A stack of fluffy, decadent pancakes that mimic the taste of carrot cake, yet are low in fat, low in sugar, and rich in both protein and fiber. Dessert for breakfast just got a whole lot more nutritious!

I would venture to say breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Well, wait. Okay, every meal is my favorite of the day. But my FAVORITE favorite is, hands-down, breakfast. A good breakfast just sets the tone for the a good day. THESE set the tone for an unbeatable day. They can make your Monday feel like Friday and your Friday feel like the start of a 10-day vacation.

They’re loaded with that comforting spice flavor we all know and love about carrot cake. They’re soft, yet dense. Fluffy, yet moist. Bursting with shredded carrots and topped with walnuts, golden raisins, cinnamon and a luscious cottage cheese “frosting”.

Yes, we are substituting the traditional cream cheese frosting for a low sugar, low fat cottage cheese “frosting”. No, it does not have quite the same whipped texture or desirable creaminess, but trust me when I say it is the most excellent healthy substitute. Simply whip it with a little Stevia and it becomes cream cheese frosting’s archrival.

I’ve found that the magic combination of flours for protein pancakes is a mix of oat and coconut flour. Oat flour yields a light, fluffy texture and coconut flour can enhance the moisture, as it tends to soak up liquid a bit more than most flours.

I could probably eat these pancakes every morning for breakfast and never grow tired of them. Though if I did, I could switch off and have them for dessert!

They are gluten-free, packed with protein and have no added sugar. You can enjoy a guilt-free breakfast that will you keep satisfied well into the morning. Oh, happy day!

Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes

Serves two

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oat flour — use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats if making gluten-free. Simply pulse oats in food processor until processed into flour.
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/4 cup protein powder of choice – I used PEScience Select Protein in Snickerdoodle flavor
• 2 tbsp fat free cottage cheese – sub for 0% fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup grated carrots (or chopped matchstick carrots)
• 2 tsp Stevia – sub for granulated sweetener of choice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Filling:

• 1/3 cup fat free cottage cheese
• 1 tsp Stevia

Directions:

1. Combine all pancake batter ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and grease with non-stick cooking spray. Add batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto heated skillet. Cook for ~3-4 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine filling ingredients (cottage cheese and Stevia) in a small food processor or electric chopper. Pulse until mixture becomes pureed in consistency.
3. Layer pancakes with filling and top with grated carrots, golden raisins, walnuts and a dash of cinnamon!

Nutrition Information per Serving (1/2 of recipe, not including toppings)

Calories: 289; Total Fat: 4.5 gm; Saturated Fat: 1.5 gm; Cholesterol: 7 mg; Sodium: 460 mg; Carbohydrates: 29 gm; Fiber: 6.5 gm; Sugar: 3.5 gm; Protein: 31.5 gm