It's Pancake Time!

And it's not a day to be ignored! Who doesn't love a fluffy pancake topped with all sorts of goodies?

I have been using chickpea flour (gram flour) for a while now. It has a lot going for it - it's a rich source of fibre and protein, offers good levels of calcium and magnesium (great for the bones), potassium (good for the heart), selenium and iron (good for protecting us against disease), B vitamins (energy-givers), is gluten-free and best of all, is well-tasty and makes great pancakes!

Many cultures claim to have 'invented' the chickpea pancake but as ever, the Italians like to claim the edge! The story goes that they were created aboard a shipwreck by Genoese sailors, where the only foods to survive a fearsome storm were chickpeas and olive oil so they mixed them with sea water, flattened the resulting dough, allowed it to dry on the deck in the sun and their version (farinata) was born.

I use Yottam Ottolenghi's recipe which makes 12 delightfully light and fluffy pancakes (the man just never disappoints!)
Put 100g gram flour (readily available in Indian and Middle Eastern stores), 4g (half a sachet) of 'fast action' yeast and ½ teaspoon of caster sugar in a large bowl with a good pinch of salt. Add 1 small beaten egg and 100ml water and whisk until you have a very smooth batter. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for an hour until it has doubled in size then add ½ teaspoon of baking powder, mix well and set aside, covered for another 10 minutes (you can do all this beforehand so you are good to go when it's pancake time).

Put a heavy-bottomed frying pan on a medium heat and add a tablespoon of light olive oil. Once hot, put three or four heaped dessertspoons of the batter into the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side or until the pancakes have risen to about 1.5cm in height and are light, fluffy and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside while you make the rest of the pancakes, adding more oil with each batch.

You can serve them with all kinds of savoury and sweet toppings but I think this year I am going to go with blogger Allyson at Reclaiming Yesterday's suggestion of creamy natural yoghurt and frozen or fresh blueberries lightly 'stewed' with water and honey - her image (below) just screams 'Pancake Day deliciousness'!

I Don't Like Mondays and I Don't Do Breakfast!

How often have you read or heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? And yet most days, the last thing on your mind first thing in the morning is food! Are you risking your health? Are you setting yourself up for likely weight gain? Time for some informed clarification!

Yes, there are a number of studies out there that indicate that those who took part in various experiments and had breakfast every morning were less hungry throughout the day and therefore ate less than those who body swerved breakfast BUT - and it’s a rather big BUT - there are equally many studies that indicate that breakfast-skippers don’t eat more during the remainder of the day and don’t gain weight.

The most important advice I wish to pass on here is that it has a great deal to do with the following:

what you ate yesterday (particularly later in the day)

how hungry you are first thing in the morning

how the day ahead looks

If you can’t force down anything other than a cup of tea or coffee or perhaps some fruit juice first thing in the morning but know that you are going to have time for a nourishing mid morning snack, go for it. However, if your morning is likely to be full-on with little chance of any nourishment until lunchtime, a bit of goodly nourishment - whether it be first thing, on your way to work or once you get there - IS A MUST.

The biochemical reasoning behind this advice is that if you wait until the level of glucose in your bloodstream takes a dive, not only will you begin to feel a bit lightheaded and (god forbid) be a bit ratty with friends, family or work colleagues but you also run the risk of possibly grabbing and hoovering down the kind of quick-fix snack that will likely do little other than keep you going for an hour or so and probably add rather more than you wish to your fat stores!

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juices and smoothies

ham'n'eggs

fruity oaty breakfast bake

crisp breads

overnight muesli

salmon kedgeree

If you are following one of my diets that champion 3 meals a day with no snacks, breakfast is important and as long as you plan ahead, there are plenty of protein and fat-rich choices that you can either have before you go out the door or as soon as you feel hungry during the morning.

If you prefer my small meals and snacks throughout the day diet options, it's simply a matter of fitting your first meal/snack into your morning when hunger beckons. The only warning here is that you should avoid waiting until an energy dip starts to overwhelm you - be ahead of the game and all will be well!

the images above are some of my top-notch early to mid morning recommendations - and you can find them all on my recipe page

Street Parties, Gallons of Guinness and A Good Chance of a Hangover!

Whether you are celebrating today or over the weekend, St Patrick’s Day events tend to involve perhaps a little too much alcohol! Here are a few of my protein and fat-rich recipes that do a grand job of slowing down the absorption of alcohol into the blood stream plus a few helpful tips which, with a bit of Irish luck will minimise the suffering!

• Feast before you head out

• Aim to match every drink with a large glass of water.

• Make a point of having a snack (and more water) before bed.

Poached Egg Special

Mediterranean Rice Bake

Crisp Bread with Salmon, Cottage Cheese and Courgette