Orange Chocolate Pancakes...

It's been a while since we've had some GLBTK pancakes! Pancakes are awesome... if you're smart about it, you can make incredible pancakes using only ingredients which support your goals. You know what that means? You can have dessert for breakfast AND it can be healthy! I really wish I knew this years ago...

Chocolate & orange is one of my favourite flavour combinations, so it took a whole lot of restraint to wait and take photos!

For the pancakes: 

• 3 eggs 
• 1 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp coconut milk 
• 1 tsp Irish honey
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined and frothy. 

Pour batter into a hot pan with a little melted coconut oil to prevent sticking. 

The pancakes are ready to flip when tiny air bubbles appear on the surface. 

Serve pancakes warm with Greek yoghurt and orange chocolate sauce. 

For the orange chocolate sauce:

• juice of 1/2 a large orange 
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp Irish honey
• 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Bring the orange juice, cocoa, coconut oil & honey to a gentle boil and allow to simmer over a low heat for 2 minutes whilst stirring constantly. 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. (Reserve 1 tbsp of sauce at this point to drizzle over the top of pancakes if desired)

Mix in Greek yoghurt to remaining sauce stirring until just combined. Pour over the warm pancakes. 

To serve:

Top the pancakes with Greek yoghurt, followed by the orange chocolate sauce. Drizzle the reserved chocolate sauce over the top. 

Serve immediately.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes....

It seems like every Tuesday has turned into Pancake Tuesday in my house! I'm not a fan of the word "obsession", but I have an obsession with pancakes lately. Every time I go into the supermarket, there they are... smelling amazing and trying to tempt me. They even have mini pancakes to sample... so it's not even a big one... a small one can't hurt right??.... Realistically, probably not... but I'm super stubborn & grains really make me feel horrible so I'd prefer to make them at home.. 

When I make food like this, it's a meal not a snack... so I think about it in such a way when I'm deciding on ingredients.... the key things it needs.... lots of protein & fats and it has to taste YUM! The empty calories you'll take in from eating junk food don't serve to help your nutrition and health goals.... when I eat, I make sure the calories come from quality foods. 

For the pancakes:

• 2 eggs
• 50g full fat cottage cheese
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp almond flour
• 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Using a hand blender, mix all the ingredients together until frothy & well combined. 

Melt a little coconut oil on a pan and allow the pan to heat up.

Pour large spoonfuls of batter onto the pan. 

Once tiny bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, they are ready to turn. 

These pancakes are really tasty. They're light and chocolatey all at the same time... and the protein 'fluff' ice cream makes them extra tasty! 

Just in case you thought I'd completely succumbed to temptation... I didn't buy caramel sauce in the supermarket! I added 2 tsp of Keen Almond butter to 1 tsp of coconut milk & brought to a boil in a saucepan.... lower heat, stir constantly and watch it thicken into a really tasty sauce! :)