Trainer Momma’s Whole Wheat Waffles

My friend Mandi has a great fitness blog, and I absolutely love this recipe that she posted on her blog, www.trainermomma.com. The recipe makes a ton, and since my waffle iron makes nice square waffles that fit nicely inside my toaster, I make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for quick breakfasts during the week. mmmm homemade eggo!

Before I give you the recipe, can I give you a few tips? Okay.

1. Nobody wants a chewy waffle right? You want a crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside waffle. That’s what you want if you’re like me, anyway. SO, it’s important to measure your flour correctly. Especially when I’m making waffles or muffins or pancakes or cakes or cookies – okay, most of the time – I use a scoop or a large spoon to sprinkle flour into my measuring cup. Level it off with the back of a butter knife. Do it this way and your baked goods won’t turn out too heavy! If a recipe calls for several cups of flour, I break out the food scale. Measure one cup following the directions above; weigh it; then multiply that measurement by the number of cups required in the recipe. Measure your flour carefully.
2. What else goes wrong with baked goods, especially waffles, pancakes and muffins? Over-mixing. Over-mixing makes a tender, fluffy product near impossible. When you are making waffles, pancakes or muffins, you are done mixing when all the dry ingredients are wet. There will be lumps. Guaranteed. It’s okay!! The more you mix, the happier the gluten in the flour becomes. The little gluten pieces hold hands with each other. They have a party. They become close friends. Friendly gluten is great when you are making bread, but waffles, pancakes and muffins don’t like the friendly gluten. To them, the friendly glutens are like the loud teenagers that won’t stop talking during the best part of a great movie at the theater… Don’t overmix. Lumps are okay. Trust me.

Okay. Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Trainer Momma’s Whole Wheat Waffles

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 T canola oil
• 3 T sugar
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs and add the other wet ingredients, mixing well. Add the wet stuff to the dry stuff and mix with a wooden spoon just until all the dry stuff is wet. Lumps are okay. Really. Preheat your waffle iron, and let the batter sit there for a minute while you wait for the waffle iron to heat up. Douse it with cooking spray and scoop on some waffle batter. Follow the directions for your waffle iron.

What do you like on your waffles? Aunt Jemima? Real maple syrup? Peanut butter? Fresh or frozen fruit and whipped cream? Powdered sugar? Melted jam? An egg, over-easy?

Have you tried adding fun stuff into your waffles? Try mixing in some cooked, drained bacon; some chopped walnuts or pecans; crumbled cooked breakfast sausage; drained canned peaches; thawed frozen strawberries or chopped fresh ones; fresh or frozen blueberries; diced bananas…

Thanks, Mandi, for such a great recipe!!