Pancake-ing the gluten free way

Pancake day is here again!!

I'd like to say that this is the only day of the year when I eat pancakes, but truth be told, I love them. Done correctly they make a delicious, balanced breakfast.
By correctly, I mean no refined flour or sugar, because you just wouldn't want to start your day that way. Both of these ingredients spike blood sugar levels leading to hunger and rage a couple of hours later.
So, If you want to remain a nice person then try my "healthy" alternatives this pancake day. It may even taste better than the pancakes you are used to.

Mega blueberry pancakes:
Makes 3 thick American style pancakes.

Ingredients:
50g gluten free oats
30g coconut flour (available in most supermarkets)
100ml milk of your choice
2 free range eggs
Handful of frozen blueberries
Coconut oil for frying

Method:
Whizz the oats in a blender or coffee grinder to make oat flour.
Heat some coconut oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
Add the eggs & milk to bowl and whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the blueberries and mix well. Stir through the frozen blueberries.
Add a ladle-full of the pancake mix to the hot oil. Flip when the edges are starting to set.
Repeat & eat.
 

Carrot & raisin pancakes
Makes 3 thick American style pancakes.

Ingredients:
50g gluten free oats
30g coconut flour (available in most supermarkets)
100ml milk of your choice
2 free range eggs
1 small carrot, grated
Handful of raisins
Coconut oil for frying

Method:
Whizz the oats in a blender or coffee grinder to make oat flour.
Heat some coconut oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
Add the eggs & milk to bowl and whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the carrots and raisins and mix well. Stir through the carrots and raisins.
Add a ladle-full of the pancake mix to the hot oil. Flip when the edges are starting to set.
Repeat & eat.
Serve with a small amount of honey or maple syrup and a generous dollop of greek yoghurt.
 

Get up to granola

I approach this topic with some caution, given the sensitivity of the subject but the truth must come out eventually: cereal is not that good for you. 
Nutritionally, the super processed grains lack vitamins and minerals which the manufacturers add back in the form of synthetic versions. This would so far be acceptable, except that grains won't taste good on their own, alas they get drenched in sugar, salt and a myriad of unpronounceable chemicals.
Of course not all cereals are made equal and naturally there are some more nourishing, chemical free alternatives.. For £7 a box...

There are a large number of nutrients that we somehow have to consume, on a daily basis, in order to sustain good health. 
Whilst grabbing a quick bowl of cereal may seem like a good idea, it will seldom give you a good start to the day.

If you are creature of habit, short on time, or just not ready to give up the morning grain then give this home made granola recipe a go.
For a half an hour investment in time, you will have a week's worth of delicious breakfasts, all without the added chemicals. Just use gluten free oats if you are sensitive to gluten.
Serve over some natural greek yoghurt and add berries for an antioxidant boost.

Nutty cinnamon granola

Ingredients:
2 mugs of oats
1 mug of nuts
1/2 mug of coconut flakes
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of honey
2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.
Melt the coconut oil and honey over a low heat.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut flakes and cinnamon.
Pour over the coconut oil & honey mixture and mix well.
Put the granola mix on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Allow it to cool and store in an airtight container.

Supercharge your morning toast

Breakfast: the most important meal of the day.

Or if you live in a household with real people, then it is more like: breakfast, the most manic time of the day. So what if you could guarantee good nutrition without having to upset your standard morning routine? Or what if you could eat such a good breakfast that it would keep you full until lunch, keep your brain sharp and give you enough nutrients that you could easily carry out your next grand adventure. And no, your breakfast cereal can't do that even if the packaging does make claims.

Here is what a good balanced meal should consist of: lean protein, complex carbohydrates, good fats and some green stuff.
Here is what the average UK breakfast looks like: sugar.

Luckily there is a super easy fix to go from sugar to protein/carbs/fats/green stuff. Just upgrade your morning toast.

First of all, pick a good bread.If the bread lasts a week, it is not bread, it is merely a chemically confused second cousin of bread. Not the kind you'd want to eat. Good bread only lasts days. It is made with only yeast, water and flour and is commonly known as sourdough.  These ingredients produce a dense, chewy bread that is almightily filling and makes a lovely crunchy toast. 
Other gold alternatives include rye, vollkornbrodt ( a German brown bread that is full of lovely seeds) or spelt bread.
Good bread = complex carbohydrate.

Now for the lean protein. This is the part that will keep you fuller for longer, stop the mid morning crash and curb that hanger (hunger & anger= hanger.. get it..).
Protein is also the building block of just about everything in our body, so let's just say it is pretty important stuff. Good sources include fish, eggs, chicken, turkey or a bit of (organic) bacon. To keep this part super simple, why not boil an egg when you make your dinner, allow it cool, pop it in the fridge and slice it onto your morning toast.
Adding a few slices of smoked salmon would also be a quick and easy fix.

Good fats. Before I go on with my justification, let's get one thing out of the way: your brain is predominantly made from fat. Yes, 60% of your brain is fat. Therefore, eating the right kind of fat is essential to keep your brain working. By good fat, I mean the kind found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, nuts, seeds, organic butter and avocados. These are the kind of fats that won't actually make you fat but they will get your brain going.

The green stuff: ok perhaps this is more like the rainbow coloured stuff. By this I mean vegetables. You need these... They have all of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body requires. Without getting too technical, your body wouldn't even be able to process the fats, proteins and carbs if it wasn't for the co-factors provided by vegetables. Including them in your breakfast should be a no brainer.
Now if you are thinking, there is no way I can stomach anything like that in the morning then prepare to surprise yourself. I'm not asking you to eat a full head of cabbage here. How about a handful of spinach, which to be honest doesn't taste of anything anyway; or a few slices of tomato; or a few slices of red pepper; a sprinkling of cress; or some fresh rocket?

Making a good quality breakfast will take you a couple of minutes by upgrading your toast. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

- cottage cheese, tomato and cress

- smoked salmon slices, red pepper and dill

- wilted spinach & boiled egg

- avocado & mixed seeds

- hummus, shredded carrot and slice cucumber