Protein Pancakes with Oats and Cottage Cheese

When a recipe deceives you, it hurts. You feel slighted. Cheated. Used. You set your sights on one thing and get nothing but ‘eh’. It’s no way to start off the weekend.

Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but I’m sure you can relate. This morning, I was excited to try a unique and interesting recipe that promised a healthy take on pancakes. What I got was something completely different. It’s like a kick in the stomach to New Year’s resolutions everywhere. January is the time of year when you really want to believe that healthy food can taste just as good as the real thing. And I absolutely love it when a recipe proves that to be true. It is possible. But it’s all in the sell.

These are not ‘protein pancakes’. They are more like oat and cottage cheese egg-white omelets that vaguely resemble pancakes. Still interested? What if we call them protein flapjacks instead? I think that leaves a little extra room for interpretation. Truth is, if sold properly, they are actually pretty good. The texture is great. Soft and slightly doughy-tasting (even though there is no flour to make it doughy) with just the right amount of sweetness. Add some sliced banana and a drizzle of syrup and you’ve got yourself a hearty, healthy pancake alternative. Give it a try if you’re up for something different. Just be aware. This recipe, my friends, is no pancake.

Protein Flapjacks (a healthy pancake alternative)

adapted from the January 2011 issue of Shape magazine

makes 6*

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 cup egg whites (about 2-3 eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well. Add a little olive oil or some cooking spray to a skillet over medium high heat, because these bad boys will stick. Pour batter 1/4 cup at a time to form each pancake. Cook about 2-3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Serve with fresh fruit and a drizzle of syrup or agave nectar.

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*One more thing. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. That’s not enough to feed a Chihuahua. The recipe above made 3 average sized pancakes in my book. And with 260 calories and 3g fat per 1/4 cup serving, it makes you wonder if you are better off just eating the real thing. At least they are packed with 25g protein, which means they will keep you fuller longer and give you plenty of energy for your workouts. Not a bad deal. Next time, I might try grinding the oats in a food processor to make an oat flour and bind the dough a little better. Don’t get me wrong, I would make this recipe again, and I love Shape magazine. But these are still not really pancakes.

 

5 Comments

  1. I make mine exactly like your, but I place all of the ingredients in the blender and puree it before they are placed in the pan. It makes the consistency so smooth.

     
  2. As soon as I read the nutrition info on this, I knew something was wrong– the whole recipe is only about 300 calories, so I’m not sure what the 260-cal-per thing is about. Think about it– 1/2 cup of oats are 150 cal, 1/2 cottage cheese is about 80 cal, and 1/2 cup of egg whites are about 60. That would be around 290-300 for the whole recipe– not bad! But then, that means the 25 or grams of protein is for the whole recipe, too. Still, I’d try them, though I’d definitely run the whole mess through the blender first, because I think the texture might be better.

     
    • That’s true. It doesn’t add up. Good idea with blending the ingredients together, or at least the oats, for a better consistency. Let me know what you think if you try it!

       
  3. I saw these in the last issue and was going to try them, thanks for the heads up!!! May still make them but will at least be more aware of what I’m getting 🙂