3 Ingredient Super Green Pancakes

What amazing "spring" weather we're enjoying at the moment! We've been spending loads of time outdoors barbecuing and possibly consuming too much booze on the weekend, especially last weekend (and the less we mention about the karaoke singing on the village green the better I think!)

During the week I try and balance out the unhealthy weekends by eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and lean meat, but I do often struggle finding something to eat for breakfast that doesn't involve bread, other than eggs, mushrooms and spinach, which can get a little boring after a few days. I also prefer to eat breakfast around 10, which isn't particularly convenient on the days that I have to be out of the house around 8.30. On these mornings my healthy breakfast usually goes out of the window and I end up grabbing a crumpet or bagel for convenience.

I've now discovered a healthier alternative that gives me some extra nutrients in the morning, in the form of these Super Green Pancakes, which are great for eating on the go. Made from Naturelo Raw Greens Whole Food Powder, in a wild berry flavour, these pancakes are simple to make with just two additional ingredients.

Naturelo sell a range of premium supplements, including multivitamins for adults, teens and children. Their whole food powder is free from GMO, Soy, Yeast, Egg, Dairy and Corn, making it suitable for vegans as well as those trying to avoid these ingredients. The powder can be mixed with water or juice as a drink, but I prefer adding a scoop to pancakes and eating them with berries.

To be completely honest, I was a little apprehensive the first time I tried the product as I'm not keen on the after taste you sometimes find with protein powders, but I am absolutely in love with these pancakes, with their sweet nutty taste. It's really not necessary to serve them with maple syrup as the natural sweetness is enough, but who doesn't love a little syrup on their pancakes in the morning!

3 Ingredient Super Green Pancakes - makes approx 8-10

1 scoop of Naturelo Raw Greens Whole Food Powder
75g chickpea flour
100ml almond milk
coconut oil for frying (optional)

• Whisk the ingredients together until smooth
• Heat a little oil in a non stick pan over a medium/high heat
• Add approz 1 tbsp batter to the preheated pan
• Fry for a few minutes until lightly browned 
• Flip over and fry on the other side until lightly browned
• Repeat until all the batter has been used

commissioned post for Naturelo

Vanilla Funfetti Pancakes

It's pancake day tomorrow, so here's another tasty pancake recipe to satisfy those pancake urges. These pancakes use the same basic recipe as the chocolate orange pancakes I shared at the weekend, with the addition of vanilla and sprinkles. Sprinkles are a fun addition to any treat or dessert (just check out my Sprinkle Party post as proof of that), and with the creamy topping that tastes like real dairy ice cream, these make a sumptuous dessert or indulgent breakfast perfect for birthdays (or any other day!)

The baking powder in this recipe makes them puff up in the pan, to produce thick and fluffy pancakes. The sprinkles do disappear into the batter if you add them too soon, so make sure you add them just before you're ready to use the batter. For extra sprinkly pancakes you can scatter a few onto the batter once it's in the pan.

Vanilla Funfetti Pancakes by Helen Jessup on Scribd

Chocolate Orange Pancakes for Pancake Day 2017

Pancake Day will soon be upon us, and kids all over the country will be pestering their parents for pancakes after school. If you want to really impress the kids then instead of slaving over the stove for ages making crepe style pancakes, and having them eaten before you've make the next one, make a batch of these chocolate orange pancakes the evening before and warm them up for a pancake day breakfast.

We often have American style pancakes as they are so much less time consuming to make than the larger, thinner pancakes that I grew up eating once a year. Once you've got the hang of making these you will want to make them every week rather than once a year!

This pancake day the kids have requested waffles, as they like to be rebellious, but I expect I will be making pancakes too. I think my favourite pancakes have to be the Mincemeat Pancakes that I make at Christmas, so I may rustle a batch of those up on Tuesday as I still have plenty of homemade mincemeat in the pantry.

Chocolate Orange Pancakes by Helen Jessup on Scribd

Christmas Breakfast - Pigs In Blankets & Cinnamon Pancakes

With Christmas just around the corner we're getting into full Christmas mode. Lights have been switched on, presents have been wrapped, snowballs have been drunk and tubs of chocolates have been emptied. My eldest child once said that the best part about Christmas is the pigs in blankets. I've never really been that keen and would be more than happy to give up my share to the teenagers to fulfil their needs. That was until one day when I decided that they would make an awesome accompaniment to pancakes! For brunch we often enjoy tasty chipolata sausages and crispy bacon with pancakes and waffles, so why not combine the two and have festive pigs in blankets with the pancakes instead. They were a huge hit and I will definitely be adding them to the breakfast menu on Christmas morning.

