Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes

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This recipe comes courtesy of my aunt who is gluten, dairy and processed sugar free. It’s her favourite breakfast of the moment topped some seasonal fruit and is even popular with her husband and teenage kids – who like them drizzled with maple syrup.

Buckwheat is a wonderful grain substitute with a whole host of health promoting properties. It’s relatively high in protein and contains all eight essential amino acids making it a good option for vegetarians.

Evidence suggests that regular consumption of buckwheat can help lower the risk of developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol (precursors to heart disease), thanks to the presence of a number of powerful flavonoids including rutin.

Regular consumption of buckwheat has also been linked to the reduction of type 2 diabetes according to an extensive Canadian research study published in 2003.

Raw cacao is one of the most nutrient rich foods on earth with the highest antioxidant concentration of any food in nature (thanks also to its high flavonoid content). Coconut flour is high in fibre and cinnamon provides both a subtle flavour enhancement and has also been linked to lowering blood sugar in people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Ingredients

  • Half a cup / 70g / 2.5 oz  buckwheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • Stevia (equivalent to 2 teaspoons of sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 egg
  • ~ 4 teaspoons coconut oil or other oil for greasing

Method

  1. Sift all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl
  2. Stir in the almond milk until completely mixed
  3. Beat in the egg until the batter is smooth
  4. Heat a small frying pan to a medium-high heat
  5. Add add a teaspoon of coconut oil to grease the frying pan
  6. Pour in a quarter of the batter
  7. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is sufficiently cooked that you can flip the pancake
  8. Cook the second side for approximately 3 minutes
  9. Remove from the pan and repeat the process for the remaining 3 pancakes
  10. Serve with fresh banana and berries, other seasonal fruit or your favourite topping

Serve 2

Makes 4 medium sized pancakes – 2 each

BBQ Steak with BBQ Vegetable Salad

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What better than steak on the BBQ in summer?  Steak with BBQ vegetables of course!

I love this dish as it’s another one that’s quick and easy to make with very little prep time and a relatively short cooking time.

For cooking steak on the BBQ opt for a good quality premium cut – I choose eye fillet, known in the UK as fillet steak and in the US as beef tenderloin. Always choose grass fed and grass finished beef, it tastes better and is much better for the animal and better for the planet.

Beef steak is an excellent source of protein and is high in B12, zinc and iron and the iron is steak is highly absorbable by the body.

BBQ with your favourite vegetables – here I’ve suggested capsicum (belle pepper) and eggplant (aubergine) but zucchini (courgettes) work really well too, as does broccolini drizzled with some chilli oil.

Ingredients

  • 2 x eye fillet steak fillets – approx 150g – 200g / 5.5oz – 7oz each (these instructions are for fillets around 3cm or 1 ¼ inch thick)
  • 1 medium sized eggplant/augergine
  • 1 red capsicum/belle pepper
  • 1 yellow capsicum/belle pepper
  • 80g / 3 oz rocket/arugula
  • 12 cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons good quality balsamic
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. Heat the BBQ to a high heat (for most BBQs you’ll need to allow at least 5 minutes to heat)
  2. Slice the eggplant/aubergine into slices approx 1.5cm or just over half an inch thick and drizzle with a little oil
  3. Cut the capsicum/belle pepper into chucks approx 2cm or ¾ of an inch thick and also drizzle with a little oil
  4. Place on the BBQ – the eggplant will need to cook for approx 10 minutes each side until golden brown. The capsicum will need to cook turning several times for about 12-15 minutes until lightly charred but not too black
  5. Season the steak on both sides and drizzle with a little olive oil olive oil (it should be lightly covered in oil all over)
  6. Place the steak on the BBQ and cook for approx 3 minutes each side then turn and cook for an additional 1.5 minutes each side for a medium-rare steak or an additional or 2-3 minutes each side if you prefer it more cooked.
  7. Remove the steak from the BBQ, cover in foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes
  8. When the vegetables are done, remove from the BBQ
  9. Cut the cherry tomatoes in two and place in a large salad bowl with the rocket/arugala
  10. Mix through half the capsicum/belle peppers and eggplant/aubergine (place the other half in the fridge, it will keep for several days and make a delicious marinated-style vegetable addition to your salads)
  11. Mix 1.5 tablespoons olive oil and 1.5 tablespoons balsamic, drizzle over the salad and mix through well
  12. Serve with the BBQ steak

 

Serves 2