomes.
Deadheading promotes continued blooming, while light pruning encourages branching. Plants rarely need staking despite reaching 2-4 feet tall.
How to Grow Anise Hyssop?
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) stands out as one of the most rewarding herbs for both novice and experienced gardeners.
This fragrant, bee-friendly perennial combines ornamental beauty with culinary versatility, making it an excellent addition to herb gardens, pollinator gardens, and mixed borders.
Its licorice-scented foliage and striking flower spikes create visual impact while attracting beneficial insects throughout the growing season.
How to Grow Anise Hyssop Seeds?
Direct Seeding: Sow seeds directly in the garden after the last frost date in spring. Scatter seeds on the soil surface without covering them, as anise hyssop seeds require light for germination.
Keep the seedbed consistently moist for 14-21 days until germination occurs. Thin seedlings to 18-24 inches apart once they reach 2-3 inches tall.
Indoor Seed Starting: Begin seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost. Use seed-starting trays filled with quality potting mix.
Maintain soil temperature at 65-70°F for optimal germination. Provide bright light or supplemental grow lights once seedlings emerge. Transplant outdoors after hardening off for 7-10 days.
Anise hyssop propagation offers gardeners two reliable methods to multiply their plants and create new specimens for expanded plantings or sharing with fellow gardeners.
Division Method
Plant Selection and Timing
Choose well-established anise hyssop plants that are at least 2-3 years old with robust root systems and multiple growing crowns.
Spring division (early April to May) is ideal as plants have the entire growing season to establish, while fall division should occur 6-8 weeks before the first hard frost to allow adequate root development.
Division Process
Begin by watering the parent plant thoroughly 24 hours before division to ensure tissues are well-hydrated. Use a sharp spade to cut straight down through the center of the plant while still in the ground, creating sections 4-6 inches wide.
Each division must contain both healthy roots and visible growing shoots or buds. Lift sections carefully, preserving as much root mass as possible. Trim any damaged or broken roots with clean, sharp pruning shears.
Post-Division Care
Plant divisions immediately at the same soil depth as the original plant. Space new divisions 18-24 inches apart in well-prepared soil.
Water thoroughly after planting and maintain consistent moisture for 3-4 weeks until new growth appears, indicating successful establishment.
Cutting Selection: In early summer, select healthy, semi-mature stems that are neither too soft nor completely woody.
Avoid flowering stems, as they root less successfully. Take 4-6 inch cuttings in early morning when plants are fully hydrated.
Preparation and Rooting: Remove all leaves from the bottom half of each cutting, leaving 4-6 leaves at the top.
Dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder or gel to accelerate root development.
Plant in a well-draining mix of equal parts peat moss and perlite, maintaining consistent moisture and humidity until roots form in 3-4 weeks.
How to Grow Anise Hyssop in Pots?
Anise hyssop adapts exceptionally well to container cultivation, making it perfect for patios, balconies, and small gardens.
Use pots at least 12 inches wide and deep with drainage holes to accommodate the plant’s root system and prevent waterlogging. For optimal growth, choose containers 16-18 inches wide for mature plants or multiple specimens.
Fill containers with high-quality potting mix blended with compost for nutrition and perlite for drainage. Avoid garden soil, which compacts in containers.
Place containers in full sun locations receiving 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily, though partial shade is tolerated.
Container plants require more frequent watering than garden specimens due to faster soil drying. Check moisture daily by inserting your finger 2 inches deep.
Water thoroughly until excess drains from holes, then allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Never let plants sit in waterlogged soil.
Apply diluted liquid fertilizer monthly during growing season. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming.
In winter, reduce watering and move containers to protected locations in harsh climates. Repot every 2-3 years with fresh growing medium.
Anise hyssop is remarkably low-maintenance once established, making it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. This hardy perennial thrives with minimal intervention while providing continuous blooms and aromatic foliage throughout the growing season.
Watering Requirements
Water newly planted anise hyssop regularly for 4-6 weeks until established, then allow soil to dry between waterings. Check moisture 2-3 inches deep before watering. Overwatering causes root rot, the most common mistake.
