You guys. I’ve been waiting for this day to happen for nearly a year. For the first time in his entire life (read: over one year now) the little man snoozed through his early morning call for milk, meaning I got to start my day before he did.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be awake at 5:30am before. Sure it’s still pitch dark outside but I’m not bleary-eyed from being up in the middle of the night and I don’t feel like I’ve been punched in the face. However fleeting the peace and quiet may be, I’m savoring being snuggled up on the couch in front of the fireplace with my laptop.

Now, in a perfect scenario, I’d have a stack of these Lemon Blueberry Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes in front of me and a homemade latte (or mimosa) in hand. Unfortunately, with our espresso machine steaming milk is about as quiet as a plane taking off and it’s far too early to be popping bottles so I’m just gonna pretend. As mamas we must take what we can get, am I right?

Now back to these brunch-worthy Lemon-Blueberry Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes. The lemon-blueberry combo offers the perfect amount of tang to be enjoyed straight off the skillet but also balances the sweetness of a hearty drizzle of maple syrup. There’s really no wrong way to eat these pancakes. They’re even toddler-friendly! Little Noah loves his with a put of butter and cut into strips with a sippy cup of milk on the side.

Made with milk, these little flapjacks also provide important nutrients like protein, calcium and magnesium. Milk is a wholesome, naturally nutritious staple in our refrigerator so I make an effort to mix it into recipes whenever I can. It works especially well breakfast foods like zoats, breakfast quinoa, muffins, scrambled or baked eggs, waffles and, of course, pancakes.

Whether you’re hosting a weekend brunch, or just want to have a delicious, nutrient-dense breakfast your family will love, these babies will do the trick. Leftovers also freeze well and defrost quickly for busy weekday mornings — or the rare morning you find yourself with a few minutes to enjoy breakfast and a few sips of coffee in solitude before the kids wake up.

A special thanks to the National Milk Life Campaign for sponsoring this delicious recipe. For more nutritious recipes, head on over to MilkLife.com or connect with them on social via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.