Whole Grain Waffles

These are great, easy waffles to make. I made a big batch and froze most of them so that I would have breakfast waffles during the week. Definitely better than eggo's with all those preservatives!

I topped them with sunflower seed butter and some mixed berry spread I got at the Union Square Farmers Market.



Whole Grain Waffles
Eating, etc.

2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt until batter is smooth.

Preheat a waffle iron and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Favorite Pancakes

Get a load of this: Breakfast is almost eclipsing dinner as my favorite meal of the day. And I credit it to new, fun and healthy options. These pancakes are another in a long line of recent breakfast creations that I have come up with.



They are packed with nothing but good, fueling food for a morning on the run. Since I am frequently on the run from dance classes to running to the gym most mornings, I really do need something good that sticks to my rubs.

Toppings are endless with these, but my favorites are nut butters, pumpkin butter, cranberry sauce, coconut and nuts. Let me know if you come up with other fun toppings!

Also, these pancakes freeze very well. I made them a month or so ago and keep popping them out of the freezer and into the toaster oven for a quick breakfast!



Pancakes
With a Side of Sneakers

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
cinnamon
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk
2 heaping tablespoons Chia seeds
2 heaping tablespoons Ground flax seed
1/4 cup Oat bran
2 heaping tablespoons Wheat germ 

Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk in coconut oil. Stir in yogurt and milk (and pumpkin if you're using it). Cook pancakes a few minutes on each side.

Toppings:
Vanilla Cinnamon Peanut butter
Pumpkin butter
Walnuts

Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsau

I don't know that I had ever had a latke before this endeavor. I am now a convert. What a fun snack! Minus having to shread and peal the potatoes and butternut squash, these are pretty easy and definitely yummy. The salsa that goes with it is very versatile as well. I think it would go well with fish or even as a salsa for chips!



Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa
Cooking Light, December 2010

1 1/2 cups finely chopped Gala apples
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 finely chopped seeded serrano chile
5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 cups shredded, peeled butternut squash (about 3/4 pound)
3 cups shredded peeled baking potato (3/4 pound)
1 cup grated onion
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1/4 cup olive oil, divided



Combine apple and lime in a bowl; toss. Add onion, chile, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss. Cover and chill.

Combine squash, potato and onion in a colander; drain 30 minutes, pressing occasionally with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, remaining 4 tablespoons cilantro, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, flour and next 5 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; toss well.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan; flatten slightly. Repeat procedure 4 times to form 5 latkes. Saute 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Remove latkes from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure twice with remaining oil and potato mixture to yield 14 latkes total. Serve with salsa.

Gingerbread Pancakes

So Saturday morning I'm minding my own business. Drinking coffee and rolling out Christmas cookies, when all of a sudden Annie Bananie says from the couch, "I want some pancakes."

I couldn't just blatantly ignore a plea for pancakes. That would be so out of character. So I said I would make her pancakes when I was done making cookies. And of course I couldn't just make regular pancakes. I made gingerbread pancakes! Brilliantly delicious. I also added chocolate chips because Annie Bananie wanted them. These were great pancakes. Perfect for a cold Saturday morning!


Gingerbread Pancakes
Baking Bites

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I used regular milk, but I think it would be better with buttermilk)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and spices. In a medium bowl, mix together the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and molasses. Pour into dry ingredients until batter is well combined. Whisk in chocolate chips.

Heat a non-stick or lightly greased pan over medium high heat. Drop large dollops of batter to make 4-inch pancakes. Flip when edges begin to look dry. Cook until second side is golden. Serve with maple syrup and devour!

Whole Wheat Berry Pancakes

As I have said before, I am not much for pancakes or waffles in the morning. I feel like it isn't worth the few bites of yumminess to feel kind of sluggish all day. Enter whole wheat and berries.

These pancakes definitely have some sugar in them, but it is nothing like a bisquik pancake because of the whole wheat and the blueberries and strawberries I added to them! So have a great morning and make some of these for yourself!

Whole Wheat Berry Pancakes
From Whole Grain Gourmet

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups fat free milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
Blueberries
Strawberries

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together. Set aside.

Combine the milk, eggs, vanilla and orange zest and then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the berries. Heat a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray and pour 1/3 cup batter into pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the top. Flip pancake and cook until baked through.

Going Bananas

Ah, the age-old question: What to do when all the bananas you buy start to go before you can eat them?

I think for most people, banana bread is the first thing that comes to mind. I wanted to be a bit more creative today, however. Dun dun dun dun! Enter: Banana-Walnut Whole Wheat Pancakes!

I have been passing these on Joy the Baker's website recently, and thought this morning I would give 'em a whirl. Wow! Were these delicious or what! I definitely tweaked the recipe, which is below. Usually, I am not a huge pancake person. Sometimes, when I go home, I like to let my Dad make me pancakes, but otherwise, I feel like I have more important things to eat for the first meal of the day. These may have changed my mind about pancakes, though. Definitely a keeper!

Banana-Walnut Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus additional for brushing the skillet

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine the flour, oatmeal, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the yolks, vegetable oil, half and half and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix. Let rest 5 minutes.

Add the mashed bananas and walnuts and mix.

Whip the two egg whites with a whisk (if you must make things difficult for yourself) or a hand mixer until peaks start to form. Gently fold into the batter.

WARNING: Try not to taste the batter, because it is super delicious. I made this mistake and just about did a nose-dive into the bowl.

Spoon two or three tablespoons onto a hot, oiled saucepan and cook until done. (I think you know how to cook a pancake!)

Top with sliced bananas and real maple syrup!