I woke up this morning with a pancake craving.

This is all well and good, except for the fact that today is Wednesday. I don’t have time for pancakes on a Wednesday—I have things to do. It’s not so much that pancakes are especially time-consuming to make (they’re actually pretty quick), but it’s that post-pancake feeling I don’t have time for. The carb-and-sugar crash that renders my brain and body incapable of doing anything other than going back to bed. Like I said, I have things to do.

Enter these weird but wonderful breakfast cakes. Healthy, protein-rich cottage cheese and eggs (or egg whites) are blended to a creamy puree with healthy, rolled oats (which are notorious for providing morning energy). They’re a bit denser than regular pancakes, but their slightly nutty flavor and golden-crisp exterior is quite enjoyable.

Even better, it’s been an hour since I ate them, and I’m thrilled to report that both my brain and body are raring to go—no midday nap required.

• ingredients
• 1 cup cottage cheese (any % fat is fine) $2 for 16 oz.
• 2 eggs or 4 egg whites $1.50 for 12 eggs
• 2 tsp honey Pantry
• 1 cup raw rolled oats (do not use steel cut) $2.50 for 18 oz.
• 1 tsp baking powder Pantry
• pinch of salt Pantry
• vegetable oil or cooking spray for frying Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $6

Directions

Combine cottage cheese, eggs and honey together in a blender or food processor and puree until creamy. Add the rolled oats, baking powder and salt and puree until mixture is smooth and resembles slightly grainy pancake batter.

Heat a very light coating of oil or spray in a nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat and cook 1/8 cup dollops of the batter (working in batches, leaving plenty of room between pancakes), until golden brown on one side (about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes). Flip, using a spatula and cook until the other side is golden brown. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked.

Serve, warm, with fruit, honey, a touch of butter, preserves and/or syrup.

Makes about 10 pancakes (serves 2-3).