Relishing It

Mother’s Day is less than a week away, so I thought I’d give you a breakfast recipe to help you treat that special lady right this Sunday.  These pancakes are the perfect “something special” to show your mom, grandma, or wife just how much they mean to you.  And if you make sure to clean up once everything is made, she’ll appreciate it all the more.

Lemon ricotta pancakes are one of our favorite Spring breakfast dishes.  The flavors here combine to give a fresh twist on the old pancake routine.  As usual, I’ve tossed in a few tricks from my “make things more healthy” repetoire.  Using white whole wheat flour not only makes these more healthy, but it adds a bit more substance than you’ll find in a typical lemon ricotta pancake, which tends to be feather-light.  I’ve also used coconut oil throughout the recipe– both in the pancakes, as well as for the frying oil.  The coconut flavor pairs beautifully with the lemon here.  Just a quick side note, I love coconut oil.  Absolutely love it.  I try to use it as a substitute whenever the dish allows.   I used just a touch of honey as the sweetener in these pancakes,  since I don’t like them overly sweet.  Add a bit more, if you like.  Or top them with a lovely fruit purée.  The ricotta gives them a wonderful, creamy texture, and the lemon– well it’s simply fabulous.

I’m lucky enough to have two beautiful women in my life that I get to honor on Mother’s Day– my Mom and my Mother-in-Law. Both are strong, compassionate, women who have helped guide and nurture me and my family.  They’re incredible grandmothers to my children, and that means the world to me.  (I love you both!)  I’ll be traveling to North Dakota later this week with my kiddos to celebrate with my Mom– so I’ll be back here at Relishing It next week. I hope all of you Moms have a great, sun-filled day surrounded by your loved ones!

The Recipe:  Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Juice and zest of 3 smallish lemons

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons honey, or more to taste

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

virgin coconut oil, for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the coconut oil, lemon juice/zest, ricotta cheese, honey, eggs, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cup milk.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredient and combine them using a wooden spoon.  Add a bit more milk, if necessary.  Be careful not to over mix.  Let the batter rest for a few minutes.

Heat some coconut oil in a large skillet.  When it is hot enough, ladle batter into the pan– make the pancakes as big, or as small as you like.  When they begin to get speckled with “holes”, it’s time to flip them over.  Repeat the procedure, adding more coconut oil to the pan each time.  Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!  xo

Laurie