Overnight Baked French Toast (easily made Gluten Free!)

I found this recipe on Pinterest with the comment "Perfect Christmas Morning French Toast". We've had our friends' kids staying with us for the past few nights and yesterday, I couldn't flip pancakes fast enough to feed our temporarily enlarged family. So last night, I decided to find a make-ahead breakfast. 

I messed with the original recipe to lighten it up a bit, including a few adjustments to make it Gluten Free. Our non-GF house guests loved the GF version and begged for more! Everyone had seconds, until the pan was scraped clean.

Ingredients

         1 loaf stale bread (I used Gluten Free)

         12 whole eggs

         2 cups milk

         1 1/2 cup almond milk (or use regular milk)

         3/4 cups sugar (reduce to 1/2 cup if using honey or agave nectar)

         2 Tablespoons vanilla

         1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or Gluten Free AP flour)

         1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

         1 teaspoon cinnamon

         1/4 teaspoon salt

         1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold butter, cubed

Directions

1. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

2. Slice or tear the bread into chunks and place them in the greased pan.

3. Mix together eggs, milk, almond milk, sugar (or honey or agave), and vanilla. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Before heading to bed, prepare the topping. In another bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and mix until the batter comes somewhat together, like little pebbles. (I used a food processor) Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

5. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Take the pan with the soaking bread and sprinkle the crumb mixture on top.

7. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Yields 8-10 servings.

This is what the pan looked like 15 minutes after it came out of the oven. We will definitely be making this again! Probably for Easter morning. Yum!

Easy Apple Fritters

I have been making these Apple Fritters for years. They are a Christmas morning tradition and an occasional Saturday morning treat. Make them this weekend…you will thank me.

I've experimented and tried to clean up the ingredients a bit and they turned out great! Then on Thanksgiving a few days ago, I made them with GF flour, Xylitol and also substituted the canola oil for coconut oil - I think I messed with them too much. The consistency wasn't quite the same, but they were still very good. So use substitutions as you see fit for your family's dietary needs. The skeleton of this recipe is hard to mess up!!!

Fritter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (GF all-purpose flour works, too)
• 1/4 cup sugar (or baking Xylitol)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup milk (coconut milk or almond milk works too)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped apple (with or without the skin)
• canola oil (for frying)

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Pour oil into saucepan so that it is approximately 1 1/2 inches deep.  Heat oil on medium-high while making the dough.  Oil is ready when dough sizzles in the pan and floats to top.  
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon.  
3. Stir in milk and egg until just combined.  Fold in chopped apple.  
4. Carefully add dough to oil in heaping teaspoons.  Don't crowd the saucepan too much - the dough will expand a bit. (I cook 4-5 at a time in a 2 quart saucepan)
5. Cook until brown, about 2 minutes, then flip with a fork or slotted spoon.  Cook another 1-2 minutes, until both sides are browned.  
6. Transfer briefly to paper towels to absorb excess oil, then transfer to cooling rack.  
7. Make glaze by stirring milk and powdered sugar together in a small bowl.  Drizzle over apple fritters.  Best served warm.

I always double this recipe for my hungry family and serve next to eggs. I figure the protein will somehow balance the sugar overload to avoid late-morning meltdowns.

This is how they usually look - puffy and round. The first batches all disappeared quickly and by the time I took pictures, they all flattened out (as in the pictures on top)

Guilt-Free, Banana Pancakes

The popular recipe for The Biggest Loser Oatmeal Pancakes has become a staple in our house, but I've messed around with it when I ran low on cottage cheese or oats and my boys were still begging for more. Here's what I've come up with...we make these at least once a week!  I have to double this recipe for my hungry family.

This picture was taken before I began adding baking powder to the recipe. They're much fluffier now!

Ingredients:
1 c. rolled oats (GF, if needed)
1 c. cottage cheese (lowfat is fine)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. sugar (I use 2 packets of Xylitol or Stevia)
6 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 banana (does NOT need to be ripe - the riper it is, the more banana flavor it will have)

Add all items to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour onto a hot griddle and flip when bubbles begin to form on the top of each pancake.

Yields 18-20 pancakes.

Do these pancakes taste like IHOP? No, they do not. But they don't taste gluten free, either. Worth a try!

#100 - Prepare 30 new recipes

My kids helped A LOT with these recipes, since my wrist has been broken for 6 weeks. This is the result of Jason "helping" stir the dry ingredients before I added moisture to the KitchenAide mixer. The mess covered every surface within 3 feet of the island. Chia seeds, cocoa powder, dried fruit bits...everywhere. It was so fun to clean up with one hand!

This item on my 101 in 1001 list was fun to complete, especially because I've been trying to find some gluten-free, even dairy-free and Paleo, recipes to make more regularly. I put an * next to the recipes that we've made (or will make) again. About 1/2 of the recipes were a huge hit, the other 1/2 were a hit with some of my family, but not everyone. ALL are worth a try!!!


