Shrove Tuesday
Pancake day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, is a day filled with tradition and pancakes! At Love Your Gut we welcome a day dedicated to pancakes, especially given the variety of gut loving toppings that are available. But before we get into our favourite pancake recipes, let’s find out what is behind this tasty tradition.
Pancake Day in different Cultures
Lent is the period of six weeks leading up to Easter – the most important festival in the Christian calendar. Shrove Tuesday takes place the day before Lent begins. Traditionally, people would use up what was left in their cupboards, like eggs, milk, and butter, before fasting for the next 40 days. And what do you get when you mix all these ingredients together? That’s right – pancakes!
Various countries around the world celebrate Shrove Tuesday in unique ways.
Mardi Gras, famous for its extravagant carnivals in New Orleans, is celebrated as the pre-Lenten season closes, preparing for the beginning of Lent. Like the UK, the term Mardi Gras is inspired by all the fats begin consumed before fasting would begin.
However, in Sweden, it is custom to eat a sweet bun called Selma, consisting of a cardamom bun with almond paste and whipped cream in the centre. Like Mardi Gras, this bun was eaten in celebration of pre-Lenten.
People in Poland also use up their eggs, milk, and butter, but instead of pancakes, they made donuts to also use up the last of the fruit.
Gut friendly pancake tips
Whether you prefer your pancakes sweet or savoury, we have some recommendations for you!
- Add fruit and nuts to sweet pancakes for some fibre variety and one of your five-a day
- Try mixing up the flour you use or add oats into the mixture for some grain goodness
- Stir in milled flaxseeds or other small seeds this adds texture to your pancakes or toppings
- Top with fermented foods for the all-important dietary microbes. Live yoghurt is great on sweet pancakes or why not try kimchi as a great savoury option
Love Your Gut recipes
For those with a sweet tooth, check out our Blueberry, banana, and cardamom pancakes. Or if that doesn’t excite your tastebuds, our Spinach and Buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon may do the trick. They’re gluten-free, high in polyphenols, dietary fibre, and complex carbohydrates, which can feed your gut microbiota.
Our favourite toppings
Still not inspired? Why not try some of our favourite toppings:
- Bananas, almond butter and a pinch of cinnamon
- Berries and live yoghurt
- Blueberries, orange and honey
