Fluffy Quinoa-Ricotta Zesty Pancakes

As the name suggests these pancakes are light, fluffy and oh so delicious. It's hard to tell that they are gluten free by looks or by taste. Our family has been on a quest to reduce our gluten intake for a while now. We use lentil pasta, almond flour cookies and now quinoa pancakes!

High in protein because of quinoa flour these are great for breakfast keeping you full and satiated for longer. This recipe doesn't call for much sugar and so you can add honey, maple syrup or just a fruit compote ontop to reduce sugar intake. This recipe has been used so many times in our household for Sunday breakfasts that are a guilt free treat.

This recipe makes approximately 15 medium sized pancakes and takes about 45-60 mins from start to finish.

1. 3 large eggs, separated
2. 1-1/4 cup quinoa flour
3. 1 tablespoon lemon zest
4. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
5. 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 5 tablespoons butter, melted
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9. 1 cup milk, warmed
10. 3/4 cup ricotta

1. Add the baking powder and the salt to the quinoa flour
2. In a separate bowl, add the lemon zest, sugar and vanilla extract to the egg yolks

1. Using a fork mix the quinoa flour, baking soda and salt.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
3. Have the warm milk and melted butter on hand for the next step

1. Add the melted butter and warm milk to the egg yolk mixture.
2. Give it a good stir till combined

1. In a large bowl, mix the quinoa flour, egg yolk mix and ricotta

1. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whisk egg whites till medium stiff peaks form. Approximately 5-6 minutes

1. Get the pancake griddle ready on a medium heat.
2. Take 1/3 of the egg white foam and fold into the quinoa batter
3. Once incorporated gently add in the next third then finally the last third.
4. The mixture should feel light and airy.

1. Use a scoop for even portions. A scoop not only gives equal sized pancakes but also makes pouring the batter onto the griddle less messy

1. I used butter to prevent my batter from sticking onto the griddle but you can use a non-stick spray or oil.
2. Scoop batter onto griddle. (mine is a cast-iron griddle)
3. To know when to flip the pancake, keep an eye on the sides of the pancake. It will start turning a touch brown with bubbles appearing on the surface of the pancake. Approximately 3-4mins each side

1. Gently flip the pancake to reveal a nice golden brown crust. It can be cooked to your desired crispiness and browning.

1. Enjoy with some melted butter, honey, maple syrup, nuts or fruits.
2. Makes about 15 medium sized pancakes