I love breakfast! I love eating traditional breakfast foods but I especially love the ritual of eating first thing in the morning. Call me superstitious, but I believe that the first thing I taste in the day will dictate how the day will go. For instance, something sweet will give me a little more pep initially and get me to my early morning yoga classes in a fine mood–no one wants a grumpy teacher! In fact, there is a difference between sweetness too. Give me something made with white or brown sugar, and I will indeed be grumpy in a few hours. But something made with real maple syrup or agave nectar never has that effect and I’m good to go! Something a little more savory, like eggs or a quiche get me focused. The proteins put my mind in a little more grounded state for some good mental work to come that day. Have you ever noticed anything like this with what you eat in the morning? Someone once said to me, “you have to gas your car up before it can run, right? You can’t take it anywhere if it has no gas in the tank–why would we expect our bodies to do the same?” It was kind of like a “oh…well, yeah…duh” moment for me, but the simplicity and truth of it has really stuck with me. Thinking about this must have something to do with the fact that I’m getting certified as a holistic health counselor . I’ve really been enjoying learning about the relationship between food and lifestyle and how it affects our health, happiness, and well being–it is really fascinating!

The other day, Andrew and I remembered we had a waffle maker (joy!). Our kitchen is a funny, small place where, like in many older homes, the cupboards go really high up. That’s where things that are not used very often get stored–and forgotten about. We’ve gotten into a really nice habit of making breakfast together–it is actually a great way to begin the day . Some days he takes the reins, other days I do, but we are both in there helping the other out. I started perusing some of my cookbooks for a good waffle recipe and found that they were all pretty similar–and from reputable, trusted sources. I decided to go with the one by Debora Madison out of her Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (a goldmine of great recipes). She gives a basic waffle recipe and then has variations for multi-grain, pecan, and rice waffles. I made a variation on the multi-grain as I didn’t have a variety of grains to add. I made a 75/25 whole wheat version that was incredibly filling and a nice vehicle for your favorite toppings. Because I used whole wheat flour and not whole wheat pastry flour (a little lighter than just the regular) they were dense, but not in a bad way. I think I’m going to keep tweaking the recipe though and trying different things until I am totally satisfied.

I added real maple syrup and dried goji berries on top, but you can add whipped butter, honey, pecans, jam, or whatever your heart desires–they’re your waffles! And I didn’t feel any mid-morning slump because of the lower amount of white flour and real maple–which is an important aspect to what I eat in the morning. If you have any good waffle suggestions, feel free to let me know! I’m on the lookout.

Whole Wheat Waffles, recipe adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup canola or olive oil, or butter melted (I used olive oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1/2 cup all purpose–75/25:)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Pour the we ingredients into the dry and combine them with a fork. The batter should be on the thin side or your waffles will be too cakey. Test a spoonful to be sure and add more milk if it’s too thick. Cook according to your waffle iron instructions. Top with your favorite toppings and serve warm.

Cheers!