Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Serves: 3 (about 6 large pancakes)

Many people have fond memories from childhood of sharing a plate of pancakes for breakfast on a special occasion. Next time you’re whipping up a batch, whether it be for a birthday breakfast or a weekend treat, give these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes a try. We promise you will love them, and they just might become one of your new favorites. These are best served warm with a slather of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and a dusting of sugar. You may also want to cook up a double batch, as everyone will keep coming back for more.

INGREDIENTS

⅔ cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup milk of choice
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. baking powder
⅛ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. finely minced lemon peel
1 tsp. finely minced lemon verbena
2 tsp. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. The night before, place the cheese in a piece of cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter and set in a strainer over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. In the morning, discard the whey collected in the bowl.
2. Transfer the drained ricotta to a food processor or blender, add the egg yolks, and process until smooth.
3. Add the milk, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and process until completely blended.
4. Fold in the lemon peel and lemon verbena.
5. Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until just stiff but still moist, then fold gently into the batter.
6. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by 1⁄4 cupfuls onto the skillet and cook until the tops bubble. Turn and cook on the second side until golden brown.
7. Repeat with the remaining batter.
8. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings, such as lemon juice with a dusting of sugar or a drizzle of fresh local honey.

NUTRITION DATA FOR 1 SERVING

Calories 135kcal
Total Carbohydrates 11g
Protein 6g
Total Fat 8g
Saturated Fat 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Trans Fat 2g
Cholesterol 89mg
Sodium 122mg
Potassium 79mg
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 3g
Vitamin A 6% Daily Value
Vitamin C 2% Daily Value
Calcium 10% Daily Value
Iron 4% Daily Value

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my Mediterranean Refresh Meal Plan Cookbook here