Pancake Day with Probiotics

Pancake Day is here! Perhaps you're partial to the classic American style or love a light crepe, but what about something new this year? Experiment with something different and try a vegan recipe with our added secret ingredient - probiotics!

Within this artile:

• Why Pancakes Are Great With Probiotics
• Vegan blueberry pancakes
• Our easy peasy, original recipe
• Pancake Day: All day, every day!

Why Pancakes Are Great With Probiotics

Pancakes and probiotics are a match made in heaven. Plus, they're both at their best first thing in the morning so your gut will be happy in more ways than one on Pancake Day! Simply take your probiotic when you're eating the pancake or leave the pancake to cool slightly and sprinkle with the contents of a probiotics capsule or sachet. Plus it's a great way for kids to get their good bacteria fix in a fun, new way!

Vegan blueberry pancakes

Environmentally-friendly pancakes, perfect for the whole family! Recipe from the always reliable Jamie Oliver...

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 250 ml almond milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 50 g blueberries (plus extra to serve)
• vegetable oil
• soya yoghurt (to serve)
• maple syrup (to serve)

Instructions

1. Whisk together ground flaxseed and 2.5 tablespoons of cold water, then set aside to thicken. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a small pan over a medium eat, then leave to cool slightly.
2. Combine the almond milk and cider vinegar. Add the melted coconut oil, then whisk in the flaxseed mixture.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then make a well in the middle. Gradually pour in the wet mixture, stirring continuously until combined. Fold in the blueberries, then set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a ladleful of the batter to the pan (one is enough for one pancake) then add more ladlefuls of the batter, ensuring they're nicely spaced out. You'll need to do this in batches.
5. Cook for around 2 minutes, or until golden underneath and little bubbles start to appear on the surface. Flip, cook for a further 2 minutes (or until golden). TOP TIP: Place in the oven to keep warm while you make remaining pancakes
6. Serve with a dollop of soya yoghurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, extra blueberries and of course, a sprinkle of your daily probiotics!

Our easy peasy, original recipe

Keep it classic with this healthy stack of pancakes...

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 110 g plain flour (use wholegrain for a healthier option)
• 200 ml milk
• 75 g sparkling water
• pinch of salt
• butter for the frying pan
• garnish of your choice: any combination of fruit; salmon & cream cheese; grilled bacon & maple syrup; grilled bacon & avocado; cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl for about 1 minute or until smooth.
2. In a moderately hot frying pan swirl in a knob of butter until slightly foaming.
3. Place a dollop of the pancake batter in the pan and tip the pan around from side to side to evenly coat it with batter.
4. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface then flip over and cook for another minute.
5. Serve warm with any topping of your choice, plus a probiotic!

Pancake Day: All day, every day!

Here's a quick guide to freezing and reheating your homemade pancakes:

Simply prepare the batter and make your delicious pancakes then once they are fully cooked and cooled you can begin freezing them The best way to freeze them without sticking is to place a layer of baking paper in-between each pancake and layer in a freezer bag, with one bag per portion. That way you can microwave them (20-60 seconds) or in the oven (very low heat - 10 minutes).

Enjoy this article? You might also be interested in:

Do vegans and vegetarians have healthier gut bacteria?
The Food Myth - ‘You can get all the probiotics you need from your diet.’

References

1. 1. Rizzardini, G. et al. (2012) Evaluation of the Immune benefits of two probiotic strains Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 and Lactobacillus paracasei CASEI 431(R) in an influenza vaccination model: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br.J. Nutr. 107:876-84