Orange Oat Pancakes with Creamy Filling

Adapted from “Breakfast Heaven” Edited by Deborah Gray, 2011

These pancakes are so light and healthy, yet they have a deep flavor from the buttermilk and wheat germ that lets you know you are having something substantial. I really love the filling here. It tastes quite a bit like cannoli filling. I came really close to tossing some mini chocolate chips into the filling. Next time, I’m going for it.

Ingredients (makes about 9 or so pancakes):

Pancakes:

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon ground flax seed

1 Tablespoon toasted wheat germ

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cups buttermilk

2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks

Cooking spray

Filling:

1 ½ cups low fat cottage cheese, drained

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon orange zest

Small splash of orange juice

Garnish:

Fresh raspberries

More orange zest

Fresh mint sprigs

Orange blossom honey

Directions:

For the pancakes: In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, flax seed, wheat germ, salt, orange zest, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually stir in the vanilla, orange juice and buttermilk. Let this mixture sit for 15 minutes so the oats can soak up the liquid. Fold in the egg whites.

Spray a non-stick skillet or a griddle with cooking spray and heat to medium. Pour in about 1/3 cup pancake batter for each pancake. Do just 1-2 at a time so they don’t all run together. Just enough batter to cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook the pancakes until they bubble and brown on the underside. Flip (psst-spray your spatula with cooking spray, too to make this easier) and cook the other sides. Cook the remainder of the batter the same way.

For the filling: Combine the cottage cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange zest in a food processor and pulse until smooth. 

To serve: Place a pancake on a plate, place a generous dollop of filling in the middle and sprinkle with raspberries, orange zest, fresh mint and honey. Repeat as you see fit.