I am such a fan of the pancake. They are quick and easy to make, the kids love them and, provided they are made using good quality ingredients, you can make them super-healthy too. This recipe omits the traditional white flour and replaces it with a mix of buckwheat flour and oats to provide a higher fibre, lower gluten option, yet it still provides the right texture to make fluffy and light pancakes to rival the more traditional recipes.

The addition of banana slices gives this recipe a nice little tropical feel along with a hit of potassium and fibre to start your day. It also provides a lovely touch of added natural sweetness, which means you don’t have to coat them in sugary syrup to enjoy.

You can make these pancakes dairy free by using almond, oat or rice milk instead of dairy milk. It works just as well with any type of milk alternative, or you can use good old dairy milk if there are no intolerances in your household. Because the pancakes have added sweetness from the banana, I recommend serving them with a big dollop of natural yoghurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a sprinkle of nuts or seeds.

However, if you want a little extra sweetness you could drizzle good quality raw honey or pure maple syrup over the top. Delish.

Buckwheat and Banana Pancakes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cup of buckwheat flour
• 1 cup of oats
• 1 1⁄2 cups of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 large banana (thinly sliced)
• A tablespoon of butter or coconut oil (for cooking)

Method

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
2. Melt butter/oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.
3. Spoon in 1⁄2 cup of mixture to hot pan, quickly add 4­ to 5 slices of banana to the top of the pancake whilst the batter is still runny.
4. Cook for 2 minutes (or until bubbles rise and pop in the batter) and then flip the pancake over and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. I like to use a really large frypan and cook 3 at a time to make the process quicker.

Happy eating!

For more recipes, visit www.lifewellnessco.com