Orgran make a range of products to accommodate consumers with various dietary restrictions, allergies or preferences, such as gluten-free, high-fibre, dairy-free, egg-free, yeast-free, non-GMO and vegan. They also have a numer of environmental policies and initiatives in place to help protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint.
One of their offerings is a buckwheat pancake mix with a pleasingly short and simple list of ingredients:
Stonemilled Buckwheat Flour (49.7%), Rice Flour, Maize Starch, Tapioca, Raising Agents: Monocalcium Phosphate, Bicarbonate of Soda.
It is a vegan product containing no added sugar, no wheat or gluten, no eggs, no yeast, no dairy, no soy nor does it contain any genetically modified ingredients or artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. It is low in sodium, fat, cholesterol and calories and higher in protein and fibre than a traditional white wheat flour pancake.
The pack makes around 10 medium sized pancakes when made up according to the instructions, which include adding in 3 eggs, 90ml milk and 240 ml of water or for a vegan option just water with a tablespoon or two of oil.
Unfortunately, when made up as directed, they are also very dry and bland, however, with a little bit of tweaking there are quite a few options you can use to make them taste much better. This pancake mix is an excellent base for a healthier version of pancakes, particularly if you are adventurous enough to experiment with the recipe a little.
Here are some of the adjustments I have made to improve the flavour and texture:
- Double or triple the number of eggs. This will reduce the carbohydrate content per pancake, increase the protein and many nutrients and result in a lighter, moister pancake.
- Add a mashed banana or pureed apple to the mix. Whilst this will increase the carbohydrate and sugar content, it will make the pancake more moist.
- Throw in a few fresh or frozen blueberries after you have poured the pancake into the pan, before turning.
- Add a generous splash of a healthy oil such as macadamia, coconut, avocado or olive to the batter. I find macadamia or coconut is most compatible from a flavour perspective.
- Instead of milk and water, use coconut milk or cream.
- Add some cinnamon for flavour and to help metabolise the carbohydrates in the pancakes.
- Add a cup of light ricotta to the batter to increase protein content and make the pancakes more rich in flavour.
- For a nuttier flavour and more protein & fat with less carbohydrate, you could mix in some almond flour to extend the mix.
These are not all intended to be used in the same batch, but you may wish to experiment with a few at a time.
Nutritional Information:
Each pancake (not including the eggs and milk added or any oil for cooking) contains:
- 89 calories or 393 kilojoules
- 1.1 g of protein
- 20.4 g of carbohydrate of which only 0.2 g is sugars
- 1.5 g of fibre
Rating: 3/5
Ease of Use: 5/5 The mix is simple to prepare, requiring just a measuring jug, bowl and a whisk.
Cost: 3/5 The mix is reasonably priced at between $3.50 and $4.00 for the 375g packet, however, you do pay for the convenience. If you were to make your own, buckwheat flour which accounts for half the contents, costs only $3 per pound.
Flavour: 2/5 The pancakes taste fairly strongly of buckwheat, however, they are very dry when made up according to the instructions on the packet.
Nutrition: 3/5 These pancakes have a glycaemic index of 102 when made up according to the instructions on the packet which is very high and a glycaemic load of 22.4 with 22g of available carbohydrate per 77g serve. In comparison with other white wheat flour based pancake mixes the glycaemic index is higher for these Orgran pancakes, however, the glycaemic load and available carbohydrate is much lower. A popular pancake mix by Greensfor instance, has a glycaemic index of only 67, however the glycaemic load is 38.86 with available carbohydrates of 58 grams per 80 gram serve. Buckwheat is a much more nutritious and low-carb friendly food than wheat, having slightly less calories and carbohydrates and slightly more fat and protein, much more magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese and phosporous though less iron and folate. In addition, the absence of gluten is of benefit to many people.
Appearance: 5/5 These pancakes look just like the genuine article.