I love Pancake Day. Every Pancake Day, I always try making something new and rarely make the same thing twice. This year, I wanted to create a higher protein pancake that could be enjoyed not just on Pancake Day but all year round. I’m a firm believer that you should eat whatever you like on Pancake Day - it’s just one day. My ethos is all about optimising the 80-90% in the diet and worrying less about the rest. Even if you’re TTC! But I still like to challenge myself to make healthier pancakes. These ones are lower in gluten, higher protein, lower sugar and much more filling than your bog standard scotch pancakes. And they’re delicious.

Let me break down the reasons why these are nutritionally better than your average scotch pancake:

Einkorn is an ancient grain - i.e. what grains used to be like before they were genetically modified. Einkorn is much more nutritious, higher in protein and lower in gluten than modern forms of wheat
Ricotta is a high protein cheese. Adding extra protein to the pancake makes them more filling and helps keep blood sugar more balanced, supporting energy levels, fertility and reducing cravings later in the day
This recipe uses 3 eggs, compared to most pancake recipes which normally contain only 1 egg. Again, this adds more protein, supporting blood sugar and satiety
The addition of vanilla may help you with adding less sweetener to the dish - vanilla tricks the brain into thinking something’s sweeter than it actually is. The pinch of salt also brings out natural sweetness in the pancake

So, I hope you enjoy these!

Serves 3-4

Topping ideas:

Ingredients:

Softened berries (soften in a saucepan. You can add a touch of vanilla if you like)
Maple syrup
Good quality bacon
Greek yoghurt
More lemon zest
Cinnamon

250g ricotta
1tbsp coconut sugar, or another sugar
3 large eggs, egg & yolk separated
1 lemon, zested
2tbsp melted butter
55g einkorn flour (or another flour)
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla paste / extract (optional
Pinch of salt

Method:

Combine the ricotta, sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl and mix together
Stir in the lemon zest, melted butter and vanilla, if using
Stir through the flour, baking powder and salt
Whisk the egg whites in a separate large bowl until you get some stiff peaks
Gently fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture
Heat a little butter in a frying pan under a medium heat. Once melted and hot, spoon some pancake mixture into the pan. Flip once it’s golden on the bottom and holding firm
Serve with your toppings of choice!