Orange and whole wheat is a natural combination, and these feathery pancakes make a complete breakfast. They’re so light it’s hard to believe they’re made with whole wheat flour. Eat them as soon as they’re made, topped with maple syrup, and begin your day with a full tummy and enough protein to last you till lunch!

3/4 cup (6 ounces) cottage cheese
3 large eggs, separated
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter,  melted
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup (2 ounces) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest or 1/8 teaspoon orange oil

Place the cottage cheese, egg yolks, melted butter, and orange juice in a food process or blender, and process until the cottage cheese is smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and process again. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the orange zest or oil. Let this mixture rest for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they’re stiff but not dry. Use a rubber spatula to stir a spoonful of the whites into the batter to loosen it, and then gently fold in the rest of the whites. This batter doesn’t need to rest; cook the pancakes right away, as directed below.

Pour the batter in 1/3-cupfuls onto a preheated griddle. Cook the pancakes till golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately; they don’t hold well in the oven.
Yield: about a dozen 4" pancakes.