WARM CINNAMON PANCAKES WITH PIGS IN BLANKETS AND MAPLE SYRUP

Pigs In Blankets & Cinnamon Pancakes - serves 4/5

12 good quality Chipolata sausages (I buy Asda Extra Special Pork Chipolatas)

12 rashers of good quality streaky bacon (I buy Asda Extra Special Oak Smoked)

2 eggs

100ml buttermilk

150ml milk

75g melted butter

180g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

• Cut the chipolatas & bacon rashers in half
• Stretch the bacon out with the back of a knife on a chopping board to thin it out
• Wrap the bacon around the chipolatas
• Place into a roasting tin or oven dish in a preheated 200℃ oven for approx 25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy
• In the meantime make the pancakes by whisking the eggs, buttermilk, milk & melted butter together in a bowl or jug
• In another large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar & cinnamon
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry & mix until just combined
• Heat a non stick pan over a medium/high heat
• Spoon some of the batter into the pan and cook 3 or 4 pancakes at a time - flipping over when the bases are golden brown 
• Serve with wonderful Maple syrup

Chocolate Pancake Quesadillas & how you can save £1000 off your next school trip

We're well into week 2 of a mammoth 7 week (and 2 days) school summer holiday, and meal times seem to have gone out of the window. Some days breakfast gets eaten just before lunchtime and some days it gets skipped completely, to be replaced by a late night bowl of cereal. Once the new term comes around again though, I'll be nagging the kids to make sure they eat breakfast before they rush off for the bus, and reminding them that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and shouldn't be skipped, especially with the eldest starting his GCSE's this year.

I'm pretty sure that if I popped a plate of these pancake quesadillas in front of them though, they wouldn't be in such a rush to get out of the door.

These were filled with banana & hazelnut chocolate spread and banana & peanut butter, but they can be filled with any of your kid's favourite fillings.

They're simple to make, and you don't even need scales to measure the ingredients, just use an average sized coffee mug if you don't have cup measures.

They can be made the night before so you don't even need to get up extra early in the morning to make them, just pop a few on a plate, cover over and place in the fridge.

Breakfast Chocolate Pancake Quesadillas - makes approx 6 pancakes

1/2 cup self raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

tbsp chocolate Nesquik powder

tbsp melted butter + extra butter for frying

• whisk everything together until smooth
• add a little butter to a non stick frying pan and heat over a medium/high heat until melted
• wipe the butter around the pan with a piece of kitchen roll
• pour some batter into the pan & swill around to coat the pan
• cook until bubbles come up through the batter and the pancake dries around the edges
• flip the pancake over and cook for an additional minute or two on the other side
• repeat with the remaining batter

Eggs are a great source of protein, and protein is good for brain function, so therefore pancakes are a great way to start your day, and fuel young minds until lunchtime. 

Kingswood know the role that educational trips and outdoor residential experiences have on fuelling young minds. Both of my eldest two children have been on school residential trips, where they've learnt a variety of new activities and skills, as well as having loads of fun with their friends. 

Due to this first hand experience of knowing how important these trips are and how they provide an invaluable learning experience for children, I'm sharing news of the Kingswood and Happy Egg Co. partnership, which is a great opportunity to give schools up to £1000 off their next school trip. Kingswood strive to ensure the adventures they provide are great value for money, and made available to as many schools and as many pupils as possible.

By collecting codes from promotional packs of Happy Egg Co. free range eggs , up to £1000 can be saved on trips for your school during 2015, 2016 and 2017. Full details on the Trips for Schools promotion can be found on the website here, or by calling 0800 655 6564.

in collaboration with Kingswood

Recipe for Pancake Day : Creamy Crepe Cake

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias

With pancake day upon us this week, it's time to stock up on eggs and flour and get cracking on with making some pancakes. I make pancakes quite often and they're definitely not confined to just one day a year. I usually make American style pancakes, using my standard pancake recipe here,as they're a lot quicker than crepes because I can fit three in a pan at a time, rather than just one crepe.

On pancake day when I was growing up my Mum would always make crepes, and myself and my brother would always argue over who was going to get the first one. My poor Mum was stood at that cooker for ages trying to keep up with the demand; which of course, she never could.

I've recently made a pancake cake, sandwiched with chocolate, but this time, I've gone for a more delicate looking Crepe Cake, sandwiched with a light mousse-like filling of lemon yogurt, whipped egg whites and cream. You could go with whatever flavour yogurt you prefer, but I chose a tub of Yeo Valley organic lemon curd yogurt, found in the kids yogurts aisle in my local Tesco store.

There's no denying that this does a while to make. Each crepe takes around 2-3 minutes to cook and the quantities here makes around 20 crepes - you do the maths! Once they're made it doesn't take long to put together though. It's best to make it in advance and let it firm up for around an hour in the fridge before serving, to make sure you get nice slices. It will definitely be a dessert to wow your guests, and a great excuse to eat pancakes all year around, and not just on pancake day.