Container plants need more frequent watering than garden plants but never allow standing water. During hot weather, containers may need daily watering while established garden plants survive on rainfall. Reduce winter watering significantly.
Soil and Drainage
Anise hyssop tolerates various soil types but requires excellent drainage. It prefers lean, well-draining soil and performs better in poor to average conditions than overly rich soils. Amend heavy clay with compost, perlite, or coarse sand.
Test drainage by digging a 12-inch hole and filling with water—if water remains after 24 hours, improvements are needed. Add 2-3 inches of organic mulch to maintain consistent moisture while preventing water pooling around the crown.
Fertilization and Feeding
Anise hyssop thrives in lean conditions and requires minimal fertilization. Overfertilizing can actually reduce the plant’s essential oil content and make it more susceptible to diseases and pests.
For garden plants, apply a thin layer of compost in early spring, which provides gentle, slow-release nutrition.
Container plants may benefit from occasional feeding with diluted liquid seaweed fertilizer or compost tea during the growing season, applied monthly at half-strength.
Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which promote excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowers and fragrance.
Pruning and Deadheading
Regular pruning maintains plant health and encourages blooming. Cut dormant stems to ground level in early spring. Pinch growing tips at 8-10 inches for bushier growth.
Deadhead spent flowers for continuous blooms, or leave some for seeds and bird food. Cut back to 4-6 inches after first frost, or leave standing for winter interest. Remove damaged growth as needed.
Pest and Disease Management
Anise hyssop is naturally resistant to most pests and diseases when grown in proper conditions. The plant actually repels many garden pests, including flea beetles and cabbage moths, making it valuable as a companion plant.
Potential pest issues include spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies, though these are uncommon on healthy plants. Leafhoppers may occasionally cause white or yellow mottling on leaves, but natural predators usually control their populations without intervention.
Disease problems are primarily moisture-related and include root rot, powdery mildew, and fungal leaf spots. These issues are best prevented through proper cultural practices: ensuring excellent drainage, providing good air circulation, avoiding overhead watering, and not overcrowding plants.
Anise hyssop typically reaches a mature height of 2-4 feet (60-120 cm), with some varieties growing as tall as 5 feet under optimal conditions.
The plant develops an upright, clumping growth habit with square stems characteristic of the mint family, and most varieties maintain their sturdy form without requiring staking despite their height.
The specific height can vary based on growing conditions, with plants in rich, moist soil often reaching the upper end of this range.
The plant’s spread is generally more modest, ranging from 1-3 feet wide (30-90 cm), though it will gradually expand over time through rhizomes and self-seeding.
For container growing, anise hyssop can be kept more compact through regular pinching and pruning, typically maintaining a height of 24-36 inches when managed this way.
The long flower spikes that top the stems add an additional 4-6 inches to the plant’s overall height during the blooming period from midsummer through fall.
Anise hyssop is an exceptional low-maintenance perennial offering beauty, fragrance, and ecological benefits. This hardy herb thrives in gardens or containers with well-draining soil and minimal watering.
Reaching 2-4 feet tall with purple-blue spikes and licorice-scented foliage, it attracts pollinators while providing continuous blooms and reliable self-seeding performance.
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting
Much of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s $9 billion budget has been in limbo.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be able to fully fund the Overdose Data to Action, or OD2A, program ahead of a key budget deadline, according to a CDC senior leader. A second CDC staff member confirmed that “there have been developments and we are likely to have full funding,” although they did not have details on when the funding would become available.
Both spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity because they fear retribution for speaking to the press without authorization. Some staffers at CDC expressed to NPR that this appeared to be good news, although the funding situation was still fluid and confusing.
NPR reported last month that the Trump administration was withholding $140 million from the OD2A program, which state and local public health departments rely on to lower overdose deaths from fentanyl, methamphetamines and other drugs across the U.S.
Previously frozen funding for other CDC programs, including rape and domestic violence prevention, is also getting released, the senior CDC leader said.
