mulberry and raspberryWild Berry Pancakes

It is mulberry and raspberry season here in my garden and an abundance of berries always calls for creative ideas around how to use the berries in cooking, rather than just gorging on them!

When harvesting we always tend to eat quite a few handfuls of these delicious and super nutrient dense berries straight from the bush. It is hard to resist popping a plump ripe berry straight into your mouth. I tend to get spiked by the raspberry thorns and get blood-like stains from the mulberries, but nonetheless, foraging for wild and tasty foods is always worth the grief!

I have always found pancakes and berries to be a match made in heaven. The sweet and juices berries make a delicious sauce for pancakes which means you really need no sugar in the recipe. Pancakes can be considered a less than healthy option for breakfast, but they can be super healthy with just a little tweak on the recipe. By using eggs, almond flour and plain yoghurt, you have a protein rich pancake that is both low GI and nutrient dense. This berry pancakes recipe is a far cry from the commercial packet pancake mixes which are filled with sugars, refined flours and other additives.

While I use berries for this recipe, you can top the pancakes with any other topping. I also like caramelising some sliced apple with butter, a dash of maple syrup or honey and topping with cinnamon and walnuts. Get creative!

Here is a little video below and get the full recipe at the bottom of this page.

Wild Berry Pancake Recipe

This recipe serves 2 people and makes around 4 medium-large sized pancakes

Berry Pancakes recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 free range eggs
  • 1/2 cup plain organic yoghurt
  • 2/3 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup plain organic flour or gluten freeplain flour if preferred
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1-2 cups of seasonal fresh berries
  • 2 teaspoons of butter
  • optional tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
  • toppings to serve: cinnamon, ricotta, yoghurt, nuts/seeds/granola

 

METHOD

For Pancakes
  • Warm a large silicon / ceramic non-stick frypan over medium high heat.
  • With a stick mixer, blend together the eggs, yoghurt, almond meal, plain flour and baking powder.NB: I like to use a large glass pyrex jug for the mixing, to make pouring the batter easier. You can instead use a blender or just mix by hand with a whisk.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter or coconut oil to the hot pan and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. This step is not always necessary, depending on the quality of your pan. You can also use a piece of paper towel with butter on it to spread over the surface and lightly grease the pan (watch your fingers when pan is hot!)
  • Pour or ladle two-three tablespoons of batter into the pan for each pancake.

NB: Avoid making them too large as they can be harder to flip well.

  • Cook until small bubbles are forming around the edges and then flip and brown on the other side.
  • Place on plate ready to serve and cook the remaining pancakes.
  • When the stack of pancakes is ready, top with warm berry sauce, ricotta or yoghurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon and some crunchy granola or nuts and remaining fresh berries.
For Berry Sauce
  • Melt butter in small saucepan, add 3/4 of berries and drizzle over honey or maple syrup.
  • Cook gently over low heat, stirring occasionally until berries liquefy and the sauce becomes glossy and slightly thickened. Set aside while cooking the berries and reheat if desired before topping the pancakes.

 

For more sustainable recipes and healthy eating tips, visit our website and explore resources from Karen McElroy, Sunshine Coast’s trusted naturopath.