Monday 7 April 2014

Maple-ized: Creamy peanut crumpets (Crump-cakes)

Fat free pancakes.

It sounds like a sin, right?
Well let’s be honest…It is.

Pancakes, by rule, need to be: buttery, soft, fluffy and stacked high in pools of drippy and sweet maple syrup…

So, if you have oodles of time in the morning and an incentive to fry…then by all means skillet ‘em up fresh and fatty.

However, if you are pressed for time but need to satisfy the craving for stacked sweetness, and you happen to have crumpets on hand, then…ta-da!!:

Peanut butter-banana and maple syrup crumpets. 

Welcome to the world of substitution.

Now, these Crump cakes/Panpets (Pancakes – Crumpets ehehe - we need to vote on a name!) aren’t pancakes. I never said they were. I just really wanted pancakes and they were the same shape so….what could actually go wrong with pretending that a crumpet is a pancake?  

When I refined the source of my craving…I realized that what I really wanted was something wheaty, starchy, creamy, buttery and heavy but light all at the same time which I could top with whatever I wanted...such as peanut butter and jelly.

I made do with these and I reckon you could too, just for their own, delicious sake when pancakes feel a bit too naughty for the moment…

Voila.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my fabulous Crump-cakes:



They are shop bought because they are so good and I have no idea how to make them by hand. We buy them over here like we do bread. 
Besides, if I were to cook something then pancakes would have been the first priority anyway…home baking a convenience food is counter-productive. 

They are so great because you can just top them with anything you have a taste for. They are substantial and filling and go well with anything. They are low in saturated fat (though I was considering putting some salted butter under the peanut butter layer but opted out this time around…)

Here’s a quick cross section of the layers pictured:
·         Peanut butter
·         Banana
·         Creamy Greek yogurt
·         Cinnamon
·         Maple syrup
·         Raspberry jam
·         Lotus biscuit spread (amazing though sickly sweet, hence the pea sized scoop)

As I say, they aren’t pancakes.

But, if you are craving pancakes – not for the pancakes themselves…but rather just something sweet, drippy, creamy and personalized…then these are a great substitute which can actually turn into a pretty balanced, healthy + protein rich breakfast (or other main meal).

So, the next time you have the urge to whip up some pancakes but don’t have quite enough time…narrow down your craving: i.e. is it Maple syrup? Is it for wheat? Is it for bananas? Is it for whipped cream? And just chuck whatever you can onto a crump-cake.

I’ve also compiled a list of other fantabulous ideas for the crump-cakes:
·         Butter, eggs, bacon + maple syrup.
·         Butter, maple syrup, banana.
·         Butter, maple syrup + berries & cinnamon.
·         Peanut butter, banana, maple syrup.
·         Nutella, banana + chocolate chip.
·         Yogurt raisins, banana, peanut butter + berries.
·         Caramel biscuit spread + banana.
·         Butter, maple syrup, almonds + granola with a dollop of apple-cinnamon yogurt.
·         Granola clusters, banana, caramel spread.
·         White chocolate spread + strawberry slices.
·         Honey, Greek yogurt, berries + pear & cinnamon.

Go crazy!

Did you know that crumpets and pancakes are made of the same ingredients…only a crumpet is steamed/dry cooked while a pancake is fried - hence the holes and lack of grease? In some places crumpets are known as pikelets.

Even if you don’t fancy the stacking idea…hopefully this post can just remind you of the bliss experienced as one devours a crumpet bathed in golden, salted yellow butter and fruit conserve of the season...

So, what do you think of the crump-cakes idea? Am I completely bonkers or do you think that they may just be the best thing since sliced brepancakes?
I just have this gut feeling that maple syrup has a vocation beyond pancakes and porridge, as amazing as they are…



Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!


xo Tasha. 

All things Breakfast

There is just something so special about breakfast...

Tania says that her peanut butter and banana pancakes on Monday morning helps her to retain the weekend feeling of chill..

Again, a girlfriend of mine highlighted the other day that “Food is the only escape” from the monotonous reality of a day in, studying. It’s not the food itself –rather, it is the distraction, the creativity, the thought + the mindfulness which goes into preparing something nutritious and energizing to eat that makes it such an appealing part of the day…

Cinnamon Greek yogurt banana pancakes with butter & Maple syrup <3



Tell me, at what other time of the day, week or, year is this more seductive than at breakfast?

Sometimes, we wait for the new year or month to have a fresh start. Sometimes we anticipate Monday…or sometimes we just wait for the next day.  A new day to do something right. A new day to embrace that new, clear headed motive that will enhance how we live...

This is where breakfast comes in. Breakfast is the fuel for the start of your new day. Breakfast settles you and gets you up and going by luring you with its sweet/savory appeal. Breakfast likes to do it right. Breakfast lives just for you..

So, if pancakes and maple syrup can convince you that it is actually Saturday and makes you happy; then so be it; If eggs and bacon with croissants and jam fly you to Sunday brunch; then just enjoy. If your peanut butter and jelly or banana concoction persuade you to take a fresh morning run…then it’s definitely working in your favour.

I’ve certainly made no secret of my love affair with these Greek banana and maple syrup buttery pancakes…

And who knew that bread substituted for oaties in milk worked so well with pools of peanut butter?



We have an amazing bakery just next to uni (Kamps!) I have to say that (one of) my favorite breakfast would have to come from there…giant cinnamon buns and custard apple pastries…crumbly chocolate shortbread buns with creamy, honey porridge and cappuccinos…mmm. 

The breakfast club London is on my to-do list. Yes, Still…have any of you ever been there?

But for now…

Love breakfast. Love your day. Embrace the energy and the choice to take off as you wish & cherish the power to choose... 





What’s your ideal breakfast?