I have never been a big supporter of ‘giving something up for lent’. I understand the religious significance behind it but it seems so ingrained in British culture that almost everyone around me has a go- regardless of their faith! It’s become a second chance at those failed January resolutions… with added chocolate denial!
As you know, I’m not one for denying oneself pleasure. Life is hard enough without putting your favourite food on the ‘naughty list’! And boy, I could go on and on about attaching guilt to food!
I don’t believe (unless you’ve taken a page from Mithridates VI’s book and decided to poison yourself every day) that any food is inherently bad. Yes, it is important to eat things full of the goodness and fuel your body needs. Agreed, you probably shouldn’t be eating to excess, especially where fast food is concerned… but that’s because it’s not providing you the vitamins and so on that your body needs, not because it’s innately evil.
I call my recipes ‘healthy’ because they’re versions of fun foods that also bring you yummy vitamins and good balances of what your body needs. But don’t get too hung up on it! Eat these, and some fruit, and maybe move around a bit. Done.
Back to pancakes: I ruddy love them!
Pancakes are excellent and easy whatever time of day you’re eating them. But goodness are they a breakfast delight! Whether they be the thick, fluffy kind or the thin, light kind, as long as they’re sugar and grain free there isn’t a pancake I don’t like.
For this year’s pancake day I’ve challenged myself to create three new types of pancake and you can see the results below!
Well, we certainly thought a lot of those!
Remember, as always, just because the recipes are gluten free, sugar free and lactose free doesn’t meant they HAVE to be that way. If you want to sub in regular cows milk, cane sugar, coconut sugar, powdered fructose or even white flour then go right ahead.
All of the recipes can also be made without eggs using either flax eggs or a powdered substitute but they will (especially number 1!) be quite a bit flatter.
Let me know how you get on with making these pancakes!
Paleo Fluffy Pancakes
3 tbsp coconut flour2 tbsp sweetener
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
3 large egg whites
1 tbsp apple sauce or yogurt
1/3 cup dairy free milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl
Add wet ingredients except for egg whites. Mix well
Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff
All egg whites to first bowl, fold ingredients together
Put pan on low/med heat
Cook for 2/3 mins either side
Put a lid on top of your pan as they cook to help puff up the pancakes.
These thick, fluffy pancakes are low carb, paleo and full of protein! Whilst they’re based on egg whites and coconut flour you can substitute them as noted above.
Remember to always add wet ingredients to dry; create a well in the dry ingredients, pull dry over wet.
These pancakes are delicious when served with berries, especially raspberries!
No Carb Pancakes
2 eggs55g lactofree cream cheese
½ cup sweetener
½ tsp vanilla
Blend all ingredients together in blender
Allow to stand until bubbles have dissipated
Heat coconut oil in pan
Cook until golden brown either side
I use lactofree cream cheese but any cream cheese will work.
I would advise using a blender or NutriBullet but you can mix by hand provided you ensure everything is completely blended.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon for yummy, crepe-like goodness!
Clean Eating Pancakes
1 ripe banana
2 eggs
1tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Mash
Mix
Cook
Eat
Done!
These are definitely the easiest pancakes to make of the bunch! Although they’re paleo, grain free and sugar free they aren’t low carb.
If you find the mixture is too thin then add a tablespoon of the flour of your choice or even protein powder.