Give cottage cheese a chance with these dreamy pineapple pancakes

If you still think of cottage cheese as a stodgy diet food, it's time to let that notion go.

Sure, it is filling and protein-rich, which is what drew dieters to it in the first place, but that diner-menu "Weight Watchers-plate" pigeonhole has detracted from its delights - its tender curds, creaminess and its lovely, light tang. Happily, cottage cheese has gotten a refresh from food producers recently, with artisanal products, creative flavor varieties and probiotic-rich options now available.

But even through a modern lens, a time-tested truth holds: Cottage cheese goes great with pineapple. You just can't go wrong with those two in a bowl. And, as this recipe proves, they make for a marvelous pancake, too. These skillet beauties are cooked in a touch of butter, so they are lightly crisp outside and tender inside, with noticeable nubs of cottage cheese curds and bits of pineapple throughout.

Held together with egg and a little whole-grain flour (you could substitute a gluten-free cup-for-cup flour) and lightly sweetened with honey, sure, they are healthful, satisfying and protein-packed, but don't let those benefits overshadow how scrumptious they are, as well.

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PINEAPPLE COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES

20 minutes

4 servings

These pancakes give the classic fruit-and-cheese pairing a fresh new spin. Lightly crisped outside and tender inside, these pancakes boast noticeable nubs of cottage cheese curds as well as bits of pineapple throughout. Held together with egg and a little whole-grain flour, and lightly sweetened with honey, they are a filling, protein-packed treat that are as healthful as they are satisfying.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or regular whole-wheat flour), or more as needed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving (optional)

1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat or full-fat

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple, or canned crushed pineapple, drained and divided

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided

Steps

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs and honey until combined. Stir in the cottage cheese. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. (There will be lumps from the cottage cheese.) Stir in 1/2 cup pineapple. (Since some brands of cottage cheese are wetter than others, you may need to add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour if the batter seems too loose.)

Heat a large nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Use 1 teaspoon butter to coat the griddle, then use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop 3 or 4 mounds of the batter onto the griddle, depending on how many your pan can accommodate. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the pancakes are browned on the bottom and beginning to dry on the edges, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side and the pancakes are cooked through, 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining butter and pancake batter.

Serve topped with the remaining 1/2 cup pineapple and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

Nutrition | Calories: 214; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 152 mg; Sodium: 427 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 11 g; Protein: 14 g. 

(From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.)

This article was originally published on The Washington Post

Feature Image:  Tom McCorkle