Adding cottage cheese to pancakes gives extra protein, but it also adds a light, delicate texture.  I combined the sweet, hearty flavor of blackberries with the tart taste of lemon for a delectable, gourmet and healthy pancake.  As always, my pancakes are from scratch, made with just a few simple ingredients.  My kids and husband loved these Blackberry Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes!  I hope you will too!!

Speaking of pancakes from scratch… Anna, my youngest, can now make my Banana Pancakes from scratch without following a recipe….she has made them so many times, she has it memorized!  It’s so cool to have your 8 year old whip up breakfast like it was no big deal.  And, of course, I’m extra proud that she loves to cook as much as her momma!

Thanks so much to the dairy farm families of Colorado, Montana and Wyoming for sponsoring this post!

Blackberry Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients:
Serves 5-6

• 1  1/2 cups flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups small curd, lowfat cottage cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract
• 6 oz. fresh blackberries
• butter for serving and greasing the pan (I use unsalted)
• pure maple syrup for serving

Directions:

• Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• In a large measuring cup or another bowl, add eggs and beat together with a fork.
• Add cottage cheese, milk, lemon juice and vanilla to eggs and stir until combined.
• Add cottage cheeese mixture to dry ingredients and mix until comined.  Add a little more milk if batter is too thick.
• Add blackberries to batter.  Using the back of a fork, mash berries against the side of bowl, releasing their juices and breaking them apart.  Mix well.
• Heat griddle over med. heat.  Add a little butter and spread to cover pan, to keep pancakes from sticking.
• Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour batter onto hot griddle.  Our griddle fits 6-8 pancakes at a time.  Let cook for about 1  1/2 min. or until bubbles form and edges look dry.  Flip pancakes and let cook for another minute or until cooked through and golden brown on both sides.
• Serve with warmed pure maple syrup and a pat of butter!  Enjoy!