I try to focus on ensuring I get lots of protein with each meal. My goal is 30 grams, and some meals are easier than others. Breakfast can be tough for me. I like eggs, but sometimes I want a sweeter breakfast. These Protein Pancakes are the perfect solution for that craving!

Cottage cheese seems to be having a moment. Now, I would never, and I do mean NEVER sit down and eat a bowl of cottage cheese. My mom claims I liked it as a kid. I have serious doubts about that . . . Needless to say, I was skeptical of this or any recipe using cottage cheese. I tried the homemade cottage cheese ice cream thing that was all over the internet last summer . . . Nope . . . not for me.

While trying to wrap my brain around using cottage cheese in pancakes, I asked myself, “what’s the main ingredient in regular pancakes?” Buttermilk. I wouldn’t drink buttermilk either, but I certainly appreciate all it does for a pancake! So, I view blending cottage cheese into my pancake batter with the same appreciation. It gives the batter that little tangy something with the added bonus of a lot of bang for its buck in the protein department.

There are quite a few recipes for adding cottage cheese to pancakes, and I tried sooo many of them. Then, I decided to take the things I liked about some of them – oatmeal and bananas, incorporate the cottage cheese for that boost of protein, and then boost it even more with some protein powder. I went through several revisions until I came up with a perfect fluffy pancake!

To make these pancakes, you’ll need a good blender (I know . . . here I go again with the blending), a very ripe banana, regular uncooked rolled oats, low-fat cottage cheese, eggs, good vanilla extract, unflavored or vanilla protein powder, baking powder, and a little cinnamon. You’ll also need a little milk (I use unsweetened almond milk) to thin the batter a bit if it’s too thick. The baking powder gives these pancakes their lift.

Blend everything, scraping sides down until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. You may have some texture from the oats, but you shouldn’t see any cottage cheese curds. Remove the blender blade and let the batter hang out for about five minutes while you’re preparing your griddle or pan . . . or in my case . . . griddle pan ready. (It’s also at this point that you can stir in any extras you want like blueberries or chocolate chips!)

You’ll want to spray your pan with cooking spray. I like coconut oil spray for these. Preheat your pan on your stove to medium – ish. Let me explain. The natural sugar from the banana in this recipe is going to make the batter get dark pretty quickly. So, depending on your stove, you’ll going to want to cook these a little “lower and slower” than you would a regular pancake. This will allow you to get a golden brown outside, and a thoroughly cooked center.

Keep a close eye on your pancakes as they’re cooking over low to medium heat. You’re looking for the edges to firm up and you’ll likely see some bubbles forming on the batter. It’s okay to use your spatula to take a quick peak underneath to be sure the bottom isn’t getting too dark!

This shows the color you’re looking for. (It also shows that no matter how hard you try, there’s always one wonky pancake in every batch.) 😂

These are delicious topped with fresh fruit or sauteed apples. I bet they’d be awesome with peanut butter! They are naturally sweet from the banana, but I add a light drizzle of maple syrup because they are, after all, pancakes!

I highly recommend doubling this recipe and freezing some of these pancakes for mornings when you need something quick. They re-heat beautifully in the microwave or toaster oven!

You don’t have to sacrifice anything to have a yummy pancake breakfast that meets your protein needs. I know you’ll love these!

Please let me know when you make them!

I’ll see you back here on Friday!