Breakfast

* Paleo Blueberry Pecan Breakfast Cookies - I've made these again and again. A+!

* Paleo Pancakes - These have become the only pancakes I make for Jason. 2 eggs + 1 banana = gluten free, dairy free, grain free and perfect for his diet. I love them, but they were slow to grow on the rest of my family. Now, if we don't have cottage cheese for the Biggest Loser Pancake recipe (below), everyone eats these.

* The Biggest Loser Pancakes - OHMYGOSH these things are so good. And filling!!! I make them every weekend. Actually, I also throw in 2 bananas and 4 eggs to add some healthy fillers and the consistency stays perfect.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes - Thumbs up from everyone - I used gluten-free all-purpose flour. The only reason I probably won't make these again is because I avoid using GF flour or flour substitutes.

* Primal Banana Bread - A perfect pre-workout snack or breakfast on the go.

* Grain Free Muffins - These will be a new staple in our freezer! Yum. For real.

Main Dishes

* Grain Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust - I was shocked how good this was. Shocked. Not crispy like a traditional crust, and not sturdy enough to pick up, but my whole family gave it a thumbs up. The chicken pesto version went over better than the sausage and mushroom with marinara, I think because the pesto was so flavorful that it overpowered the taste of the cauliflower.

Creamy Ham and Sweet Potato Soup - This was doomed from the beginning, as my family doesn't love sweet potatoes. At all. But personally, the taste grew on me. Regardless, I won't make it again.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls - Tasted like a quinoa version of Chipotle bowls.

Greek Pizza on Pitas - My family choked this down, I loved it. 

Paleo Tropical Turkey Meatballs - My family hated these at first, until I gave them some Tastefully Simple Honey Teriyaki Sauce to dip, then everyone, especially the kids, were begging for more. Good thing, because I doubled the recipe and froze the extras!

Crispy Quinoa Bake - This was very similar to my Southwest Quinoa Casserole that I make, but more steps and more dishes. We'll stick with my go-to recipe instead.

* Homemade Taco Seasoning - Kinda spicy, but very good! I'll use less red pepper flakes next time.

* Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks - I substituted the pasta for brown rice pasta and the heavy cream for evaporated milk and it was DELICIOUS. As in, Ryan and Kaylin ate 3 and 4 bowlfuls, respectively, and asked me to make this for dinner every single night. A+...and why have I never cooked with leeks before this???

Desserts

* Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Dough Balls - I made these before I started keeping notes of my recipe reviews, but I do remember that they were delicious. I used mini chips instead of regular to cut down on the chunkiness of chocolate in every bite.

Clean Frozen Banana Cream Pie - I'd give this a B-.

Clean Pumpkin Pie - My kids actually loved it...Mike didn't. 

* Avocado Chocolate Mousse - Very rich, so I actually use only 1 T. honey, but Mike thinks he can taste the avocado. I can't. It's the perfect chocolate fix for this sweets-deprived girl!

* Healthy Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip - YUM!  We've made this again and again. The link is broken, but it's basically 1/4 c plain Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp peanut/almond butter, 1 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Trail Mix Balls - Not a huge hit, but my family ate them.

Gluten Free Fruit and Nut Energy Bars - These were okay, not awesome, but edible. The ingredients were pretty pricey, so I made sure none of them went to waste.

GF Fruit Tart with Honey Vanilla Custard - This was delicious, but a huge pain because of the constant "stir or it will burn" pressure. Won't make it again.

* Raw Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars - I will be making these all the time once I have two free hands! Stirring this thick mixture one-handed with a broken wrist was a joke!

No Bake Paleo Cookies - We added 1/2 oats to these, so they were gluten free, but no longer Paleo. Everyone loved them, but they melted if not eaten quickly.

* "Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars" - Yum, will make these again and again.

Brownies (yes, it's own catagory)

Clean Eating Brownies - These separated into two weird layers. I don't think Ryan whisked the ingredients enough. I would try making them again - they were soufflé-like.

Sweet Potato Paleo Brownies - Made with melted chocolate (chips), cooked sweet potatoes, honey, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and just 1 T each coconut oil and coconut flour. I left out the cocoa powder (we ran out) but adding a little extra coconut flour (unsweetened, shredded coconut in a coffee bean grinder) and some chocolate chips on top.

Zucchini Paleo Brownies - Made with almond butter, grated zucchini, honey, egg, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips.

* "Best Gluten Free Brownies Ever" - Made with almond butter, eggs, agave nectar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and chocolate chips.

Chickpea Brownies - Made with Starbucks Via, garbanzo beans, eggs, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips, sugar (we used agave nectar) and canola oil (could use coconut, but we followed the recipe for this ingredient).