Funding, 30 days at a time
The delays were part of a broader issue with funding at the CDC. As NPR reported in June, for months the CDC waited for the $9 billion Congress intended for the agency for fiscal year 2025. In the meantime, it received small amounts of money every 30 days to cover payroll and other limited expenses.
The senior leader described the process like receiving money “with an eyedropper.”
Without a pot of money to distribute out to various centers and divisions, the CDC couldn’t send out the notice of awards that state and local health departments need to be able to do their work and know they will be reimbursed for it.
“Most state health departments get most of their funding from the feds — in Alabama’s case, we get more than two-thirds of our funding from federal grants, predominantly CDC,” Dr. Scott Harris, who runs Alabama’s health department, told NPR in June.
Deadlines missed
Health departments across the country sounded the alarm as deadlines approached or passed for CDC funding of HIV prevention, cancer registries and overdose prevention programs.
Now, most of those programs across the CDC apparently can continue, including OD2A. Grantees for the OD2A program, who had been told in July they would be receiving only half of their funding, will soon be told they will receive the full amount, according to the senior leader at CDC.
The news comes after advocates had been warning for weeks of the harms that delayed or partial funding to the program could have. If full funding is actually coming, “it’ll be welcome, but it’s not without the toll that it’s already taken,” says Sharon Gilmartin, director of the Safe States Alliance, a national membership association for the field of injury and violence prevention. As an example of the toll, NPR reported on a local health department in North Carolina that laid off staff because of CDC funding delays, only to have the funding come through weeks late without explanation.
“I don’t think anybody will feel confident until they have money in hand,” Gilmartin adds. “And I’ll be honest, I think the concern is that — if this is what we went through this year, even if funding comes through, are we going to be doing this again next year?”
There was no available explanation from the Trump administration or the Office of Management and Budget for the delays or the release of the funding. OMB and the Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
The CDC senior leader describes the release of funding for the agency as a relief. “It’s great we have our apportionment,” they tell NPR.
Some funds frozen
But there’s a new funding challenge. Several dozen specific CDC programs have now had their budget lines frozen at the direction of OMB, according to the senior leader at CDC. The news of the frozen funds was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The frozen programs are mostly in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, according to the senior leader at CDC.
A list of frozen programs reviewed by NPR includes those that address tobacco use, nutrition, physical activity and obesity, school health, inflammatory bowel disease, excessive alcohol use, chronic disease education and awareness, national diabetes prevention program, oral health, epilepsy and more.
“What does it all mean?”
Funding for five programs at the CDC’s Injury Center was frozen by the OMB as well, including youth violence prevention, adverse childhood experiences, firearm injury, injury control research centers and injury prevention activities. Gilmartin of the Safe States Alliance says it’s hard to understand why these programs were targeted. “I can’t come up with an ideological reason why you would want to cut funding that supports positive early childhood,” for instance, she says.
The senior leader at the CDC says there are some big questions for the OMB and the Trump administration: “How do we interpret all of this? What does it all mean?”
Similarly, there are programs with their budget lines frozen by OMB that are fully staffed, and still other priorities set forth in President Trump’s 2026 budget, they say, which leaves the impression that there’s no overarching strategy.
And finally, some Tillandsia species are available in small, medium, and large sizes, so take this into account as you plan your collection.
Now, here are 17 of our favorites and the key physical attributes of each individual species:
1. Aeranthos
Tillandsia aeranthos is a xeric variety with light green leaves that have a silvery cast.
The foliage is pointed and stiff, extending outward from the center to form a rosette. In the brightest light, it may have a purple hue.
As it grows, the rosette telescopes to heights of six to eight inches.
From this pale and unassuming foliage, stunning blossoms rise on elongated stems, or inflorescences.
With pink-purple bracts and a ring of blue-purple petals, they resemble tiny fuchsia flowers.
2. Albertiana
You’ll recognize that Tillandsia albertiana is a mesic type by its smooth, dark, fleshy leaves. They have a yellow-green hue that may darken toward a purple shade.
A key identifying characteristic is its “distichous” foliage pattern. Like that of a fir tree, the leaves are arranged in a repeating pattern of opposing rows.
Mature heights range from two to four inches.
The flowers of this variety have three bright red petals and may last a week.
