Ricotta Cheese Protein Pancakes

 

I have always enjoyed the flavors of a good pancake. Blueberry, chocolate chip, buttermilk, whole wheat, the list goes on and on. But as I got older and started making them in my own kitchen, I started to cringe with every tablespoon of vegetable oil I added to the batter, thinking of all the crunches I would have to do to eventually work off those delicious silver dollars. So I started avoiding pancakes, indulging only once in a great while.

 

Then I went to Dallas. My husband and I took a weekend trip to Dallas from Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2012 just three weeks before our daughter was born. While we were there we ate breakfast at a lovely little restaurant downtown, the name of which I wish I remembered, and I was introduced to an incredible creation, a Ricotta Cheese Pancake.

 

From that moment on, I was hooked. I got home and soured the Internet for a perfect recipe, and then modified it to suite my own tastes. The result was these fantastic Ricotta Cheese Pancakes that require no oil and instead infuse previously nutrition-weak pancakes with valuable protein.

 

When I make a batch of these pancakes, I love making more than what my family will eat, dividing the leftovers into small sandwich bags and then eating them for breakfast throughout the rest of the week. I just grab a bag from home and pop the pancakes in the microwave for 15 seconds when I get to work for a delicious, fast and protein-packed breakfast.  

 

Ingredients:
1 16oz container of Ricotta Cheese - drained

1 1/2 Cups White Flour

1 t. Baking Powder

3 T. Sugar or 1 1/2 T. Truvia

1/4 t. Salt

1 1/2 Cups 1% Milk

6 Eggs - divided

1 1/4 t. Vanilla

 

Frozen Raspberries

1/2 t. Agave Nectar or Honey

 

Start off by separating the eggs into two bowls, putting the egg whites in an electric mixer. Whip the egg whites until fluffy and stiff. While the egg whites are being whipped, blend the egg yolks, ricotta cheese, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk and vanilla in a bowl.

 

Whisk in approximately 1/4 of the whipped egg whites, then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.

 

Heat a skillet and spray with cooking spray or coat with butter. I don't put butter on top of my pancakes but I put it on my skillet so I get a little bit of the flavor with less butter overall. 

 

Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, flipping when you start to see tiny bubbles form around the outside edges of the pancakes.

I enjoy thawing a cup of raspberries, mixing it with 1 t. of honey and pouring over the top of my pancakes instead of using maple syrup. After eating my fill, I put the rest of the pancakes into sandwich bags and put them in the fridge. This makes for an easy, out-the-door breakfast that I take with me to work and microwave for 15 seconds at the office. The have such a great flavor that I eat them plain during the week.