Breakfast for dinner feels special for reasons I've never been able to figure out. It seems frivolous or rebellious to eat meals out of order, but it's nonetheless a great idea. I mean, if it's a balanced meal and you're satisfied after eating, why shouldn't pancakes and omelets be on your plate at dinner? Bobby's Carrot Cake Pancakes With Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle and Toasted Pecans feel a bit more decadent for a weeknight meal than, say, a Bisquick-made short-stack. But this recipe is easy enough to make, and homemade pancakes trump a boxed mix any day. Especially when there's cream cheese frosting involved — it's a delicious way to skip meat this Monday.

Carrot Cake Pancakes With Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle and Toasted Pecans

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay

1 cup packed finely grated peeled carrots, patted dry on paper towels (about 3 medium carrots)

1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional, plus more for garnish

For the pancakes: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spices, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the carrots and orange zest, if using, and mix until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fold in the ginger and pecans, if using, and mix until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat the skillet with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Spoon 1/4 cup mounds of the batter onto the skillet, spreading with a spatula. Cook until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look cooked, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven on a baking sheet, if desired.

For the maple-cream cheese drizzle: Combine the cream cheese, maple syrup and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment until combined, about 2 minutes.

To serve: Stack the pancakes on a plate and drizzle with the maple-cream cheese drizzle. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans, if using.

Today's even more special than a regular old Meatless Monday or even Breakfast for Dinner Day; it's also Food Day. Food Day is similar to Earth Day, but the focus is totally on our food system, and eating healthier, more sustainable food. You can learn more about Food Day, make Corky Pollan's Food Day menu and it's not too late to find a Food Day event in your area; many communities around the country are participating. But one of the goals of Food Day is to "Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods," something that giving up meat once per week will achieve, so if you celebrate Meatless Monday this week, perhaps with Carrot Cake Pancakes, you'll be doing your part.

• Veggie Burgers That Aren’t from a Box
• Grilled Squash Quesadillas
• Kelsey’s Ratatouille Tart
• Zucchini-Pear Soup
• Tomato-Bread Salad (aka Panzanella)
• Rigatoni With Creamy Eggplant and Mozzarella
• Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
• Green Beans With Paneer in Tomato Sauce
• Black Bean Chili
• Wheat Berry Salad
• Pasta With Butternut Squash and Tomatoes