I find my choice of meals greatly influenced by the weather, not just the seasons. This morning was a bright sunny sky with just a few clouds scudding by, but it was of course still October. There was a very gentle breeze, but not enough to require a jacket, and the sun felt quite warm when it was direct. One would be forgiven for thinking it was a warm day in mid-May.

My seasonal stomach, however, is very much in ‘stock up for winter’ mode, and I’m craving breakfasts that set me up for arduous days ahead. I need to be filled up with porridge, but I’m also in the mood for summery pancakes. Solution – pancakes made with oats, sweet tropical caramlised banana, and a dollop of creamy, protein-rich skyr yogurt.

Cinnamon Oat Pancakes with Caramelised Banana & Skyr Yogurt

Makes 6 pancakes (enough for 1-2 people)
Prep time 10-15mins. Cook time 10-15mins.

Ingredients

100g Porridge Oats
1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
Pinch of Sea Salt
2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
100ml Milk or Oat Milk
1 Medium Egg
Half a Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Ripe Banana (sliced)
1 Teaspoon of Butter

Heaped Tablespoon of Skyr to serve

Method

  1. Add the oats, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon into a food processor. Blitz it all up until the dry mix resembles a coarse flour. You can’t really over-blend it, so don’t worry too much.
  2. While the dry mix is blending, lightly whisk together your milk, egg, and vanilla. Once the dry mix is ready, pour in the wet mixture and blend until a uniform consistency is achieved.
  3. Bring a non-stick frying pan to a moderate heat, and ad a little sunflower oil. Stir the mixture well to avoid any heavy oatmeal sinking, then pour a couple of rounds into the pan, approximately 7cm/3 inches in diameter. Leave them to cook for a minute or so until set on the first side, before gently flipping them over with a spatula/turner. Another minute or two on this side and they should be a very light golden brown. Set them out onto a plate, and repeat with the rest of the mixture.
  4. Once the pancakes are ready, you can use the same pan for the bananas. Add the butter and keep the heat moderate. Once melted, spread the butter around the pan evenly, then place in the sliced of banana. After about 1 minute, the edges should start to darken. Gently turn the slices over, taking care to avoid mashing them up. Another minute on the other side, and they’re done.
  5. Plate up your stack of pancakes with the warm banana and a generous dollop of skyr. This high-protein yogurt will help keep you fuller for longer, and balanced out the carbs and fat in the rest of the meal, making for a healthy breakfast.

TIP: You can get skyr in various flavours too, or you can mix it with your own additions to bring more to this simple dish. Try it wih honey, seeds, chopped berries or even dried fruit.