Athletes and staff joined forces this morning to celebrate Pancake Tuesday. The result saw fast, fuss-free and fabulous treats on the menu that were perfect for the post-training peak.
WAIS Sports Dietitian Emily Eaton designed a healthy, nutritious recipe and rallied the troops to kick-start the celebrations.
So why are pancakes a handy breakfast idea we asked?
“Food choices that can tick the boxes of simple, easy, nutritious, tasty and fun to make are magic in my book!” Eaton explained. “I love that they can be made with regular household ingredients such as; bananas, eggs, milk and oats and then served with fresh (or frozen) fruit and yoghurt.”
Why are they so useful post-training?
“They are great for recovery due to the high-nutrient carbohydrate ingredients which include; bananas, oats and a choice of fruit toppings. These all help to refuel glycogen stores, particularly after training,” she said.
“Athletes training 2-3 times a day need to be particularly focused on effective refuelling between sessions to get through their week with enough energy to train hard.”
Are there misconceptions about carbs?
“A high nutrient carbohydrate means there are other nutrients such as fibre, vitamins and minerals being provided by the food, not just carbs/sugar. This means more bang for your buck!”
But wait there’s more!
“The protein content from the eggs, milk, oats and yoghurt is also important for providing essential amino acids to assist with muscle recovery and repair between sessions,” Eaton said.
If you haven’t raced to the pantry already, here’s a handy recipe to help you celebrate your own Pancake Tuesday! But hey, with nutrition this good, why keep it for one day of the year?!
1-2-3-4 BANANA PANCAKES
Makes approx. 6 pancakes (or lots of pikelets!)
- 1 cup rolled oats/quick oats (can blend separately first to form flour)
- 2 bananas (ideally ripe/spotty)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 eggs
1. Blend all ingredients in blender/bullet/Ninja until mixed
2. Add – tsp butter to pan to melt (low to medium heat)
3. Pour in mixture to desired size
4. When starts to bubble, gently flip the pancake and cook for another minute or so – until other side golden brown
5. Repeat steps 2 – 4 with remaining mixture
Serving suggestion!
- Blueberries (frozen/fresh) or sliced fresh strawberries / peaches / nectarines, with a dollop of natural yoghurt, sprinkle of toasted walnuts, and drizzle of maple syrup/honey
