Who doesn’t love pancake day? An excuse to indulge in stacks of freshly cooked pancakes, piled up high and slathered in toppings. I don’t need a reason to enjoy pancakes for dinner, but having a whole day dedicated to it is enough to convince me!
Growing up we didn’t really eat pancakes, so when we did it was definitely a treat. There were always so many toppings to choose from, from berries, banana and honey. But for me, it was all about the lemon and sugar. There was nothing better than a freshly cooked pancake, still warm and covered in sugar and lemon. Rolled up and munched on, I could seriously eat about 5 in one sitting. And I’ll admit, more than a few times, I did just that! But for some reason, I’ve missed the last few pancake days, and honestly, I haven’t treated myself to pancakes for a while. But when I do, I go all out!
Experimenting
I’ve made the traditional crepe-style pancakes a few times, but wanted to experiment a bit more. I wanted to make something a little bit different, that you could indulge in guilt free and something that wasn’t simply a rare treat. It took me a while to experiment, and I’ll admit some of them didn’t turn out that well. They were tasteless, didn’t cook properly, or should never be mentioned again. I hate it when you’re experimenting with something new. Before you get it right you get it wrong so many times, that in the end you just want to give up. But I refused and was determined to prove that you could have healthy, delicious pancakes, that were even better than traditional ones. And I finally did it!
Trial and Error
After a lot of trial and error, I’d finally mastered it! And yep, I’ll admit… I may have done a little happy dance in the kitchen. They were light, airy and full of flavour. All it took was 3 basic ingredients, and a blender and it was done. But I wanted to give it a little boost, both in terms of health benefits and taste.
When I first started making these, I’d just discovered chia seeds, and completely obsessed, I threw them into everything. Porridge, tea loaf, granola. You name it, if I could then I would add some chia seeds, so it only made sense for them to added to my pancakes. But they were still missing something. Something to sweeten them up, and add the finishing touch. Then I realised… what do I add to banana porridge to really bring out the flavour? Coconut sugar of course! It has a sweet, caramel – like taste, which melts to become something completely irresistible.
Before I added the chia seeds and coconut sugar the pancakes were good. But with the chia seeds and coconut sugar… they were perfect! I’d found what they were missing and I couldn’t get enough. I made a great big pile, and ate every single crumb. I couldn’t move for the rest of the day, but I didn’t regret a single bite!
Finishing Touch
All you need is oats, a banana (the spottier the better), and milk. The chia seeds and coconut sugar are optional, but I would definitely include them! After I made my stack, they were looking a bit plain. They needed a bit of sauce to give them the added oomph. If you know me by now, then you know that I love fruit compotes. Stewed fruit is one of my favourite things, and I’ve found that it goes with so many different things! Yogurt, fruit, granola, to be honest, I don’t think that I’ve found anything that it doesn’t taste nice with. So, I thought that I’d try it as the sauce to my pancakes.
I’d tried maple syrup and honey, but none of them had worked. But the fruit puree was definitely the way to go! It takes under 10 minutes to make and is perfect with the pancakes! And of course, what is the finishing touch that makes everything a bit better? Some fresh fruit of course! It complimented the taste of the pancakes and puree so perfectly, that I couldn’t believe I’d finally got there. After so many failed attempts I’d finally mastered the pancakes!
I make them a lot more now than I used to, but still keep them as more of a treat. I always makes a great big stack, that fills me up so much I can hardly move! But of course, it’s always worth it. Guilt free, healthy and 100 % delicious. You don’t need to wait for pancake day to make these tasty bites. But as it nearly is pancake day, what better way to celebrate then with these delicious bites?
Pancakes for dinner anyone?
Rosie x
Want to stay up to date and receive exclusive content and recipes? Follow me and never miss a moment!
Have something to say? Just sprinkle your thoughts and let me know what’s on your mind…
| Prep Time | 5 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 8-10 Minutes |
| Servings |
Pancakes
|
- 1 cup Oats gluten free, if required
- 1 cup Milk dairy free alternative if required
- 1 overripe Banana the spottier the better
- 3 teaspoons Chia Seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Sugar
- Coconut Oil for frying
Ingredients
|
|
- Place the oats into your blender, and ground it down to a fine powder
- Add the remaining ingredients (expect the coconut oil), and blend together until thoroughly combined
- Heat a little coconut oil in a heavy based pan. Once the oil has melted, spoon a dollop of pancake mixture into the pan, creating circles. I normally do these in batches
- On a medium-high heat, cook them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, turning continuously. They're done once golden brown on both sides
- Once cooked, stack high and enjoy!
Variation:
Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes:
- 1/2 Cup Buckwheat Flour
- 1/2 Cup Milk (I use coconut)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder (Gluten Free if required)
- 1 Small Overripe Banana
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Sugar
- 1 Heaped Teaspoon Chia Seeds
- 1/3 Cup Blueberries
- Coconut Oil - For frying
- Place all the ingredients into the food processor / blender, and blend until fully combined
- Stir in another 1/3 cup of blueberries, keeping them whole
- Warm a large non-stick pan, with a little coconut oil. Once the oil has melted, spoon a dollop of pancake mixture into the pan, creating circles. I normally do these in batches
- On a medium-high heat, cook them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, turning continuously. They're done once golden brown on both sides
- Once cooked, stack high and enjoy!
