Power Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:
6 egg whites (beaten until fluffy)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder*
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed (grind in a coffee grinder or food processor before adding to mixture)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Put all ingredients except beaten egg whites in a food processor or blender and pulse until mixture is uniform

2. Pour blended ingredients into a bowl and add the egg whites. Fold until just blended.

3. Prepare a griddle (or non-stick frying pan) with cooking spray. Ladle 1/3 cup of pancake batter onto the griddle and cook until both sides are brown. Important to cook on medium-low. Don't try to turn over too quickly. These take quite a bit longer than regular pancakes.

(recipe adapted from Tosca Reno's The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook)

*if you don't have protein powder, I think that they'd work well without it. I make another version of these protein pancakes that doesn't call for the powder.

Don't ruin the health benefits of these by pouring maple syrup all over them. Warm a tablespoon of sugar-free jelly in microwave and use that as a substitute for the syrup. Or plop a spoonful of unsweetened applesauce on the top. This recipe makes about 6 pancakes. Eat two for a serving.