And in the morning..... I'm makin' waffles!

Waffles to me were always synonymous with the catchy advertisements for a certain "versatile" potato version, much loved by children when drowned in tomato ketchup. Occasionally I'd come across a waffle iron at the breakfast table of an hotel but the dripping jug of porridge like goo that usually stood beside it was rarely an attractive prospect. In more recent times the idea of waffles (rather than the actual eating experience) took a little hold thanks to Donkey's much quoted catch phrase.

Then, thanks to those lovely people at Lidl, the Waffle Maker arrived. Competition for Sunday morning pancakes. I also had visions of a jug of mix always at the ready, a quick option for a warm start to school days. The Waffle's initial outing was well received, or so I thought. As the iron cooled and returned , reboxed, to its shelf I realised that my first buttery sweet creations hadn't been quite the success I had imagined.

Being just a little obsessive about these things, I went on a quest for more interesting waffle recipes and last evening turned the kitchen table into the floury equivalent of a science lab bench, carefully measured variations mixed and logged. This morning, I am happy to report some small modicum of success. Waffles that were not only well received but may actually be good for you!


Butter Free Waffles


Ingredients:

100g Wholegrain Spelt Flour
100g Plain Flour
1Tbsp (15g) Vanilla Sugar
2Tsp Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt

375ml Milk
3 Eggs
1/2Tbsp Vegetable Oil / Sunflower Oil


Method:

Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk and oil, beating again until well mixed.
Add egg, milk and oil mix to the dry ingredients until the mix has a consistent, smooth texture.

You can make the mixture the night before and leave in the fridge but you may need to give the mix a quick stir before you use it as the oil will tend to separate.
Pour a hefty spoonfull of the mix onto your pre heated Waffle Maker and cook following your "manufacturer's instructions". One thing to watch out for is the relatively large quantity of baking powder in this mix which causes the mix to rise rapidly when it first begins to heat, so you may need to apply some additional pressure to the lid of your Waffle Maker.


Serving:

This is where the "butter free" bit may go out the window! I like mine with honey and washed down with lashings of coffee (why was I about to type ginger beer? ), but I'm reassured that Nutella, sugar, butter and peanut butter work just as well.


Healthy Oatmeal Waffles

So this is definitely a case of saving the best until last. A small variation to the basic recipe above is to replace the wholegrain flour with Porridge Oats (Flahavan's naturally) and add half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

A healthier option that is simply delicious. Enjoy!