Jump to: How to make pancakes healthy | Blueberry oatmeal pancakes | Apple cinnamon pancakes | Green pancakes | Fluffy American pancakes | Chocolate chip skillet pancake
Pancakes are typically considered a ‘treat’ and something for the odd occasion. In the UK, we have an entire day known as Pancake Day where the whole country enjoys the indulgence of piles upon piles of pancakes, often caked in sugar and syrup.
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How to make pancakes healthy
While traditional pancake recipes – often rich in refined carbohydrates, sugar, and vegetable oils – might not be the best everyday recipes if you want to improve your health.
At Second Nature, we believe that you should be able to enjoy your favourite foods regularly. We’ve found that the more you enjoy your food, the more likely you are to maintain your healthy habits in the long term.
So we’ve developed five delicious and healthy pancake recipes that you can add to your meal plans any day of the week.
If you’d like to learn how you can eat your favourite foods and maintain a healthy weight, you can try our programme and pay what you like for the first 14 days. All you need to do to start is take our health quiz here.
Now, onto the good stuff.
1) Blueberry oatmeal pancakes
Prep and cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 4 (8 pancakes)
Ingredients
2 bananas
100g of oats
3 large eggs
100g of blueberries
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
Halve the ingredients if you’re after a single stack. You can also use a fork to mash the ingredients.
Method
Using a blender or food processor, blend the bananas and eggs, followed by the oats and salt, until well-combined.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a bit of butter.
Pour batter into the pan to the desired size, aiming for pancakes about 1cm thick.
Add blueberries straight away to the top side of the batter in the pan.
Once bubbles begin to form on the top, flip with a spatula.
Cook until both sides are golden brown.
Repeat until the remaining batter is used up. Stack and serve with a dollop of greek yoghurt and any leftover berries.
Second Nature Special Tip:
Of course, you can switch up the fruit or even add some stewed fruit compote. Cottage cheese is also a good option if you’re looking for some added protein.
2) Apple cinnamon pancakes
Prep and cooking time: 20mins
Serves: 4
*Freezable
Ingredients
140g apple puree
3 medium eggs
70g rolled oats
1½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter
1 large pink lady apple
250g plain natural or Greek yoghurt (optional)
60g pistachio nuts, finely diced (optional)
Method
If you have a blender, blend the apple puree, eggs, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and ¼ tsp of salt until smooth. If not, use a spoon to combine the ingredients until smooth.
Add 1 tbsp butter, ½ tsp of cinnamon, and the finely diced pink lady apple to a small saucepan, over medium heat. Cook for 5mins, or until softened and starting to caramelise. Set aside and cook the pancakes.
Heat ⅓ tbsp of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. It should melt quickly but make sure it doesn’t brown.
Pour the batter into the pan to desired size (approx. 10cm), roughly 1cm thick for each pancake. You can probably fit 2 in a pan at a time.
When bubbles start forming on the top, flip with a spatula. Reduce heat slightly and cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat until all batter is used up.
Top with yoghurt, nut butter, stewed apples, and sprinkle with nuts.
3) Green pancakes
Prep and cooking time: 20mins
Serves: 2
*Freezable
Ingredients
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g baby spinach leaves
2 small eggs
60g plain natural or Greek yoghurt
80g ground almonds (almond flour)
40g rolled oats
1 tsp ground hot paprika (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder or 1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp baking powder
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
30-50g feta cheese, crumbled
Method
In a blender, combine the spinach, egg, and yoghurt. Blend until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients (ground almonds, oats, paprika, garlic powder, and baking powder) to the blender. Season generously with salt and pepper, and blend until completely smooth.
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over low-medium heat. Fry 2 pancakes at a time, flipping once or twice. Flip the pancakes when you start to see 1-2 bubbles forming on the uncooked top side.
Cook for 4-5mins in total, using ½ tbsp oil per 2 pancakes. The batch should make 8 small/medium or 4 large pancakes.
Top with a sprinkle of feta and spring onions.
4) Fluffy American pancakes
Prep and cooking time: 25mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 large courgette, grated
120g wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
200ml milk
200g plain natural or Greek yoghurt
320g fresh or frozen berries
Method
Whisk together the courgette, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, egg, and milk in a mixing bowl until smooth.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. You shouldn’t need any oil or butter, but if your pan tends to stick, add 1 tsp coconut oil or butter per pancake.
Scoop out a heaped dessert spoon of batter at a time and place in the pan, gently spread out to a saucer-sized circle.
Cook for 2mins, until bubbles have formed on the top and then flip with a spatula. Cook for 1min, then remove from the pan and put on a plate.
Repeat with the remaining batter. The batter should make roughly 8 medium-sized pancakes (2 per person). Serve the pancakes with a few spoonfuls of greek yoghurt and berries.
Second Nature special tip:
These pancakes are also delicious, served with our hot stewed fruit. Don’t be put off by the courgette, in true Second Nature fashion; we like to sneak nutrients into every recipe! We promise you can’t taste it.
5) Chocolate chip skillet pancake
Prep and cooking time: 30mins
Serves: 6
*Freezable
Ingredients
120g ground almonds (almond flour)
80g porridge oats
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 small eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
175ml milk
50g 85% chocolate, roughly chopped
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter
Method
Preheat the grill oven. Mix the ground almonds, oats, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, until well combined.
Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Add the vanilla to the milk and slowly pour it into the mixture to reduce the chance of lumps.
Fold in the chocolate and baking powder.
If you prefer to cook the pancakes individually, divide the butter into tsp portions and heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tsp butter until just melted.
Add a small ladle of the mixture to the pan over medium heat. Flip when bubbles are forming on the top of the pancake.
If using a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet until just melted.
Add the entire mixture to the skillet over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to cook for 5-8mins, then reduce the heat to low to avoid burning the base of the pancake. Cook for a further 8-10mins.
Pop the skillet in the oven under the grill to brown the top for 5-8mins.
Serve with sliced bananas and peanut butter.
Click here if you’d like an NHS-trusted meal plan from Second Nature.
