American style pancakes are one of my all time favourite breakfast treats. But mostly I get disappointed when eating out as they are over-sweetened or just too stodgy. These gluten-free pancakes are so light and fluffy and as a bonus are added dairy free.
The use of the coconut flour is a perfect swap if you are trying to limit or avoid gluten flours due to allergy, sensitivity or when trying to adhere to a more anti-inflammatory lifestyle.
Coconut flour is derived from the flesh of fresh coconut which has been dried and ground and it has a convincing line up of nutrients from fibre, to protein, iron and potassium.
Most of the fibre in coconut is insoluble fibre which is essential for bulking stools, moving them through the intestines, preventing constipation and improving overall gut health. It is widely researched and accepted that proper intake of dietary fibre reduces the risk of colon cancers.
Coconut is truly a gift from Nature. Coconut oil is so delicious and has so many applications. I used it to panfry these pancakes knowing that it contains caprylic acid which is a known anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-microbial, (used to resolve fungal infections such as Candida).
Caprylic acid is a Medium Chain Triglyceride, MCT, or fatty acid, and even though it is a saturated fatty acid it has superior nutritional and health benefits. MCTs protect the epithelium which is an incredible tissue found all over the body from skin to internal organs but the epithelium of the digestive tract is a one cell thick line of defence against pathogens and toxins. (When it gets damaged this leads to intestinal permeability or "leaky gut"). These MCTs help suppress the secretion of inflammatory molecules leading to many debilitating symptoms seen in inflammatory bowel diseases and other inflammatory conditions.
Reducing the "load" of inflammatory stressors, such as gluten and dairy, plus increasing the load of anti-inflammatory nutrients will offer much support in modulating our response to disease and support a better overall lifestyle.
Recipe
Makes 6 pancakes
Serves 2
Ingredients for pancake mix:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
120ml oat milk, and maybe a little more, coconut flour absorbs a lot
4 tablespoons of coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
coconut oil for frying
Ingredients for cream and toppings:
Coconut yoghurt (or the cream from a can of coconut milk, whipped)
Vanilla extract
(simply mix the coconut cream and vanilla extract together)
Frozen and fresh blueberries
Passionfruit
Drizzle of maple syrup (eliminate if on a low carb diet)
Cinnamon
Toasted coconut flakes
Method:
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and milk.
In another bowel combine the dry ingredients.
Add the dry to the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking all the time until you have a heavy cream like batter.
Heat the coconut oil and pour three portions of the batter into the warm oil. Turn with a large spatula after a few minutes and repeat the process with the rest of the batter, keeping the first batch warm in a warm oven.
To serve, layer the pancakes with the vanilla coconut cream and berries topping with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, toasted coconut flakes and a teaspoon of maple syrup.
Patricia Alexander-Bird, Nutritional Therapist , B.Sc., Dip NT, Certified Health and Wellness Coach and qualified Yoga Teacher.
Recipe tweaked from "The Diabetes Weightloss Cookbook", Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi.
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