Fuss-free healthy pancakes
Here's what I know about pancakes: the first one is for your eyes (and tastebuds) only.
As the test pancake, something will go wrong. But don't worry if your first pancake is more scrambled than round, if it's many shades past the desired golden-brown, or if the insides aren't exactly edible. This is just the curse of the first pancake. It's not a waste though, this is the perfect time to taste-test and see whether your flavours need adjusting.
I don't know about you but breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. There are just so many delicious options that having breakfast for lunch and dinner could never be boring or restrictive. We already have brunch and I really think it's high time brinner became more fashionable. But anyway, my extremely meaningful thoughts aside, I also really love pancakes. And while I enjoy the thinner English pancake, so close to the French crêpe, it's the American variety that has my heart. Thick but so fluffy and light, they're the perfect canvas to any topping.
This morning, I really fancied some pancakes. And while I have a foolproof recipe that I make for friends or family when they stay over, I didn't really feel up to a) the effort or b) the guilt. Somehow pancakes always feel like more of an indulgence than something you could theoretically eat everyday. So I had a look at what I had in the cupboard and whipped these together in a few minutes. Gluten-free, refined-sugar-free and potentially dairy-free, these are also super easy to make. I just whizzed all the ingredients together in my NutriBullet but you can use whichever blender you have, preferably a high-power one.
Oats, blended into oat flour, make these light little pancakes heartier than their flour-based equivalent, and oh-so-satisfying. A dash of maple syrup adds just a hint of sweetness along with the vanilla extract.The egg and negligible amount of coconut oil ensure the texture of their pancakes stay close to the original. The applesauce, the binding secret of this recipe, is barely noticeable. I had a jar of unsweetened applesauce sitting in my fridge, but applesauce is also super easy to make at home. I'll post a recipe up for that soon because it's so good, so versatile and makes your house smell amazing while it's cooking. If you can't find applesauce or haven't got the time to make your own, you can easily substitute the same amount of mashed ripe banana or even regular yoghurt. This is a really customisable recipe: you could add some grated apple, a handful of chocolate chips or even just a sprinkle of cinnamon. Whatever floats your boat.
My mum prefers these pancakes with just a splash of maple syrup but I like to load mine up with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of honey and a scattering of blueberries. What do you normally have on your pancakes? Leave me a comment and let me know. Enjoy!
Fuss-free healthy pancakes
Makes eight small pancakes.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 cup oats
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup milk of choice*
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup*
- 1 egg, beaten or 1 chia egg*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter, melted
METHOD
Whiz the oats in your blender until you have a fine flour.
Add the rest of the ingredients.
Give it a quick, rough stir with a spoon and then blend until smooth. Don't overblend. Alternatively, just mix everything in a bowl.
Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the bottom is nicely browned. Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan.
Repeat until you've used up all of the batter.
Top with whatever you fancy.
Notes: I used soya milk but any milk would work here. These aren't the sweetest pancakes so if you prefer your pancakes sweeter, add another tablespoon of maple syrup to the batter. To make a chia egg, grind 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and add 3 tablespoons of water. Leave for 5 minutes and then use in place of the egg.
