Healthy pancake recipes for your diet

A pancake for everyone

Pancakes are easy and incredibly versatile by design. They are associated with Shrove Tuesday - the day preceding Lent in the Christian calendar - because pancakes are an easy and delicious way to use up all sorts of basic and rich foods ahead of the traditional Christian fasting period.

Traditionally, the idea was that you could use up many common household ingredients - such as milk, sugar, and eggs - in one go, adjusting the pancake recipe depending on the contents of your cupboards.

These days, many of us enjoy the indulgent perks of Shrove Tuesday - often called Pancake Day - without the restrictions of Lent. In other words, we like to have our pancake and eat it too.

In the spirit of the ever-adaptable pancake recipe, we're sharing five healthy pancake recipes to suit six special diets - high-protein, keto, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. The best part? They're all easy peasy lemon squeezy.

1. Protein pancakes - with cottage cheese

High protein because: contains cottage cheese, rolled oats, and eggs.

Also suits diets: gluten-free, vegetarian.

Protein cottage cheese pancakes

Interested in toning and building muscle? There's no need to skip your Pancake Day treat with this hearty and wholesome protein healthy pancake recipe. The cottage cheese and eggs provide a good dose of protein, which is essential in the repair, maintenance, and growth of muscles.

By incorporating caramelised onions into the batter, it creates a dish that is light in texture without sacrificing flavour. Best served warm out of the pan, the recipe recommends pairing them with a dollop of soured cream or a handful of fresh chives.

Get the cottage cheese pancake recipe here

2. Keto pancakes - French crêpe style

Keto because: swaps wheat flour for low-carb coconut flour.

Also suits diets: gluten-free, vegetarian.

Keto French crêpes

The keto diet (ketogenic diet) is a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich eating plan that may help some people manage health conditions, including epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These special low-carb keto pancakes are thin, delicate, and beautifully classic when paired with whipped cream and fresh berries.

The low-carb coconut flour is a great alternative to white wheat flour - restricted in the keto diet - and is also packed full of fibre to support your heart health and digestion. We recommend topping with whipped cream to add to the keto fat-rich ratio, and berries for tartness, sweetness, and a dose of healthy antioxidants and vitamins.

Get the French crepe recipe here

3. Diabetes-friendly pancakes - cheddar and leek

Diabetes-friendly because: it's low-fat, low-sugar, and swaps white flour for wholemeal flour.

Also suits diets: vegetarian.

Cheddar and leek pancakes

Who says pancakes should be sweet? While there are also diabetes-friendly pancake recipes for the sweet-toothed, this savoury cheddar and leek healthy pancake recipe makes for a delightfully moreish Pancake Day healthy breakfast or lunch.

What makes this cheesy delight a diabetes-friendly pancake? For starters, it's almost sugar free and relatively low-fat for a pancake, making it a healthier choice for people with type 2 diabetes who are aiming for healthy weight loss.

The recipe also uses wholemeal flour instead of white flour - a wholegrain which can be better for managing blood sugar levels than refined grains.

Diabetes UK has more simple switches you can make for diabetes-friendly pancakes here.

Get this cheddar and leek pancake recipe here

4. Gluten and dairy-free pancakes - banana batter

Gluten and dairy-free because: swaps flour and milk for a banana and egg batter.

Also suits diets: vegetarian, keto.

Banana pancakes

When it comes to healthy pancake recipes, it doesn't get much simpler and more satisfying than this. The genius of this recipe lies in the two-ingredient banana and egg batter. Not only does this mix replace flour and milk - making it suitable for coeliacs, people with gluten sensitivity, and people with lactose intolerance - but also provides one of your five a day.

Bananas are high in fibre, good for your digestion, and a great source of potassium, which supports your muscles and nerves. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and your choose of toppings to inject even more flavour into these fluffy and sweet treats.

Get the banana pancake recipe here

5. Vegan pancakes - build your own

Vegan because: swaps egg and dairy milk for plant-based liquids.

Also suits diets: vegetarian, dairy-free.

Whole wheat pancakes

These vegan blueberry pancakes use a combination of whole-grain spelt flour, oat bran, and wheat bran to give a satisfying texture and deep, nutty flavour. For the liquid, it recommends soya milk or a rice and soya milk blend.

Fresh or frozen blueberries are added to the batter when cooking, with added fresh blueberries for serving and maple syrup as sweetener.

Get the vegan pancake recipe here