BANANA PANCAKES WITH SPICED APPLE RINGS
Adding mashed banana to this pancake batter adds a glorious sweetness, as well as blood-pressure-lowering potassium. Make the pancakes small so they stay moist.
MAKES 6 PANCAKES
Ingredients
50g (13⁄4oz) wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ripe banana
1 egg, beaten
60ml (4 tbsp) skimmed milk
2 sweet apples
1–2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp mild olive oil
200g (7oz) fat-free plain yogurt, to serve
40g (11⁄4oz) unsalted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve
1 In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Use a fork to mash the banana to a pulp, before adding it into the bowl along with the egg. Mix everything together and then incorporate the milk gradually, whisking well to give a smooth and lump-free batter. Set aside.
2 Core the apples and, leaving the skins on, slice them into rings 1cm (1/2in) thick. Dust each ring with a little ground nutmeg.
3 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the apple rings, laying them flat on the base of the pan so that they brown evenly. Cook them for 1–2 minutes, and then use a spatula to flip them and cook the other sides. When done, transfer them to a plate and keep them warm.
4 Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add one ladleful of batter into the pan to make a small thick pancake, 7.5–10cm (3–4in) in diameter. Cook two or three pancakes at a time in batches, whatever fits easily. Lift and swirl the pan to distribute the oil evenly, then leave it to cook for 2 minutes until bubbles appear on top and it is golden brown underneath. Flip over and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until the second side is cooked. Keep warm while you cook the rest.
5 Pile three pancakes onto each serving plate with the warm apple rings stacked between them. Serve warm, with a good dollop of yogurt, a sprinkling of pistachios, and lemon wedges.
NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 489 Total fat 24.2g Saturated fat 4.1g Carbohydrates 55.2g Dietary fibre 6.9g Sugars 32.5g Protein 18.1g Salt 0.9g
Smart swaps
• Swap the skimmed milk for unsweetened almond milk – choose one that’s fortified with calcium to ensure it remains a bone-friendly choice.
• For a boost in vitamin C, swap the apple rings for raspberries, scattering a few onto the pancakes as the first side is cooking in the pan. When the pancakes are golden on one side, flip them over and lightly cook on the second side.
NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW
If you have a sweet tooth, opt for ripe bananas. The riper a banana is, the sweeter it tends to be as more of its resistant starch is transformed into natural sugars. Ripe bananas also have higher antioxidant levels.