Ricotta Pancakes

I'm a sucker for breakfast-for-lunch, breakfast-for-dinner... or really breakfast any time of the day.

I was sifting through my proteins (eggs and lamb) and wondering what to concoct for lunch that would satiate my hunger pangs following a wicked run.

I decided I wanted pancakes, but I didn't want to negate all that good work I had done on the trails, so I sifted through some of my favorite magazines to find a good healthy alternative.

I finally landed on this one because I had a half-tub of low fat ricotta cheese from a failed attempt at stuffed squash blossoms...  The original recipe had blueberries, which would have been AWESOME in this recipe.  It would have added some sweetness.  But instead, I topped them with a dollop of cherry pie filling.  It didn't disappoint. 

Ricotta Pancakes
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine.

 Ingredients

1/2 cup  whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons  all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon  sugar

1 teaspoon  baking powder

1/4 teaspoon  baking soda

1/2 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup  low fat ricotta cheese

1   large egg

1   large egg white

1/2 cup  nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

2 teaspoons  canola oil, divided

Directions

1. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk ricotta, egg, egg white, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

2. Brush a large nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat until hot. Using a generous 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour the batter for 2 pancakes into the pan, sprinkle blueberries on each pancake and cook until the edges are dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and berries, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Tips:

Tip: No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk. (I do this all the time)

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They were incredibly fluffy and moist and they were just sweet enough with these cherries on top.

I couldn't even tell that I had used 1/2 wheat flour.  Sometimes wheat pancakes are flat and gummy, but these were perfect! I even have some leftovers for a late-night snack.  

NOM!