Buckwheat banana pancakes

The pancake has a long history and featured in cookery books as far back as 1439, while the tradition of flipping them is almost as old. Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is the Anglo-Saxon Christian traditional feast before the start of Lent – the 40 days of fasting leading up to Easter. On Shrove Tuesday, Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins) before feasting on pancakes as the perfect way to use up eggs and fats.

Whether or not you are Christian and want to be shriven this Shrove Tuesday, what a great excuse to cook and eat something delicious with some added health benefits!

Benefits of buckwheat

• Despite having “wheat” in the name, buckwheat is actually gluten free.
• But it is high in protein and vitamins and minerals, and rich in antioxidants and rutin for a healthy circulatory system.
• Buckwheat supplies fibre to the diet, making it beneficial for balancing blood sugars as well as healthy cholesterol levels.
• As a source of fibre, it’s also good for helping keep bowel function regular.

Health benefits of bananas

• Bananas are also high in fibre, particularly when ‘green’; as the fruit ripens, its flavour becomes sweeter but its fibre content drops.
• Resistant starch, the type of fibre found in unripe bananas, is a prebiotic or food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
• What’s more, pectin (a fiber found in both ripe and unripe bananas) helps with bowel regularity and stools consistency.
• Many people eat bananas, not only for their taste, but for benefits to muscles and cramps; this is due to the magnesium and potassium electrolyte content of bananas.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• 1 heaped tablespoon buckwheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Vanilla or ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
• Butter or olive oil for frying pan

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, mash the banana well with a fork. 
2. Add the egg and whisk together until incorporated. 
3. Add in the buckwheat flour and baking powder, and vanilla or cinnamon if using, and whisk until well mixed.
4. Heat a frying pan over low/medium heat. Drizzle with a little olive oil or a swipe of butter and dollop in the mixture to make a pancake of your desired size. 
5. Cook over low/medium heat for a few minutes, until the edges of the pancake have just set. 
6. Note: If using a very ripe banana, turn the heat a little lower and keep a close eye on the pancakes while cooking. The more ripe your banana, the easier it is for the pancakes to darken quickly due to the natural sugars.
7. Slide a spatula underneath the edge of the pancake and flip carefully as the pancake will be quite delicate. Or try your hand at flipping!
8. Cook on the remaining side for another minute or two, or until the pancake has puffed up and is golden on both sides. 
9. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Serves 1.
Adjust the ingredients to accommodate for the number of people or servings you require. Enjoy!