Healthy Pancake Tuesday

I think it's fair to say, for all us foodies, that Pancake Tuesday is one of the favourite days for almost everyone! (I say 'almost everyone', because, before I met my husband I would have said: EVERYONE'S favourite day, but my husband absolutely HATES pancakes! Have you ever meet anyone like him??)

So, here we have 4 healthy recipes to enjoy on Tuesday, and still keep you all on track! The 5th recipe though is not a healthy one, and here is why: with it being the last day before the season of Lent, when we all give up our favourite little vices, for the upcoming forty days, i think it's ok to indulge ourselves a little bit! So, seeing as I eat healthy pancakes ALL year around, I like to eat fattening, fluffy, buttermilk pancakes on Pancake Tuesday! 

The term Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wendsday.

So, I have also written a 5th recipe of the pancakes I will be having myself! You have the option to either be healthy, or to join me on the extra hundreds of calories! 

Let's start with the first recipe which is my regular oath pancake one:

BANANA PANCAKES

(1 portion)

- 1 banana

- 1/2 cup of oats

- 1 egg

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/4 cup of almond milk

- Dash of cinnamon 

Blend ingredients on the blender and cook as regular pancakes

CHOCOLATE PANCAKES

(1 portion)

- 1/2 cup almond ground

- 1/2 cup egg whites

- 2 tablespoons cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder

- sweetener of choice (I used 2 tablespoons of honey)

If for some reason mixture is too thick add:

- 1/4 cup of almond milk

Blend ingredients on the blender and cook as regular pancakes

PUMPKIN OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH PANCAKES:

1/2 cup almond flour 
1 tablespoon of flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 
1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice (I used mixed spices which is a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices that can get in any supermarket)
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda 
1/2 cup of pumpkin or butternut squash pure 
2 tablespoon of honey or sweetener of choice (I used cero calories granulated sugar from @sukrinuk)
3/4 cup egg whites (4 egg whites)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
1/2 cup of almond milk

Blend on food processor and cook as regular pancakes. 

GLUTEN & NUT FREE PALEO PANCAKE

- 3 bananas

- 6 eggs

- 1/3 coconut flour

Blend ingredients on the blender and cook as regular pancakes

And last recipe is the un-healthy fluffy and so delicious pancakes:

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Those above are the ones I made last year and I have to say that they were the best I have ever had!

- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for serving

- 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

- 1/2 tsp. baking soda

- 2 cups buttermilk

- 2 large eggs

- Pure maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk gently until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated; stop before the batter is evenly moistened. Add the cooled melted butter and mix just until the batter is evenly moistened (there will be lumps). Let the batter rest while you heat the frying pan.

Heat a frying pan or a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the frying pan. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Let cook undisturbed until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Check the underside of each pancake to make sure it’s nicely browned; then flip. Cook until the second side is nicely browned, about 1 minute more. Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.