GF Fruit Tart with Honey Vanilla Custard for July 4th

Grain Free Muffins

Grain Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust
(with 1/2 soy cheese for Jason and 1/2 regular mozzarella with mushrooms for Mike)

Ryan making No Bake Paleo Cookies

Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffin Melts

When I turned on my computer this morning, I intended to search for something fun for Mike's birthday breakfast. I was so grateful that this recipe was sitting in my email from the Simple Homeschool blog! The smell of pumpkin had filled the house by the time Mike returned from the gym.

Make these very, very soon. You'll thank me!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar (I used agave nectar and reduced the milk to 1/4 cup...you could also use maple syrup)

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

For topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar mixed with 2 Tbsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Mix together milk and pumpkin. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar/agave/maple syrup until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue mixing.

4. In a smaller bowl, mix the milk and pumpkin.

5. Whisk together the rest of the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the pumpkin/milk mixture.

6. Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes.

7. Cool muffins in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a plate or cooling rack. When cool enough to handle, dip the top of each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Yields 30 mini muffins.

 

Date Nut Bars

These date bars were perfect for Kaylin's birthday tea party, but will definitely be made again in our house.  They have very little butter and flour and are delish!

Date bars pictured here with my favorite Banana Bread muffins

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup seeded dates, chopped
1 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Extra powdered sugar for coating

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch pan with butter or non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the walnuts, dates, powdered sugar, and eggs. Add lemon juice, flour, butter, and salt, mixing well. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Remove from oven and cut into squares while the bars are still hot. Note: A pizza cutter works great.

Roll the date squares in powdered sugar, making sure to heavily coat them.

Note:  If doubling the recipe use a larger pan and cook for at least 30 minutes.

Storage: These Date Nut Bars will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to a week.

Makes 30 to 40 bars.

Healthy, Allergy-Free Breakfast "Cookies" (sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, egg free)

I was skeptical when I saw this recipe for no sugar oat drops sent from my wonderful, all-natural friend in Michigan. There is no flour, no sugar or honey, no butter, no eggs or dairy - they're like the perfect allergy-free snack!  

I had a few over ripe bananas that day, so I whipped up a batch and am completely hooked. I made some adjustments to use what I had on hand and they were surprisingly good.

These "cookies" are healthy, yet very nutrient dense, so don't keep popping them in your mouth when they begin to grow on you. I froze them for pre-workout energy since my morning smoothies seem to leave me tired and winded too soon into my aerobics classes these days.

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup coconut flakes (I don't do coconut, so this is optional)
1/4 cup of almond meal (put almonds into a food processor or coffee grinder and pulse)
1/2 cup mixed nuts, finely chopped (I used almonds, walnuts and pecans)

1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dried fruit (I used 1/2 chopped dried dates and 1/2 raisins)
-----------
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, almond meal, mixed nuts and coconut flakes. Stir in salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add dried fruit and stir until well and evenly mixed. Make sure the dried fruit do not stick together in big batches.

- In another bowl, combine canola oil, mashed banana and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined. 
- Scoop large spoonfuls of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten with a fork. (they will not spread while baking) Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Yields 20 "breakfast cookies" - depending on the size. (I used a medium cookie scoop)

{Slow Cooker} Steal Cut Oatmeal with Bananas and Coconut Milk

I recently discovered this recipe on Pinterest and found myself with all of the ingredients to throw it in the crock pot last night. It was delicious!  Give it a try...

Ingredients

• 2 medium {very ripe} bananas, sliced
• 14 oz light coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Optional garnishes: blueberries, sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, butter

Directions

Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.

To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup milk or water. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.


Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

Caramel Pecan French Toast Casserole

I modified this recipe to create the delicious masterpiece below.  It's the perfect Christmas or New Year's Day breakfast because it can sit in the fridge overnight, then get popped in the oven in the morning, without any thought.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 loaf French bread, sliced 1 inch thick
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Heat and stir until the butter melts and the brown sugar dissolves. Pour into a rectangular 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with half the pecans.
2. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour slowly over bread. Press lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten all bread.
4. Stir together granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; sprinkle over bread. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight.
5. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand ten minutes.
6. To serve, remove individual servings with a wide spatula and invert onto each plate.

Easy "Almost Whole Wheat" Crepes

4 beaten eggs
3 cups milk
.5 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 cup flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
.25 tsp salt

Whisk all ingredients together well.  Heat 1-2 lightly greased skillets (6-inch work best).  Pour 1/4 cup batter into each skillet, tilting the skillet to spread the batter into a circle.  Cook until the edges are set and the middle is mostly cooked.  Flip and cook 30-45 seconds\ longer.  Crepes stack well and usually keep warm. 

Fill with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, butter and powdered sugar, honey, Nutella...the options are endless.

