Foodie Friday: Thick & Fluffy American-Style Buckwheat Pancakes With Chopped Dates, Hazelnuts & Maple Syrup (Vegetarian / Gluten-Free recipe)

American-style Pancakes are not known for being healthy and are usually depicted with masses of greasy fried bacon and glugs of maple syrup. For a more nutritious approach to this breakfast favourite, I have this delicious alternative recipe that you can try this weekend, and don't worry, I've still included some maple syrup!

One of the easiest ways to instantly make any bread, cake or pancake recipe healthier is to swap the often used refined white flour for a more nutrient-packed wholegrain variant. I love using Buckwheat Flour and it works particularly well to create these moreish American-style Pancakes which have a thick and fluffy texture that makes them perfect for stacking and majorly satisfying to dig into. 

Switching to Buckwheat Flour also makes these Pancakes low-GI and gluten-free, and with the addition of a little Ground Ginger and Cinnamon, they are even more flavourful and interesting than their white flour-based opponents, meaning that you don't need to rely on mountains of sugar to get your tastebuds flowing.

I love having toppings on Pancakes, so I've sprinkled over some chopped Dates and Hazelnuts for even more flavour and micronutrients. Finish with a generous drizzle of Maple Syrup (the best quality that you can find/afford) and you have a brunch made in heaven!

Ingredients (serves 2-3 people as mini stacks of pancakes)

• 225g Buckwheat Flour
• 275ml Rice Milk (or you can use Soy, Almond or regular semi-skimmed)
• 1 large organic free-range Egg
• 1 tsp gluten-free Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1-2 tsp of organic Butter
• Pinch of Salt
• Handful of pitted Dates, chopped, to serve
• Handful of Hazelnuts, chopped, to serve
• Maple Syrup, to serve

Method

• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (Buckwheat Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Ground Cinnamon and Ground Ginger), making a well in the centre.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the Egg and Rice Milk, and then slowly pour into the dry bowl, whisking it in until you have a smooth batter.
• Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of Butter. Add the pancake batter mixture (about 2tbsp per pancake) and cook for a few minutes until bubbles appear on the surface and then flip over and cook the other side. 
• Repeat until you've used up all the pancake batter and serve immediately with the chopped Dates and Walnuts with a drizzle of Maple Syrup over the top. Enjoy!

Do you like making pancakes on the weekends?

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