Healthy pancakes for any day of the week

Pancakes are usually met by squeals of excitement from kids, with the promise that maybe (just maybe) they can pour chocolate sauce over them, or sprinklings of sugar and lemon.  If you’re searching for a healthy, sugar free breakfast, pancakes are actually a fantastic option for kids, and they can double up as snacks too.  The texture of the pancake is like an American style hot cake, so they’re bouncy and yummy.  You can top them with sliced strawberries or some almond butter, or both, and for snacks you can take them out instead of rice cakes and top with hummus or slices of cucumber with butter.  We love using them as a base for a healthy fruit trifle.  Pancakes are so versatile, you can easily make a double batch and store them in the fridge for the week.

The texture of the pancake is like an American style hot cake, so they’re bouncy and yummy.

These pancakes are made without gluten, dairy, nuts or sugar.  They’re made using buckwheat flour, which isn’t related to wheat in any way; it’s a seed that’s rich in B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and protein, and it helps with blood sugar control.  Child mood swings and temper tantrums are very often caused by blood sugar imbalances, so starting the day with a buckwheat pancake not only tastes yummy, but is great for their moods too.

What you need 

• 225g  buckwheat flour
• 1 egg
• 300ml dairy-free milk
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• oil to grease the frying pan
  

Method 

In a cake mixer, whisk the egg and dairy free milk until light and fluffy.  Add in the buckwheat flour, baking powder and cinnamon, and blend until smooth.  Add the maple syrup to lightly sweeten the batter if you want to.

Grease a large frying pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil and bring the pan to a medium heat.  Drop the pancake batter on to the frying pan into rounds (around 8cm in diameter).  Make sure the pancakes are spread out well in the pan so they’ll be easy to flip after 2 minutes.  Flip the pancakes so the undersides are nicely browned.  There may be some tiny air holes in the batter, which is normal and adds to the fluffy texture.  Remove the pancakes from the frying pan after 1 – 2 minutes, and continue making more with an additional teaspoon of coconut oil. Repeat until the batter is finished.

Makes approximately 20 pancakes.

Optional berry sauce 

• 150g frozen berries of your choice (e.g. raspberries, blueberries or cherries) 
• 100ml filtered water 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey  

Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. It should be the consistency of a pouring sauce.  This is a healthy topping that your kids can make themselves with a bit of supervision, adding to the fun.

Try eating them whilst the pancakes are still warm, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 1 week.