Yields 18-20 crepes.  And yes, my family eats all of them and still asks for more.  We're pigs!

Almond Flax Granola

Today was cold and rainy, so I decided to try my hand at making granola in the oven instead of my standard crock pot recipe.  I adjusted this recipe just a bit to suit our family preferences and it is delicious! I had to smack Mike and the kids' hands away while the stuff was it was cooling.  I have a feeling it won't last long in our house.

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. oil, vegetable or canola
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
(Or you can just use 1/2 cup of either maple syrup, agave or honey)
--------------------------
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (or a combination of the two)
1 cup almonds, chopped or whole (optional)
1 cup coconut (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)


Adjust oven racks to middle positions. Preheat to 275 degrees. Line two metal cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

Bring oil, syrup, agave, cinnamon and water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Mix the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. (I waited to add the raisins until after it was out of the oven, so they would stay plump and unburned) Pour oil/maple syrup mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Pour mixture onto two prepared cookie sheets. If desired, squeeze granola to form small clumps, working a handful at a time.

Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate baking sheets in the oven, baking for another 15 minutes. Stir and continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. (cook time is 45 minutes total)

Let cool. Granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

Makes approximately 8 cups.

Buttermilk Pancakes

This has been my go-to recipe for pancakes for the last couple of years. I'm not sure why I've never posted it! I can't even remember where I found it, but it's delicious and makes perfect pancakes every time. I'll post a picture when my main computer is fixed.

2 eggs
2.5 cups buttermilk*
4 T. canola oil
2.5 cups flour
2 T. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add in the wet ingredients. Don't overbeat or the pancakes will turn out tough - some lumps are fine. Cook on a hot griddle until bubbles form on top, then flip.

*I never have buttermilk, so I use this trick: add 1 T. lemon juice per 1 cup milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The chemical reaction creates the same effect as using buttermilk. Regular milk works fine, too, but the pancakes aren't as fluffy.

Whole Wheat Crepes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs

- Combine all of the dry ingredients with a whisk. Beat the honey and eggs into the milk, then slowly incorporate into the dry mixture, whisking continuously.
- Heat a small nonstick skillet on medium and spray with cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup batter and allow it to fill the pan to the edges. Cook on one side for 3 minutes before carefully flipping (crepe will be very thin - this takes some practice) to finish cooking 1 minute more. (I tend to use 2 pans to speed up the cooking process, otherwise you're standing over the stove for an hour)

- Stacking crepes on a plate until you're done cooking will keep them hot so that everyone can eat together for a change!
- Top or fill with fresh berries, powdered sugar and honey, whipped cream, bananas and chocolate sauce or Nutella, the possibilities are endless!

Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole

I posted about this recipe last year, but it's so good that it has to be shared again. I wanted something that I could make the night before and just stick in the oven for the Mother's Day brunch we have for our parents each year. I got the recipe from the Cooking Light website, so you know it's healthier than some similar recipes, but still AMAZING and full of flavor. I always look for the french bread loaves on the day-old rack at the grocery store and freeze them specifically for french toast. Thicker bread makes a HUGE difference!

Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole
1 cup packed brown sugar (you could use less)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fat-free milk
3 Tbs granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
2 large eggs
12 (1-inch-thick) slices French bread (or however many will fit in your baking dish)

- Combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup; pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over sugar mixture.
- Combine rind and next 7 ingredients (rind through eggs); stir with a whisk. Arrange bread slices over pecans in dish; pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight.

--------------------------------------------------
- In the morning, carefully turn bread slices over to absorb excess egg mixture. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 350° and bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

The Happy Housewife has a Hot Breakfast Challenge going on right now. She has me convinced that I'm over-spending on breakfast by doing cereal most days. Check out some other hot breakfast recipes on her site here.

Whole Grain Waffles

These are good, healthy waffles. Not nearly as good as the pancake recipe I recently found, but this will be our standard waffle recipe until I find a better one. (and yes, I'm open to suggestions if you have a great recipe to share) These have such a strong cinnamon aroma that Mike asked me 3 times if I put apples in the batter. He obviously associates cinnamon with apples!

Whole Grain Waffles
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons wheat germ

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch fine salt

2 large eggs (I used 1 egg and 2 whites)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (I didn't use it, didn't miss it)

1/4 cup peanut or walnut oil (I used canola)

Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high. Whisk the flour with the oats, sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, butter, and oil.

Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, to make a batter. Take care not to over work the batter, it's fine if there are a few lumps.

Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter per waffle (it depends on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until the outside of the waffle is crisp and inside is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. (The time varies depending on the size and spread of a waffle iron). Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar or applesauce. Repeat with remaining batter.

Tip: keep waffles warm in a 200 degree oven. You can actually eat a warm breakfast WITH your family for a change!