Creamy Crepe Cake 

for the crepes

250g plain flour

2 tbsp caster sugar

4 eggs

600ml semi skimmed milk

butter/oil or cooking spray for frying (I use butter flavoured cooking spray)

for the filling

2 egg whites

400ml double cream

450g lemon curd yogurt

icing sugar for decorating

• Add the flour and sugar to a large bowl
• Whisk in the eggs and one third of the milk, until the mixture is smooth
• Whisk in the remaining milk a little at a time, until it's all incorporated and smooth
• Heat a little oil/butter/cooking spray in a non stick frying pan & wipe any excess off with kitchen paper
• Using a small ladle, spoon some batter into the pan and swill around until it coats the bottom of the pan (the first pancake does not always turn out great so use this one to judge how much batter you'll need for each pancake) - it should be quite a thin layer of batter
• Cook for 1-2 minutes before flipping over and cooking the other side for similar time. You'll know when it's time to flip as the pancake will become drier and move around the pan when you shake it
• Set the crepe aside and repeat until all the batter has been used up
• Set the crepes aside to cool fully 
• Make the filling by whisking the egg whites until they form stiff peaks
• Fold the egg whites into the yogurt carefully, to keep as much air in as possible
• Whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks - making sure that you don't over whisk it or it will become stiff and dry
• Fold the cream into the yogurt/egg whites, until fully combined
• Place one crepe on a plate and spread some of the filling evenly over it
• Repeat with the remaining pancakes and filling, until one or both have been used up
• Finish with a sprinkle of icing sugar and some bunting made from paper straws, string and card cutouts

What flavour would you make your crepe cake? I spotted a salted caramel yogurt whilst shopping so that might have to be the next flavour for us.

Chocolate Pancake Cake

Today I'm over on the Wayfair website, sharing my recipe for a Chocolate Pancake Cake, just in time for pancake day.

Why don't you pop over for the full recipe, and whilst you're there make sure you have a browse of their fab online store with gorgeous products for every room of the house, including this large pink Mason Cash mixing bowl, which I absolutely love, and silicone & wood spatula.

10 Easy Fillings for Pancake Day (sweet & savoury)

Pancake day doesn't just have to be about syrup and lemon. It doesn't just have to be about indulgent sweet feelings either. Here I have 10 quick and easy pancake fillings which are both sweet and savoury. Some are healthy and some are less so. 

How do you prefer your pancakes?

5 Savoury Pancake Fillings

Bacon, egg & tomato

An unsweetened pancake with rashers of crispy bacon, fried cherry tomatoes and a runny egg.

 

Barbecue chicken salad

Strips of cooked chicken breast tossed lightly in bbq sauce, with lots of salad leaves

Cheese, tomato & basil

Cottage cheese, tomato slices, black pepper and fresh basil leaves

Cheesy Mushrooms
Fried chestnut mushrooms with melted Wensleydale cheese

Spicy Beans & Cheese
Baked beans mixed with chilli powder & covered in grated Monterey Jack cheese

5 Sweet Pancake Fillings

Chocolate orange

Chocolate sauce or spread with slices of tinned mandarin orange segments

Strawberry Cheesecake
Cream cheese mixed with lemon yogurt and spooned over fresh strawberries

Black Forest
Morello cherries, chocolate sauce and whipped cream

Cinnamon Apple

Bramley apple sauce (1 apple, 1 tbsp syrup, pinch of cinnamon, microwaved for 2 minutes), raisins and whipped cream

Lemon & syrup

Not forgetting the classic lemon & syrup; simple but delicious!

Thank you to Abra-ca-Debora for their pancakes, Sweet Freedom for Choc Shot liquid chocolate and naturally sweetened syrup & Clarks for their Carob syrup, all of which I received free of charge.

Mincemeat Pancakes with Salted Caramel Sauce

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas now that we're into December, although we haven't got our tree up yet as it still feels too early (or actually I can't be bothered with the task of building it just yet).

I made some mincemeat a few weeks ago, but other than making just one batch of mince pies and some mini mincemeat loaves the majority of it has been sitting in the cupboard waiting for my festive baking to kick into gear.

I decided to make a batch of mincemeat pancakes for an after school snack, and topped them with a drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce (recipe here). I'm currently on my pre Christmas diet so only tasted a small spoonful of pancake and sauce but I could have quite easily eaten the whole lot, cleared the bowls away and the kids would've been none the wiser when they walked in and found me in a sugar daze. I was very disciplined though and saved the rest for the husband and kids, but I think I'll be making these again on Christmas morning when I no longer have to worry about my diet!

