Yesterday, April 27, is what would have been my dad's 62nd birthday. He died of heart disease. His first heart attack happened when he was 29. His next heart attack happened when he was 51 and it was fatal. I was only 17 when we lost him.

This progress isn't all about physical appearance. Of course it feels good and looks good to be fit. But this is mostly about health.

Though my dad was clueless about his heart until it was too late, I refuse to follow in his footsteps. And my birthday gift to him is staying healthy. My BMI is in the "fitness" category and that feels good. So, happy birthday, Dad. You couldn't help genetics, but I am beating them. Thank you for showing me how to live a healthy life.

Buckwheat Pancake Modifications

 Here's the deal: Living well is important, and we all need a treat every now and then. The other morning, I came across my roomie's buckwheat pancake mix, which looked delicious. Instead of skipping the sweet and carb-filled treat, I decided that, being that the mix is buckwheat, I could indulge. I also decided to health it up a bit.

Instead of adding the milk and eggs the recipe called for, I used 1/2 water and 1/2 unsweetened almond milk. I also used cage free egg whites instead of whole eggs.

Coconut oil is my new cooking obsession. I heated up 1/3 teaspoon for each pancake.

While the oil spread onto the pan, I cut up some bananas and added them to the batter. As I have mentioned before, once bananas caramelize, they become sweeter. There's your syrup sub.

Cook your pancakes by following instructions on the box. You can get buckwheat pancake mix at most grocery stores or even online.

Bake a few slices of turkey bacon, and you have yourself a compromise meal.

Any questions? Please comment and I will get back to you.