Golden Pancakes

I have started my figure contest preparation diet and wanted to share one of my go-to breakfast recipes. It's a clean, protein packed pancake recipe. It's not one that I found online, but rather in the book Eating for Life by Bill Phillips. I am going to give you the recipe as written, however, I omit the sugar substitute and syrup (I don't use any type of artificial sweetener, ever, but more on that later) and, of course, I don't use fat-free cottage cheese. I use reduced-fat cottage cheese instead. I usually just spread them with a thin layer of peanut butter and top with sliced strawberries. Yum!

Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked whole-grain oats (non-instant) 6 egg whites 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 packets sugar substitute 1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup 1/4 cup mixed berries

Directions: Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray; place over medium heat.

In a blender, combine oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar substitute. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, onto hot skillet. Cook pancake until bubbly on top and dry around edges, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook other side until golden brown, about 2 more minutes.

While pancakes are cooking, microwave maple syrup until warm, about 20 seconds.

Place a portion of pancakes on 2 separate plates. Top with warm maple syrup and mixed berries. Serve and enjoy!