Known as the man who kept us moving during lockdown, Joe Wicks has sold more than three million books about food and fitness. His book, 30 Day Kick Start Plan, contains one hundred delicious recipes and six brand-new high-intensity interval training workouts to help you get in shape. It also includes weekly plans that can help you meal prep like a boss! 

***

Elvis Pancakes

Inspired by Elvis’s favourite peanut butter and banana sandwiches, these tasty pancakes with bacon and maple syrup are delicious when made for a special breakfast or a weekend brunch. 

Makes 4–6 pancakes

Ingredients 

• 4 rashers of streaky bacon (120g)
• 2 small ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• big pinch of baking powder
• salt
• 10g butter
• a drizzle of maple syrup – optional

Instructions

Preheat your grill to maximum.

Lay the rashers of bacon on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Slide under the hot grill. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking. I like my bacon crispy on the outside but still a little soft.

Meanwhile using a fork, mash the bananas in a bowl into a rough puree. Crack in the eggs, spoon in 1 tablespoon peanut butter, sprinkle in the cinnamon, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Give everything a good stir. Pancake batter sorted.

Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a low to medium heat. Once bubbling, spoon the batter into the pan to make 4-6 pancakes. Fry the pancakes without moving them for 3 minutes on the first side, or until the batter has set, then flip and fry the pancakes for a further minute on the second side.

While the pancakes are gently frying, mix the remaining peanut butter with ½ tablespoon water in a small bowl. This will loosen it, making it easier to drizzle on the pancakes.

Pile the banana pancakes onto a plate. Top with the bacon, drizzle over the peanut butter along with a little maple syrup, if you like. Gobble down, Elvis-style. 

***

Manchego, chili jam and olive frittata

You could double the recipe and keep the second cooled frittata covered in the fridge for the next day.

Serves one | Make ahead | Veggie

Ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 20g butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• salt and pepper
• 8 pitted mixed olives, roughly chopped
• handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp chilli jam, plus extra to serve – optional
• 30g manchego cheese, grated
• rocket salad, to serve

Instructions

Preheat the grill to maximum.
Finely slice the red onion.

Melt the butter in a small nonstick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Once bubbling, chuck in the sliced onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the onion is collapsed.

Crack the eggs into a jug. Whisk well with a fork until the white and yolk combine, pour in the milk and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk again.

Come back to the onion. Scrape the olives and parsley into the pan. Pour in the egg mixture and swirl the pan so that it coats the entire base. Dot in the chilli jam and scatter over the manchego cheese.

Cook for 3 minutes until the frittata is mostly set, then slide under the grill for 2-3 minutes until puffed-up and golden. Serve with a rocket salad and more chilli jam, if you like. DM/ ML

Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, is a British fitness coach, TV presenter and author. 30 Day Kick Start Plan is published by Pan Macmillan (R470) and available at Exclusive Books and other bookstores. Visit The Reading List for South African book news – including recipes! – daily.