3. Andreana
Like a small tuft of wispy grass, mesic Tillandsia andreana has narrow, fleshy leaves that are pale green and needle-like.
A delicate beauty, it dislikes temperature fluctuations more than most.
Heights range from four to six inches.
The reward for catering to its care is a blush of red followed by the emergence of an upright coral-red flower.
You can find T. andreana plants available from the Ragnaroc Store via Amazon.
4. Brachycaulos
The flat green leaves of xeric Tillandsia brachycaulos are a bright mid-green, and resemble those that emerge from the top of a pineapple.
The foliage may have a purple or red cast, and grows in a telescoping fashion to heights of eight to 10 inches.
Upon blooming, the foliage blushes magenta-red, and erect purple blossoms appear.
This type may resemble Tillandsia brachycaulos, with its spider plant-like leaves, but two differentiating characteristics are that this type is xeric, with the classic silvery cast trichomes make, and it blushes peach-pink just before blooming.
There are a number of T. capitata varieties available, ranging from green to purple. Heights may exceed 10 inches.
At flowering time, the center leaves blush peach before a purple flower emerges from the rosette center.
Tillandsia chiapensis is a xeric species with rosettes of arching to curly, trichome-covered light-green foliage that may blush to purple.
Heights vary widely, from two to 12 inches.
When in bloom, pale pink quill-like spikes with purple flowers rise from the center.
10. Concolor
Xeric Tillandsia concolor boasts light green to yellow trichome-covered leaves that resemble those of a spider plant. They are noteworthy for their firmness.
Heights are between seven and nine inches.
At blooming time, the foliage blushes red and green quill-like spikes rise from the center to reveal magenta blooms.
More adaptable than some, it can handle bright light to shade.
Tillandsia recurvata, aka small ball moss, is a rounded xeric type with narrow silver-green leaves that resemble the twigs in an intricate bird’s nest.
In the brightest light, the foliage may have a reddish cast.
Mature heights reach six to 12 inches.
The flower is a rather nondescript spike of green to red, on a green inflorescence.
16. Usneoides
Also known as Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides is a xeric variety that is unique in that it grows in a downward direction, clinging and hanging from host surfaces in the wild.
Like a mass of tangled gray-green hair, foliage may exceed 20 feet in length.
The flowers are brown and nondescript, but they have a pleasant nighttime fragrance.
17. Xerographica
With its trichome-covered spring green foliage, xeric Tillandsia xerographica is one of the largest, sturdiest, longest living air plants.
Its wide leaves are deeply curled in a compact, rounded form.
It’s a pleasant home companion that can withstand both direct and indirect sunlight, sometimes growing as large as three feet wide and twenty-four inches tall over a lifetime of twenty years or more.
Flowering consists of a green inflorescence up to 15 inches tall, with red and green coloration.
Tillandsia are very versatile plants. In USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, they grow well outdoors, and in all zones, they make easy-care houseplants.
In addition, with a little dab of floral glue, available from Amazon, they make eclectic wearable accessories and gift-wrapping decorations. And while they don’t require soil, they do need water, so keep that in mind as you imagine the possibilities.
And finally, plants grown indoors don’t get the nutrients they would get if they were in their natural habitat. You can provide supplemental nutrition with fertilizer.
With a houseful of kids I’m always hunting for easy breakfast ideas. It needs to be high protein, fast, and something the kids will love too. My go-to is usually eggs, but sometimes you can only eat so many eggs.
We’ve tried plenty of breakfast recipes over the years and some have been more of a hit than others.
That’s where these high-protein oat pancakes come in. You make these pancakes in a blender (hello, easy cleanup). Plus they’re packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you energized and feeling full. Oats are naturally gluten-free so they’re great for anyone avoiding gluten.
Fluffy Protein Pancakes
So, how can oats make a pancake that’s fluffy, light, and not dense? The trick is to blend the oats into a fine flour first. This step is key to achieving that perfect pancake texture, while still getting the fiber and benefits of whole oats. Plus, by using whey protein powder, these pancakes are high in protein. I always feel better when I focus on a protein rich breakfast and my blood sugar stays more stable.
