No doubt about it, my kids jump up and down when I start talking about having breakfast for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is the coolest thing in the world apparently when you’re a kid. However, many moms think that waffles fall into the semi-junk food category. After all, once you douse it with syrup how healthy can it be?
That’s exactly why I try to make whole grain waffles and pancakes and if possible, I avoid topping them with syrup. Did you know that you can actually buy low fat ice cream topping and it has less sugar in it than syrup? We also like to top our waffles with fruit and crème fraiche or whipped cream. That type of topping also has less sugar than does syrup. With that said, enjoy this new take on an old favorite. (Recipe based on something found on the Food Network.)
You will need:
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup orange juice
2/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 egg
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for cooking
Allspiced Apple Butter, recipe follows
Whipped cream, for garnish
Directions:
The night before you plan to serve the waffles, in a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, orange juice, and oats. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the sugar and mix. Add the flours, baking soda, salt, and the oat mixture and mix well. Stir in the melted butter. The batter may be slightly lumpy.
Preheat and lightly butter a waffle iron. Spoon a generous 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot iron and close the lid. Cook until no more steam escapes from the iron and the waffle is golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the apple butter and whipped cream and garnished with fresh berries.
Allspiced Apple Butter
This is a huge recipe. If you like apple butter, you can make it and freeze some or can it. If you want to make a smaller recipe, or an easier one, use apple sauce instead of fresh apples. Apple butter is after all, apple sauce with the liquid reduced!
5 pounds apples, like MacIntosh or Ida, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice, preferably freshly ground
Put the apples in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice and continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes more.
To test for doneness, place a spoonful of the mixture on a white plate and let sit 20 seconds. If a ring of liquid forms around the apples, there is still too much liquid in the mixture. Continue cooking and testing until no ring forms.