I cannot remember the last time I had pancakes for breakfast. My diet and work mean that the floury, wheaty, and sugary stacks of deliciousness aren’t the best food choice for me. In the past I have also tried other healthy versions which just never hit the spot for me. They were a sorely missed food group, that I am now elated to have back in my life. The idea for these pancakes came to me while scrolling through recipes for coconut birthday cakes, and immediately the pancake-craving section of my brain started to send messages to it’s neighbours. The almond meal in these pancakes keep it moist, while the egg whites and coconut flour make them light and fluffy. They make a decadent yet healthy breakfast, and I say, the more butter the better! (Provided it’s grass fed butter).

Coconut and Almond Meal Protein Pancakes

You will need:
1/3 cup coconut flour (or desiccated coconut that has been ground in a spice grinder)
1/3 cup almond meal (or almonds ground in a spice grinder until fine)
2tbsp grass fed whey protein concentrate (or just replace with more coconut flour if you don’t have any)
3 free range eggs, separated
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut milk (I use organic additive free coconut milk)

butter for frying and serving (I use grass fed)
raw honey / maple syrup / coconut sugar for serving
fresh strawberries (optional)

Combine the flour, salt, and meal with the whey protein in a mixing bowl. Whisk to break up any lumps. Add the egg yolks and coconut milk to the dry ingredients and mix together with the whisk until there are no lumps. (The easiest way to achieve this is by making a well in the centre of the flour and adding the wet ingredients into the well). In another bowl with a clean whisk or beater, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold it into the wet mixture by thirds. The first third can be mixed in roughly, then the following two thirds should be carefully folded to make sure the batter remains airy.

Preheat the oven to 50C. In a large frying pan, heat a knob of butter on a low to medium heat. Spoon the mixture onto the pan, making sure there is plenty of space in between each pancake or pikelet (depending on how big you want them!) When the liquidy tops of the pancakes are firm, flip the pancakes over. Once fully cooked, put the pancakes on a large plate and keep in the oven until you are ready to serve.

Serve with a generous knob of butter, sweet syrup of choice, and strawberries on the side.