(Prevention.com) -- These hearty pancakes pack in whole grains, protein, and a little bit of fat—the perfect ingredients for a healthy breakfast. However, they also include a few tablespoons of walnuts, an excellent source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids that also boost skin health. “We know that if our diet is deficient in ALA, then we may see signs of dry, scaly skin,” says Drayer.

-- 1 cup quick-cooking oats

-- 1/2 cup whole grain pastry flour

-- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

-- 1 1/2 teaspoons hain pure foods featherweight baking powder

-- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-- 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder

-- 3 egg whites

-- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-- 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

-- 3/4 cup fat-free milk

1. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then wipe away the excess with a paper towel and set aside the towel. Use this towel to wipe the skillet between pancakes, recoating the skillet with the oil and cleaning away any pancake batter crumbs. Preheat the skillet to medium-low, then reduce the heat to low.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then add the wet ingredients and mix.

3. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the batter into the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. Flip the pancake and finish cooking for 30 seconds to 1 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Remove the pancake to a plate. Wipe the skillet with the paper towel.

4. Repeat STEP 3 with the remaining batter to make a total of 8 pancakes.

Recipe Tips

It's important to cook pancakes over low heat to make sure they cook evenly. If the heat is too high, the outsides will burn while the insides remain runny. Recipe Notes Lean Tip: Limit yourself to 3 pancakes per sitting and store the rest in the fridge