Lemon Ricotta Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Lemon Ricotta Cottage Cheese Pancakes
serves 4
When I was a little girl, my father used to drive a Polly-O cheese truck. The truck was big, bright yellow, happy and filled with cheese, not unlike my dad. I thought it was cool that he delivered cheese to pizzerias because cheese makes most people happy and, well, I believed that those who could not eat cheese would generally be less happy. I still hold the same beliefs today (my sincerest apologies to vegans and those with lactose intolerance). My dad used to eat a lot of cheese and, so, I thought he would be happy forever. I also thought that he would live forever, and that nothing would ever change, but his age has been a marker of change. While his dementia has brought out a different side of my father, one that is varied and changes daily, his love of cheese has remained constant; tried and true.
I’ve been sneaking cottage cheese into his pancakes, but memories of ricotta melted in my mind. I often find myself thinking about my dad’s cooking. His ricotta pizza, calzones, the heaping spoonfuls he would serve over red sauce and meatballs at Sunday dinner. I bought ricotta to make this zucchini dish for dinner and wondered if I could find a sweet use for it too. Hence, the birth of these pancakes. Since being diagnosed with dementia, dad’s sugar cravings have dramatically increased. And while he no longer gets to freely use sugar in his espresso, we’re allowing him some natural sugar from fruits, honey and maple syrup in moderation on breakfast items like yogurt and pancakes.
When he’s given pancakes I like to stack them high and put fruit on top, which works for satiety and eating with the eyes. My father always loved food and a pretty plate, but now I find it matters to appeal to his senses even more because he’s like a child and some days it takes a lot of convincing to have him do certain things. These pancakes didn’t take any convincing, really, the smell of lemon and strawberries was so fragrant. Stacked high and covered with almonds, a touch of a styrup and a pat of butter, he thought he was in heaven. I want my father’s days, parts of them and the ones I have the gift of being a part of, to feel like a trip to heaven, especially when I know most of the days in his mind are not.
Cooking for the people we love is truly nourishing for us and for them. Think of a memory. Smell it, see it, taste it, feel it and recreate it. Cheese and sugar, two of dad’s favorite things.
Lemon Ricotta Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. ricotta (low-fat or whole)
1/2 c. cottage cheese
3 large eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
Toppings (optional, based on your preferences)
Strawberries or fruit of your choice for serving (I prefer strawberries or blueberries on these as a topping)
Maple syrup
Confectioners Sugar
Chopped/sliced nuts
Butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 275 or 300 degrees and have a pyrex handy. Why? As pancakes are cooked, place them in this pyrex dish and in the oven so the pancakes are hot upon serving
Place all ingredients (except the toppings) into a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth
Spray a skillet or large pan with non-stick spray or a few pats of butter and heat over a medium low flame
Pour 1/4 cup or 3 T of batter on to the pan
Cook each pancake until the batter starts to form little bubbles and flip the pancake with a spatula
Once flipped, cook for another 1-2 minutes until pancake is cooked through
Stack pancakes high and serve with maple syrup, fruit and nuts and any toppings of your choice