Why do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? You don’t really need an excuse to feast upon the simple, sugary delights of a starch-based batter fried and flipped to perfection, but… Shrove Tuesday is actually a celebration of indulgence. Falling on the eve of Lent, the period when many of us reluctantly agree to forego a guilty pleasure or two for a while, Pancake Tuesday is a day to stock up with sinful treats to see us through our period of penitence. Shrove is a word derived from an ancient term for confession. Well, I confess I love a pancake!
And I’m not alone. We all have a sweet spot on our palate for the classic lemon and sugar combination on a bed of sweet flour and egg simplicity. But there is another way to ‘flip’. Allow us to introduce to you the Sweet Potato Pancake. Just think about it. The fluffy texture perfectly mocks the American-style pancake of Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday). If you can enjoy the sweet taste with an added bonus of numerous health benefits, you’ve got yourself a deal with the devil! And the best part is that they are almost as easy to make as the overpriced, and nutrition-free ‘ready mix’ purchases you have always fallen back on at this time of the year.
Recipe:
-1/2 c mashed sweet potato (measure after mashing)
-2-3 eggs
-1 tbsp coconut flour (you may also use almond flour/buckwheat flour/peanut flour)
-1 tspcinnamon (ginger/nutmeg would also be delicious)
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tspvanilla (almond essence would also work!)
-Coconut oil
Boil or Microwave the Sweet Potato until soft then mash until your hearts content (earn that extra pancake or 5!) Then whisk thoroughly with 2 eggs until you get a smooth consistency. If the mixture is too thick add an extra egg.
Stir in all the remaining ingredients, except the coconut oil.
Melt a teaspoon ofcoconut oil over a medium heat, and spoon roughly 1/4 of a cup of batter into the pan. Cook until firm enough to flip. Flip/Toss/Catapult into the air! Cook for another couple of minutes or so, watching carefully.
Serving Recommendations include;
-Nutbutter- we think almond works best and don’t go lightly. We are talking a big dollop, and if you’re not sure you’ve gone big enough always go bigger.
-Maple Syrup/ Honey/ Agave Syrup for those with an extra sweet tooth.
-Melted dark chocolate for the indulgent. (Add a sprinkle of crushed nuts for added crunch!)
-Extra Cinnamon/Ginger/Nutmeg
-Berries- we find frozen work best, pop them in the microwave with a little honey and you’ve got yourself a homemade coulis.
-Banana, you simply can’t go wrong. Slice it, mush it or even grate it. It all depends on what you plan to hashtag when you post the beauties on Instagram. (We all do it!!)
(P.s if you are partial to a little #foodporn make sure you tag us. We’d love to see your creations! #qfood) Visit our Twitter or Instagram and post yours!
Enjoy!
