Lemon Vanilla Pancakes with Fresh Blueberries

While flipping through a magazine, I came across a cooking tip from a chef that went something like this: instead of the same old maple syrup with pancakes, try squeezing fresh lemon juice over the pancakes, then topping with a bit of confectioners sugar.

I thought the idea sounded so simple yet so, so very scrumptious (simple and scrumptious are two words I love to see together in a recipe), so I got to work whipping up some lemony-flavored pancakes.

What I ended up with is one of my new favorite recipes…

…lemon vanilla pancakes with fresh summer blueberries.

The homemade pancake batter is quick and easy to whip together, and it creates thick, fluffy pancakes filled with fresh lemon zest and hints of vanilla.

And that whole trick about topping pancakes with tart lemon juice complemented by sweet powdered sugar: genius!

The combo is wonderful.

It’s so simple to pull off, yet it tastes special and elegant.

When I’m eating these pancakes, I’m always imagining some beautiful bed-and-breakfast with soft, luxurious linens, big windows revealing views of some gorgeous beach, and these pancakes delivered on a tray as the morning meal.

Bonus: with antioxidant-filled lemon and blueberries (plus the yogurt and whole wheat in the batter), these pancakes are packed with nutrition too!

Here is the complete, printable recipe:

Lemon Vanilla Pancakes with Fresh Blueberries

 

Author: The Scrumptious Pumpkin

Nutrition Information

• Serving size: 6
• Calories: 321

• Fat: 6.8g
• Saturated fat: 1.8g
• Carbohydrates: 55.6g
• Sugar: 21.3g
• Sodium: 467mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 12.3g
• Cholesterol: 64mg

Recipe type: Breakfast (Healthy, Whole, Clean, Vegetarian)

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RECIPE WELLNESS BENEFITS:
Calcium - builds strong, healthy bones & helps body burn more fat and store less fat
Fiber - regulates and slows feelings of hunger, rids the body of toxins
Manganese - an antioxidant that promotes a strong immune system, builds strong and healthy bones, promotes high energy levels, improves memory
Vitamin C - detoxes the body, protects against free radicals and pollution, builds a strong and healthy immune system, promotes clear and smooth skin
Vitamin K - helps build strong & healthy bones and keeps skin supple & smooth

Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 servings, 12 pancakes (2 pancakes per serving)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 24 ounces blueberries
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups organic low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup organic 1% milk
• 2 organic pastured eggs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Instructions

1. Add the fresh blueberries and 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar to a bowl and stir until well combined. Allow berries to sit and soak in the sugar.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the following until well combined: yogurt, milk, eggs, two tablespoons granulated sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Grate the lemon with a citrus zester and whisk the zest in with the batter.
4. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir just until ingredients are combined.
5. Lightly grease a large flat skillet with a very thin layer of olive oil. Heat the skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet to create a pancake. Depending upon the size of the skillet, add 1-3 more pancakes. When edges turn golden and bubbles begin to form in the center, after about 4-5 minutes, use a spatula to flip the pancake. Cook for about 3 minutes more, until the second side is light golden. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked.
6. Squeeze a bit of fresh juice from the lemon over each pancake. Sprinkle confectioners sugar over each pancake by pouring the sugar into a fine-mesh strainer and tapping it over the pancakes. Top each pancake with heaping spoonfuls of fresh blueberries, and serve.

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To make the pancakes, begin with these ingredients.

Toss the fresh blueberries into a bowl and add just a bit of granulated sugar to sweeten them up.

Then just set the bowl aside to allow the berries to sit and soak in the sugar while you make the pancakes.

Grab a mixing bowl and sift together some whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Then, in a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together some organic plain low-fat yogurt, some organic low-fat milk, a couple of organic pastured eggs, a bit of sugar, some extra virgin olive oil, and some vanilla extract.

Grab the lemon and remove all of the fresh lemon zest (just the yellow part of the skin of the lemon and not the white pith below).

Then whisk the zest in with the batter.

(If you don’t have a lemon zester, no problem: just use a regular vegetable peeler to remove the skin (just the yellow part) and chop it up finely with a sharp knife.)

Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir just until all of the ingredients are combined.

Then grab a large flat skillet and coat it with a very thin layer of extra virgin olive oil.

Heat the skillet over medium heat.

When the skillet is hot (to test: splash a drop of water on the skillet – – if it sizzles, it’s ready), grab a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop up the batter (this will keep all of your pancakes a uniform size so that they cook evenly).

If the skillet is large enough, add a few more pancakes.

When the edges of the pancakes turn golden and bubbles begin to form in the center, use a spatula (a really thin metal spatula works best) to flip the pancake.

Cook for a few minutes more, then repeat the process again until all of the pancakes are cooked.

Next, grab that lemon you zested earlier, cut it in half, and squeeze just a bit of fresh juice over each pancake.

Then place some confectioners sugar in a fine-mesh strainer, hold it over the pancakes, and lightly tap the sides of the strainer for a nice-looking “dusting” of sweet sugar to top off each pancake.

Add plenty of heaping spoonfuls of fresh blueberries, and serve.

The tart lemon, in-season blueberries and sweet hints of vanilla and sugar are so light, fresh, and perfect for mid-summer.

These pancakes are great for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch or, my favorite, a tasty summer evening “breakfast for dinner” meal!