The ultimate, post-run coconut and banana pancakes

They’ll be ready in 12 minutes.

By Sam Murphy

These indulgent pancakes make for a perfect post-run brunch or perhaps a hearty pudding for special occasions. They are quick and easy to prepare – you can even blend all the ingredients in a food processor. Banana is a natural sweetener, so there’s no need to add sugar, and the almonds and pecans pump up the protein power, giving a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein – which is perfect for recovery purposes.

Why is it a great recipe for runners?

Bananas: A great food for refuelling – bananas are packed with carbohydrates and they’re rich in potassium, fibre and vitamins C and B6, which is needed for protein metabolism.

Pecans: Pecans are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and high in vitamin E, an antioxidant. They are also a good source of manganese, a mineral that plays a role in bone health.

Coconut: While it’s true that coconut is high in saturated fat, it is mostly lauric acid, a medium-chain-triglyceride that raises levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and also has antibacterial properties.

Per serving: 520 calories, 35g carbohydrate, 12g protein, 36g fat, 10g fibre

Recipe from: The Paleo Diet Made Easy Cookbook by Joy Skipper 

Yields:

2 serving(s)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

7 mins

Total Time:

12 mins

Cal/Serv:

520

Ingredients

• 2 Bananas 
• 45 g Ground Almonds
• 15 g Desiccated Coconut 
• 1 Medium egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. Non-Dairy Milk (use dairy milk if you prefer it)
• Olive oil for frying 
• 1 Tbsp. Chopped Pecan Nuts 
• 1 Tbsp. Honey

Directions

• 1. Mash one of the bananas in a bowl and stir in the ground almonds and coconut.
  2. Beat in the egg, adding enough milk to the mix to make a think batter (you may need slightly more than 1 tablespoon). 
  3. Head the oil in a large frying pan and place four spoonfuls of the batter in the pan, keeping them separate. 
  4. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden underneath, and then flip over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes on the other side. 
  5. Slice the other banana and serve on top of the pancakes, sprinkled with the chopped pecans and a drizzle of honey.