Pancakes with yogurt berry ice
With lots of colds and infections going around, including berries in these types of recipes is a great hack for getting in your 5-a-day.
It comes as a new study published in the Clinical Nutrition ESPEN journal concluded that vitamin C-rich berries provide a range of polyphenols including anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Polyphenols are known to have antimicrobial properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. The study authors go on to explain that berries such as blueberries and raspberries have proven efficacy against certain viral infections.
These findings indicate that mixing the type of berries eaten from day-to-day – for example, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries – could help people, including children, get the most benefit.
Dr Emma Derbyshire, Public Health Nutritionist and adviser to British Berry Growers commented: “Winter is upon us, bringing with it a flurry of colds and viruses. Children tend to be particularly susceptible as their immunity is only just starting to build and they typically learn and play in close circles.
“Incorporating fresh fruits into their diets, such as berries, is a great way to boost children’s vitamin C intake and benefit from the antimicrobial and anti-viral properties that berries are increasingly becoming known for.”
All kids love pancakes and they can be a great way to encourage them to eat more fruit.
Serves 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
100g (4oz) plain flour 1 egg 1 egg yolk 1 tsp sunflower oil plus extra for frying 250ml (9 fl oz) milk 250g (9oz) strawberries, hulled and sliced 175g (6oz) fresh strawberries 100g (4oz) blueberries 8 scoops yoghurt berry ice (see recipe below) A little sifted icing sugar to decorate
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the whole egg, egg yolk and teaspoon of oil. Gradually whisk the milk in until smooth. Leave to stand for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan with a base of about 18cm (7 in) across, pour the excess oil into a cup and pour in about 2-3 large spoonfuls of pancake batter, tilting the pan to coat the base evenly and thinly. Cook for a minute or two until the base is golden brown. Loosen the edges with a palette knife and flip. Cook the second side in the same way and then slide out on to a plate, keeping it hot while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
3. Arrange the pancakes on serving plates, top with the berries and scoops of yoghurt berry ice and serve immediately. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar.
