SHROVE Tuesday is a day to get really excited about, because it is an excuse to get creative while cooking some delicious treats.

"Shrove" comes from the English word "shrive", which basically means to cleanse. Christians cleanse themselves of sin and, at the same time, cleanse their fridges of excess butter and milk and flour before lent.

However, if you have been very well behaved and have stuck to your new year diet or if you are vegan or lactose intolerant, there is a way you can enjoy pancakes too. Below I have listed my two favourite recipes for Shrove Tuesday, the first is a traditional pancake recipe, along with my own favourite topping. So, if you just need a guide to the classic pancake, look no further, tape this page up to the fridge and get cracking! The second recipe is made with no dairy and is what food bloggers would call the "clean eating" option. However, I have made these pancakes for my family and they all agreed they didn't taste stereotypically "healthy" but quite yummy and very filling.

Recipe One - White chocolate and strawberry crepes

100g of plain flour

2 large eggs

300ml of semi skimmed milk

1 large teaspoon of butter to grease the pan

1 punnet of chopped strawberries

1 multi-pack of Milkybar Buttons

To create simple pancakes melt the butter in your pan and add the whisked batter. Once you are done cooking and tossing, add a sprinkle of white chocolate buttons and watch them melt in the pan before folding your pancake and garnishing with strawberries - and a little cream if you're feeling extra decadent. 

Recipe Two - Healthy/vegan/refined sugar free pancakes

100g of organic oats

1 teaspoon of  baking powder

1 very ripe mashed banana

150ml of almond milk or coconut milk

1 tablespoon of date syrup 

1 tablespoon of coconut oil to grease the pan

1 punnet of blueberries

As much maple syrup as you like

Blend the oats in a food processor to make an oat flour and then add the baking powder. Next, blend the coconut milk with the mashed banana and date syrup before beating in to your floury mixture. Leave the batter to sit for a few minutes and then grease your frying pan with coconut oil. Add a small amount of the batter, these pancakes should be smaller, not like huge crepes.

When you have fried up your little healthy pancakes, simply garnish with berries and maple syrup and you're good to go!

Top 5 pancake records
Its time to get that bottle of lemon juice from the back of the cupboard once more, today is pancake day.


Biggest pancake
The Co-operative Union Ltd based in Manchester, organized the making of a pancake measuring 15.01 m (49 ft 3 in) in diameter and 2.5 cm (1 in) deep at Rochdale, Greater Manchester on August 13, 1994.
Highest pancake toss
The highest pancake toss measured 9.47 m (31 ft 1 in) and was achieved by Dominic Cuzzacrea (USA) at Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga, New York, USA, on 13 November 2010. Dominic beat his own previous record by 30 cm (11.8 in).
Most pancakes made in one hour
The most pancakes made in one hour by an individual is 1,092 and was achieved by Ross McCurdy (USA), in Kingston, Washington, USA on 13 August 2013.
Most pancakes made in 8 hours by a team
Chefs at the pancake restaurant of Efteling theme park in the Netherlands John Pijnappels and Humphrey den Otter assembled a stack 91.2 cm (35.91 in) tall, breaking the previous record by 3.8 cm (1.49 in).
Most tosses of a pancake in one minute
The most tosses of a pancake in one minute is 140 and was achieved by Brad Jolly (Australia), at Martin Place, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on February 21 2012.