And did I mention how easy this recipe is? You literally just toss everything into the blender, blend it up, and cook. No fuss, no mess. In just a few minutes, you’ll have fluffy, protein-packed pancakes that will leave you wondering why you ever bothered with the boxed stuff.
Fluffy Oat Protein Pancake Recipe
This easy recipe is a snap to make. Just throw all of the ingredients in the blender for a fast breakfast.
Preheat the griddle or skillet over medium heat.
Add the rolled oats to your blender. Blend on high speed for 30-45 seconds until they turn into a fine, flour-like consistency.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for about 30 seconds or until the batter is smooth and well-combined. If the batter is too thick, you can add a splash of any kind of milk to adjust the consistency.
Lightly grease the skillet or griddle with some oil or butter.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Fluffy Oat Protein Pancake Recipe
Amount Per Serving (3 pancakes)
Calories 411 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 202mg67%
Sodium 131mg6%
Potassium 963mg28%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 240IU5%
Vitamin C 0.02mg0%
Calcium 451mg45%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for 2–3 days or freeze flat between parchment paper for future breakfasts.
If you avoid oats or are lower carb, there is a way to adjust this to be oat free as well. The texture isn’t quite as good and it must be cooked on medium-low heat or it will stick. However, it does work and still has a lot of protein!
Protein Options: You can use any flavorless or vanilla whey protein. Plant-based protein may work, but it may alter texture and taste.
Oat Substitution: Use pre-ground oat flour to save time.
Collagen: Optional, but adds extra protein and health benefits.
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut yogurt and a plant-based protein to make it dairy-free.
My kids absolutely devour these whenever I serve them! They’re also easy enough for the kids to make on their own. Some of our favorite toppings are maple syrup or raw honey, fresh berries, or vanilla Greek yogurt. They’re so light and fluffy, yet full of protein to keep everyone satisfied long after breakfast.
What are your favorite pancake toppings? Leave a comment and let us know!
Last year we were introduced to Kim Arcand’s garden in Rhode Island for the first time (check out that submission here: “Pandemic Gardeners” Four Years on in Rhode Island). As the title suggests, the garden was in its fourth season and already looking fabulous. A year later, the beauty is only increasing. In today’s submission, Kim included gorgeous photos from the growing season so far this year, as well as some interesting “before” photos that highlight the extent of the transformation.
Our garden is in its fifth year now, in Rhode Island, Zone 6b. With pretty deep shade, acidic soil, rocky areas, and some erosion issues from our location up on a hill, my husband John and I have had a long learning curve (and will forever have, as that’s gardening life). We had a drought and some deep cold temperatures over the winter, so we lost more plants than I would have liked, and I thought it was going to be a rough-looking garden. But with a very wet late spring, the area rebounded from the drought and the garden has filled out substantially. We’ve had the best luck with hydrangeas, hostas, Japanese maples, heucheras, boxwoods, astilbe, lamium, etc., as you’d expect in this type of garden. I’m looking to tuck plants in some of the empty spots and hoping to add some additional ground covers, and experiment with more native plants as we can. And, of course, we can never have too many hydrangeas in New England! Here are some looks at the various rooms’ progression/changes.
Our garden entryway’s view is the area along the HH Wall—hostas and hydrangeas under a canopy of trees.
Next is a closeup of the pond. I find photographing the garden well harder than the gardening itself. The photos never look as good as it feels.
And here is that space during the construction process. A small selection of plants has now transformed this corner into a lush haven of tranquility.
Then over to the back right is the deep shade garden, in a keyhole shape. The hostas thrive there and have really expanded this year.
Back in 2020 this section of the garden started as a very different palette of plants before Kim decided that a lovely variety of hostas was the best option for this shady corner.
Next, there is a back fence wall connecting the deep shade area to the secret garden.
I included the inner patio region of the secret garden and multiple shots around it.
And that same area of Kim’s secret garden in 2020—incredible to see how much the plants have grown in.
Most every morning I’m in the secret garden, after I have coffee, to deadhead, water, fuss, and just enjoy and meander. It’s my favorite spot. It gets more sun than most of the rest of the yard, so the flowers do well there.
