Although I love pancakes and all of their many forms/types (who doesn’t!) I rarely find myself actually making them. The effort of measuring and whisking and flipping in batches seems too daunting when I know I could just make a warm bowl of oats or some toast and be good to go.

However, when Shrove Tuesday (or Pancake Day) rolls around each February, it’s enough of an excuse as ever to finally put in some effort and fry up a delicious stack.

Below I have written out three of my favourite pancake recipes (2 sweet and 1 savoury) that will leave you feeling full and energised, with the knowledge you’re also nourishing your body.

Feel free to play around with the recipes to truly make them your own - the best part about cooking is that we can bring out our inner chef and customise things as we would want them!

*All of these recipes serve 1

BANANA PANCAKES - GF/DF

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt

1 - Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Leave for 5 minutes so coconut flour absorbs some of the liquid.

2 - Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium (if using a normal frying pan ensure to add in a small amount of olive or coconut oil prior) and add in spoonfuls of the mix. I recommend keeping these small as they can be harder to flip than traditional pancakes.

3 - Reduce the heat to low, cover if possible, and cook for 3-4 mins or until small bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake.

4 - Gently, using a spatula, flip the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side.

5 - Serve with whatever toppings you desire (I like strawberries and Greek yoghurt!)

*NOTES
- Due to the high sugar nature of bananas, these pancakes will brown quite quickly when cooking. To avoid burning them, double check that the heat of your cooker is set to low and keep your eye on them as they cook. The riper the banana, the quicker it will turn brown while cooking.

- If you don’t have coconut flour, you can omit this entirely (but you will have the be careful while cooking as the pancakes will be very delicate), or you can substitute it with 2 tablespoons of flour of choice.

OAT PROTEIN PANCAKES (V)

INGREDIENTS:

• 40g oats
• ½ banana, mashed
• 20g plant-based protein powder
• 100mls milk of choice
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt

1 - Add oats into a blender and pulse until they resemble flour (if you don’t have a blender it could be worth using another type of flour such as spelt, wholemeal/plain flour so it combines easier).
2 - Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. If the batter seems a bit dry, add more milk (just a small splash at a time) until desired consistency is reached.
3 - Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes so oats & chia seeds can absorb liquid.
4 - Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium (if using a normal frying pan ensure to add in a small amount of olive or coconut oil prior) and add in spoonfuls of the mix.
5 - Cook for around 4-5 minutes on each side, then gently flip over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
6 - Serve with toppings of choice (my favourite ones here are cooked apple and cinnamon, with a drizzle of maple syrup).

BUCKWHEAT GALETTES - GF/DF/V

Originating from the north of France, buckwheat galettes are traditionally a savoury crepe type dish, but can also be made sweet if desired. My favourite way to fill them is in the classic french style with egg and smoked salmon, but if you are vegan adding in cubed smoked tofu and roasted vegetables is equally delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 50g buckwheat flour
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

1 - Add buckwheat flour, salt & baking soda into a
mixing bowl and add in 100mls water. Whisk well, then
add in additional water in 50 ml increments until it resembles a typical crepe batter.
2 - Ideally, let the mix sit for a minimum of 30 minutes (but this is also great made up the night before cooking and stored in the fridge).
3 - Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium (if using a normal frying pan ensure to add in a small amount of olive or coconut oil prior) and add in a ladleful of the mixture. Rotate the frying pan so there is an even, thin spread.
4 - Cook for 1-2 mins, then flip gently and cook on the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes.
5 - From here, the traditional way to top the crepe is to keep it in the frying pan, add on your toppings and then fold in the sides, top and bottom, creating a square (where normally the egg in the middle is left on show) and then sliding it onto your plate. You can also put onto a plate and then put toppings on (but will first have to heat separately).

Topping Ideas

Savoury:

• Smear crepe with cream cheese, then top with smoked salmon, capers and fresh dill
• Crack an egg into the centre of the crepe (still in the frying pan) and sprinkle over some cheese
• Spread a thin layer of hummus over the crepe and topped with roasted Mediterranean vegetables

Sweet:

• Spread over hazelnut spread and top with strawberries and/or bananas
• Have the traditional English way with lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar
• Spread a layer of strawberry jam/compote and thick yoghurt