Oven Baked Peach and Berry Pancake

Looking for some fresh breakfast inspiration?  Batter up babycakes 🙂

If you’re seeking something on the sweeter side, I'm offering an easy-to-make, fruity, Ayurvedic breakfast option that’ll steer you clear of the cereal box or the shake-it and bake it pancake mix and towards a healthier and nutritious opening act.

This beautiful peachy-keen baked pancake is bursting with vibrancy, sweet flavour and is incredibly easy to make; a perfect way to begin a lazy weekend, enjoyed with a steaming chai tea as it conveniently bubbles away with no need for flipping!

This is one of my most prized breakky recipes from my latest book Eat Right For Your Shape, and beyond its morning-satisfaction capabilities, it’s also high in the nourishment stakes.

If you follow Ayurvedic philosophy and identify as vata (air) dosha, you may tend to worry a lot. You require grounding, especially in the mornings before you set off for your day. This will keep you focused, and prevent your mind and emotions flying in all different anxious directions. For you, grounding will come in the form of good fats and oils, and warming foods.

This gorgeous peach and berry pancake is perfect to ground vatas at the start of the day through the use of golden ghee as the cooking oil. Ghee is one of the best foods for vatas due to its ability to bring lubrication and warmth to a body that is potentially cold, dry and airy. In balance, vata promotes creativity and flexibility, so a heavier breakfast of wholesome eggs and nourishing fats will help kick this potential into gear for you.  If you prefer coconut oil will also work well in this recipe.

If you're of the pitta (fire) dosha, you may ‘wake up on the wrong side of the bed’ regularly. Bad moods in the morning, with emotions of anger and jealousy are a sure sign that you're a pitta. Because Pitta’s are naturally sharp, fiery, light and intense; spicy foods should be avoided on those mornings when you're feeling especially riled up. This pancake provides pitta a lovely sense of harmony thanks to the abundance of sweet juicy berries that help to pacify a dry and fiery nature. To maximise the pitta pacifying qualities, you can leave out the egg yolks and focus on the whites.

Kaphas can enjoy this recipe too with a few nifty switches.  Replace the berries with chopped apple and the almond meal with buckwheat or brown rice flour.

Also, you don’t have to make this dish in one pan, mix it up and bake mixture in individual ramekins for any time of the day.  Just bake them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes tip with berries and then enjoy the flavour burst!

Oven-baked Peach and Berry Pancake

Serves 3–4 

• 1 tablespoon ghee, melted, for greasing
• 80 g (2¾ oz/¾ cup) almond meal
• 2 tablespoons rice malt syrup, plus extra to serve
• ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) almond or rice milk
• 1 large peach, sliced
• 125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) mixed berries, plus extra to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease a 25 cm (10 inch) ovenproof frying pan or baking dish with the ghee.

Put the almond meal, rice malt syrup, salt, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking until smooth. Place the peach and berries in the prepared pan and pour the batter over the top.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until puffed and golden. To serve, slice into wedges and top with extra rice malt syrup and berries.

Have a crack and let me know what you think in the comments section below.