Pancake Day at school? No problem.
Eating differently than the rest is not always easy. Especially for a child who wants to fit in and not stand out. Shoving down junk seems to be the norm these days. Parents either brainwashed or blindfolded by the Food Industry that their colourful, animal shaped stuff (with unpronounceable ingredients) is good or they are just simply too busy to do the cooking by themselves. Life is busy, everything is time consuming, we rush from one place to the other, we swim against the tide, we prioritise, and cooking seems to come last on our list. It is convenient to open a packet or a can, a bag or a box of something and voilà breakfast, lunch or dinner is served. Smart, right? No, sadly no. Disorders, chronic conditions, behavioural issues are seem to be the norm too. Time to do something about it other than gobble down pills. There is no magic-pill. WE need to work on it, WE have to fight for it, WE need to change in order to see change because WE are in charge. I have changed, I lead by example, and hopefully this will be enough to nudge parents around me to take charge, look into what they put on the table and stay far away from the convenience-driven system.
My priority is my family’s health and well-being, sometimes too much. It can be demanding and overwhelming now and then and can take a lot of time and energy to put made-from-scratch meals and snacks on the table every single day. I chose this path and I shall follow and see where it leads. I just hope that one day my child will thank me for all my efforts, and all this endeavour will lay a solid foundation for healthy eating habits. We learn so many things from our parents and grandparents. I was fed very little factory-made-food, those were the rare occasions. I guess, I was lucky that my parents valued home-cooked-meals. I want to pass this value on, and the skills and confidence to prepare my meals.
Everywhere I turn I see sweets, biscuits, cakes, chocolate in abundance, and the school is no exceptions. Kids are rewarded with sweets. Why is that? Why does a child need to have pudding every single day after lunch? Why does it have to be sticky toffee pudding, jam sponge or fudge tart? What’s wrong with simple treats, like baked apple or pear, roasted sweet potato or a simple sweet potato pudding, oaty bars, a fruit salad (there is always something in season), a pear compote, a fruit lolly (with plenty of options and colours), even baked bananas are better than cakes. We are raising a sugar-junkie generation. Why has to be a pudding at every lunch anyway?
Why is all this introductory to a pancake recipe? I guess, I want to be proactive about the situation that we are in, most of us not even recognising the impact of it.
Today is Pancake Day and the school is offering pancakes, so while the breakfast (steamed haddock with carrot linguine) was getting ready I made a small batch of our favourite no-gluten, no-dairy and no-sugar recipe and packed some for lunch. It is very rear that I pack dessert for SCHOOL LUNCH. Usually there is a small amount of fruit which is eaten at the beginning of the meal for quicker digestion.
(makes 10 pancakes, made in a 15 cm diameter pan):
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1 tbsp. chia seeds
a good pinch of sea salt
a good pinch of bicarbonate of soda
1 M egg
200 ml coconut milk (I have used Rude Health Coconut Drink)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. coconut oil
+ 1 tsp. coconut oil, to cook the 10 pancakes
1. Mix the dry ingredients together (I like to use a tall glass container here) and in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients together.
2. Slowly add the flour mix to the egg-milk-oil mix while constantly mixing to get the batter smooth. Let is stand for 8-10 mins.
3. With a brush oil the pan thinly then pour in some batter (1/3 of a ladle).
4. Cook on medium-low heat until nice and golden then turn, and cook for a minute or two on the other side as well.
5. Put the cooked ones on a plate and cover with another to keep them warm and moist, so they can be rolled or folded.
6. Enjoy your pancakes with your favourite toppings. We like them with chocolate avocado spread, warm berry compote, maple syrup or jam (Fruit Tree).
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