Mincemeat Pancakes - makes approx 6

125ml semi skimmed milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 egg

75g mincemeat (shop bought or use my recipe here or here)

100g self raising flour

oil for frying

• Mix the milk & lemon juice together
• Whisk in the egg & then stir in the mincemeat
• Add the flour and stir until just combined
• Heat a little oil in a pan and spoon a tablespoonful of batter into the pan (make 2 or 3 at a time if you have room)
• Allow to cook until it begins to puff up & is golden brown 
• Flip over and cook for a few minutes on the other side

Pancake Stacks

Did you know that it's Pancake Day next Tuesday? I can't really miss it, there are pancakes everywhere, everyone is going pancake mad, and if you can't beat them then why not join them! There are so many pancake possibilities, both sweet and savoury. 

We prefer our pancakes stacked, with lots of sauce and toppings. Here are two flavours that we've enjoyed this week - Rocky Road and Maple Cinnamon.

They were supposed to be buttermilk pancakes but unfortunately Asda let me down with the online shop and substituted the buttermilk with whole milk! Instead I added a little lemon juice to semi skimmed milk which thickens it up a little.

 

Rocky Road Pancakes - makes 4

125ml semi skimmed milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 egg

100g self raising flour

2 tsp cocoa powder

mini marshmallows, chopped nuts & chocolate chips

1 tbsp Nutella

• Add the lemon juice to the milk and mix well, leave for a few minutes until thickened up
• Beat in the egg
• Add the flour and cocoa powder to a large bowl
• Whisk in the liquid ingredients until just combined (small lumps are ok)
• Heat some oil in a pan (not necessary if you are using a Tefal Jamie Oliver Fry Pan like me)
• Spoon some batter into the pan & cook until air bubbles start to appear
• Sprinkle a small amount of marshmallows, chopped nuts & chocolate chips onto the pancake
• Spoon some more pancake batter to cover the toppings
• Flip the pancake and cook on the other side for a minute or two
• Repeat with the remaining mixture
• To make the chocolate sauce mix the Nutella with a little boiling water & spoon over the stack of pancakes - serve by cutting slices

Maple Cinnamon Pancakes - makes 7/8

150ml semi skimmed milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Maple syrup

1 egg

100g self raising flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Maple syrup for serving

• Add the lemon juice to the milk and mix well, leave for a few minutes until thickened up
• Beat in the egg & maple syrup
• Add the flour and cinnamon to a large bowl
• Whisk in the liquid ingredients until just combined (small lumps are ok)
• Heat some oil in a pan (not necessary if you are using a Tefal Jamie Oliver Fry Pan like me)
• Spoon some batter into the pan & cook until air bubbles start to appear
• Flip the pancake and cook on the other side for a minute or two
• Repeat with the remaining mixture
• Serve a stack of pancakes with maple syrup

I was provided with the Tefal Jamie Oliver pan to use for my pancake recipes

Tefal currently have a Pancake Selfie app - why not bake yourself into a pancake - try it out here.

Pancake Day with Tefal

Yes, yes, I know it's not Pancake Day just yet but when Tefal sent me some fab new frying pans to try out they were crying out for pancakes to be made in them straight away.

I received three different pans :

26cm Tefal Jamie Oliver Anniversary Frypan 

With a 10th anniversary pattern on the base of the pan and Thermo-Spot heat indicator, hard non-stick surface and durable enamel exterior.

24cm Tefal Superior Frypan

With an Intensium non-stick surface, anti-warp base, Therno-Spot heat indicator, comfort grip handle, safe for metal handles and designed to last up to 2 x longer.

28cm Tefal Ingenio Frypan

With a removable and interchangeable handle making the pan suitable for using on the hob, in the oven, on the table and in the fridge. The removable handles make these pans easy to store. They also feature the Thermo-Spot heat indicator and are suitable on all heat sources including induction.

I wanted to make some American style pancakes as Jack had his friend around for tea and thought the Ingenio pan would be more suited to this due to the large flat surface. The Thermo-Spot turns to solid red when the pan has reached temperature and is ready to cook and due to the Titanium non stick coating it wasn't necessary for any oil to be added to the pan and the pancakes cooked beautifully, and I was really impressed with it.

Afterwards the pan just needed a quick wipe around to clean it, although it can be cleaned in a dishwasher if necessary (however this isn't recommended to prolong the life of the pan).

American Style Pancakes

225g SR Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

300ml milk

40g caster sugar

25g butter, melted

• Mix all the ingredients together until smooth
• Heat the Tefal non stick frying pan (no oil required for cooking)
• Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan (I made 3 pancakes at a time)
• Cook for a couple of minutes, until golden brown, on each side

We'll be putting the other pans through their paces before pancake day and in the meantime you can get some pancake inspiration from the Tefal Pancake Pinterest board.

I was sent the pans for the purpose of review