Who doesn’t like pancakes? Just the word brings back yummy thoughts of breakfast. Seriously the word has CAKE in it! If I can have cake for every meal and not put on weight, sign me up! Unfortunately traditional pancakes act like cake when we eat it. It all goes to our butts, thighs, and bellies. Well here is a recipe to still have the flavorful joy of pancakes, but without the depressing sad side effects of guilt when you slam a short stack!

Anthony’s Protein Pancakes

Basic Batter:
2 whole eggs
1/3 C. egg whites
1/2 C. 1% cottage cheese
1 C. natural oats
1/2 banana
2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth (if consistency is not to your liking you can add oats to thicken, or egg whites to thin out). Heat skillet on med-high. Spray skillet with olive oil and cook batter like normal pancakes, flipping once air bubbles begin to form (about 3-4 min. per side). Serve hot and top with natural butter (1 tbsp. tops!), honey, agave nectar, or natural maple syrup. Just don’t over do it on your toppings!

Recipe makes 4 – 8″ pancakes. Each pancake is about 120 cal. 3g Fat, 12g Carbs (3g fiber), 11g Protein

Things to add to batter to change flavor:
*Protein powder (I don’t like this, but to each their own!)
*Apple Cinnamon (add sliced apples in blender to mix w/ batter)
*Blueberry (add blueberries to mixture after blended…duh)
*Chocolate chip pancakes (natural carob chips)
*Cranberry n Nuts (add craisins and chopped pecans to batter after mixed)
*Pumpkin (add 1/4 C. pumpkin and dash of nutmeg to batter and mix)

*Carrot Cake (add 1/4 C. shredded carrots and 3 tbsp. crushed pecans)