I love pancakes.
I love pancakes with bacon, maple syrup, cream and chopped up bananas. I’ll even splurge to a few blueberries scattered (mostly for show) when feeling a little on the ‘adventurous’ side.
The problem with the pancakes I love and that I love to eat, is that they are a ‘rare sometimes’ treat – a frivolous and unhealthy breakfast that I should avoid. So these days, I rarely indulge, and if I do, its a treat, and because I am out somewhere for breakfast.
It doesn’t stop me from liking them. I am trying these days to look after my immune system – to eat (and I confess I fall off the clean eating wagon all the time, but I am good at brushing myself off and getting back on so that these days I fall off less and less) with less sugar and ‘naughty’ fats. I woke up the other day with a hankering for pancakes. I confess the hankering started the day prior, after googling things to do with greek yoghurt (I had an over abundance of it) and stumbling on many references for using it to make pancakes.
So, after trolling through a number of recipes – here is my take on it. Despite an effort to clean up my diet, I still have a sweet tooth, so I have to confess its not as ‘clean’ as it could be – so if you are a purest in terms of clean eating – take out the honey, and add a flour alternative (wholewheat for a starters), and only use egg whites.
WARNING: These will make the most divine fluffy pancakes that are virtually no fail. A huge bonus is that these pancakes are high in nutrients and protein!
Clean Eating Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp of baking soda (if you double the recipe only add a smidgeon more baking soda)
- 1/2 cup of four
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup of greek low fat yoghurt
 |
| Yoghurt and egg (splash of honey) |
My added extras:
I add the following two ingredients to my pancake mix for taste but these are optionals.
- Cinnamon (to taste – about 1/2 for me but you may like more or less)
- Good splash of liquid honey (maple syrup would also suffice)
Whisk the yoghurt and egg together (at this point I add my honey), add the dry ingredients – including the cinnamon if you are adding this (shift first to ensure no lumpy bits) and mix. It will be a very thick mixture – this is normal.
 |
| The mixture can be a bit thick – this is normal |
Pre heat your pan/skillet, and spray with nonstick spray. Drop spoonfuls onto your hot frying pan/skillet. Turn after several minutes – you can see the mixture ‘fluff up’ – don’t leave them on to long or they will over brown. They should be a golden brown.
Serve with a drizzle of honey/maple syrup/golden syrup…some fruit (I prefer blueberries and bananas but whatever is in season is fine), and a few dollops of greek yoghurt. (you can sweeten up the yoghurt with any of the syrups if your sweet tooth finds the tartness of the yoghurt too much).
Variations:
Add a mashed banana to your mixture prior to putting onto the pan/skillet. Alternatively you can place some blueberries/bananas on the mixture when you first place them on the pan/skillet. If you MUST have bacon – I would suggest some turkey or chicken bacon – its just as tasty and with way fewer calories and better for you. What I have discovered is there is always an alternative and eating healthy does not mean forgoing the good things in life.
NB: these work out at around 91 calories per pancake, but they are high in protein, taste divine and fill you up, giving you plenty of energy for a weekend of activity – or not as the case may be.
 |
| YUMMMM – a drizzle of syrup, splash of greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of blueberries |