Recovery pancakes

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

These are the best post-workout pancakes on our menu, providing energy, protein, good fat and minerals. You can make the batter the day or evening before, leaving it a jug or bowl in the fridge overnight. And whatever batter is leftover, you can freeze for up to a month.

INGREDIENTS For the pancakes

– 180g flour, such as spelt, buckwheat, white or pastry flour, or a mix of flours, just not self-raising

– 1 tsp baking powder

– 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

– ½-1½ tsp caster sugar (depending on your sweet sensibility)

– 225ml buttermilk (or kefir)

– 2 eggs, separated

– 100g melted, cooled butter, plus more butter for greasing the pan

To serve

– almond butter (I like Pip & Nut’s)

– sliced banana

– your favourite granola, ideally one with a good nutty crunch

– chopped dried apricot

– pure maple syrup

– a little icing sugar

– 4 mint leaves

METHOD

Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk (or kefir) and egg yolks.

Mix the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients using a spatula and making circular movements around the bowl to fold them in. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients have been absorbed; the mixture should be lumpy.

Add the cooled melted butter to the mixture and fold it in slowly with a spatula until it has been absorbed.

With a hand mixer in a spotlessly clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then fold these gently into the batter.

Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan set over a medium heat. Add a small ladleful of the batter for each pancake, cooking them in batches. When the underside is golden and the top has lost its liquidity, flip each pancake over and cook for another four minutes or so, until both sides are golden brown.

Repeat with the rest of the batter; it should make eight pancakes.

To serve, sandwich two hot pancakes together with a spread of almond butter (it will soften instantly) and some banana slices, and top with more almond butter, banana, a sprinkle of granola and the chopped apricot. Drizzle generously with maple syrup, then dust with a little icing sugar and garnish with a mint leaf.