Lastly, the view from the patio showcasing Kim’s secret slice of paradise. Various hydrangeas planted both in the ground and in containers allow Kim to control the pH and aluminum levels in the soil, giving her a gorgeous variety of bloom colors. While a shady garden means plenty of planting obstacles, it has allowed Kim to create a diverse array of garden rooms that still manage to fit together.
Thank you so much for this incredible update on your garden, as well as the “before” photos that offer so much more insight on your hard work and planting process. It is always inspiring to see the vision a gardener has for a space and watch that vision unfold with each new growing season.
Do you have any before and after photos of your garden? Whether you started a garden from scratch recently, like Kim and her husband, or transformed a neglected corner of your landscape last spring, we would love to see your garden transformations. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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New federal statistics suggest a decline in rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior among teens.
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Mary Long/Getty Images
A new federal report finds that the percentage of adults with suicidal thoughts and attempts remained about the same between 2021 and 2024.
But the analysis of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health did offer some good news: Over that same time period, depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in teens declined.
This is the first annual report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since the entire team of scientists in charge of the survey was fired this year by the Trump administration. The federal government has been doing this annual survey for decades. It currently interviews over 70,000 people 12 years and older in households across the United States.
The new report shows that the prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts in 12-to-17-year-olds fell from nearly 13% in 2021 to 10% in 2024. And the prevalence of suicide attempts by teens also fell slightly — from 3.6% to 2.7%.
Suicide is complex and influenced by a whole host of risk factors, including untreated mental illness, prolonged stress, isolation and access to lethal means such as firearms and medications. The new report doesn’t delve into the potential causes for the improvement in teens in recent years. But one reason might be that more teens are opening up to others about their suicidal thoughts, says Harkavy-Friedman. She pointed to a suicide prevention program run by her organization called Talk Saves Lives, which educates people about the warning signs of suicide.
“Not keeping it inside and just sharing with someone that you’re struggling can be helpful,” she says.
Besides, she adds, more teens have been seeking help and finding it.
“More and more kids are getting connected with treatment. And those treatments are specific for suicide and suicide prevention.”
The report also found that the share of teens with an episode of major depression in the past year fell during this time — from 21% to 15%. But only about 60% of teens with a recent episode of depression got treatment.
And 2.6 million teens still had thoughts of suicide in 2024, notes Hannah Wesolowski, chief of advocacy with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“That’s 1 in 10 kids, which is still far too high in this country,” she adds. “So we’re making progress, but we’re not making progress fast enough.”
The report also found that 700,000 adolescents did attempt suicide in the past year.
Wesolowski notes that access to mental health care remains challenging for Americans, partly due to high out-of-pocket costs, a shortage of mental health care providers and lack of culturally competent care for different racial and ethnic groups.
According to the new report, while there was a slight increase in the number of adults getting mental health treatment, nearly half of adults with mental illness had trouble accessing treatment.
Disappearing data
Wesolowski notes something missing in the new report compared with previous years.
“This report does not break out prevalence or treatment rates by race or ethnicity, which it has in the past,” she says.
“The 2023 report, like in previous years, provided breakdowns by race and ethnicity,” KFF researcher Heather Saunders wrote NPR in an email.
“Removing these data limits our ability to track behavioral health trends and any differences in access to care,”she noted.
The survey reports from past years, for example, have been key to identifying the recent increase in suicide rates among Black youth, explains Wesolowski.
“Are we making progress on that?” she says. “Without that prevalence data and really looking at the data by demographics, we’re going to maybe not spend our resources in the right way.”
Andrew Nixon, aspokesperson at the Department of Health and Human Services, told NPR in an email that the demographic data including race and ethnicity will be published in a forthcoming report.
Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., notes Wesolowski. As the new report notes, suicide claimed more than 49,000 lives in 2023.
“We are putting a lot of money into suicide prevention and mental health services. But the need is so great that we know we need to do more,” says Wesolowski, “that this isn’t enough.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can dial or text 988 and be connected to help.
