Blueberry Cream Cheese Pancakes

Howdy friends,
Hope you and yours are well and happy as you read this.  I’ve been really busy lately…between work, doing my annual volunteer work in the swine barn (yes…folks…I work with PIGS) at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, and beginning preparations for our annual family Easter bash…I’m not sure if I’m coming or going most days.

This past weekend, I had the luxury of a slow Saturday morning (unheard of in the past few months!), so I decided to take advantage of it, and try out a recipe I saw over at Lark’s Country Heart.  As always, I adapted the recipe to fit the ingredients I had on hand, and to try to make it a little more diet friendly (since I’m currently taking part in a “Get Healthy” Weight Loss Challenge at my office).  You can find my version below, or Lark’s version over at her blog site.

My husband and I both thought the finished product was delicious!  You should really give these a try…and while you’re at it, stop on over and tell Lark thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!  

I’m definitely going to make these again…I hope you’ll try them too.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pancakes

4 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup HEB Real Egg (or 2 actual eggs, beaten)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (I always use fresh-squeezed rather than bottled -- it’s SOOOO much better! -- but bottled will work if you’re in a pinch)
1-1/4 cup skim (fat free) milk (you can also use almond milk, soy milk or whole milk, if you prefer)
2 Tbsp. Smart Balance Butter Blend sticks, melted (or real butter)
2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (the original recipe called for 2 cups of AP flour, but I always prefer to use some whole wheat flour too)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsp. low sodium baking powder (or regular baking powder if you don’t have this)
1/4 tsp. salt (the original recipe used 1/2 tsp., but I always use less)
4 Tbsp. sugar (you can use an equal amount of Whey Low or your favorite sugar substitute for a low-cal option)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (or Whey Low Gold for the lower calorie option)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 to 2 cups fresh blueberries (according to preference…you can also use frozen blueberries if you don’t have fresh)

Beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add eggs, mixing as you add them.  Add the lemon juice, milk, melted butter and vanilla.  Mix on low speed for a minute or so.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, salt, sugars and cinnamon.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.  Add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix just until combined.

Fold in the fresh blueberries - by hand - do not use the mixer!

Heat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.  Lightly grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour approximately 1/2 cup batter onto hot griddle.  Turn pancake when bubbles start to form and pop, and edges look cooked.  Cook second side; remove from griddle and serve immediately.  You’ll need to watch these very closely…if your griddle is too hot, they’ll burn on the outside and leave the middles raw.  (Don’t ask me how I know this...LOL!)

Serve with Homemade Vanilla Cream Syrup (another one of Lark’s recipes that I adapted a bit).  You can find that recipe here.

Give these yummy pancakes a try, and let me know what you think!
Blessings,
--Faithy