Magnifico!: Whole-grain pumpkin spice waffles with blueberry syrup

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August 4, 2007

Whole-grain pumpkin spice waffles with blueberry syrup

When I woke up this morning i was craving something yummy and delicious and different than my usual oatmeal. Pancakes were sounding pretty delicious, but despite my large collection of health food and whole grain cookbooks, I failed to find a recipe that met my criteria whole ingredients I already had in my pretty well-stocked pantry and fridge (curses on forgetting to buy milk last time I was at the market!) exactly what I was looking for. Then I remembered a recipe that I had discovered around last Thanksgiving.

I'm, well, a pumpkin fiend, and this recipe had some whole grains in it, so it was looking like a strong contender. And luckily, it called for soy milk (something I always keep on hand for oatmeal) instead of the from-cow variety. We have a winner!

Now might be a good time to expound on the flour I used. No, white whole wheat is not in any way related to the nutritionally devoid all-purpose flour or flour used to make white bread. It is an honest-to-god whole grain flour with all the bran and germ, but made with a different variety of wheat. Most flour comes from red wheat, which is a more strongly wheaty-tasting (and more bitter or sour to some tastebuds) flour when ground in its whole state. White whole-wheat flour is more mild and can be more readily substituted into baked goods. So when I was making these waffles in which I use a fairly heavy hand with the pumpkin pie spices, I wanted the pumpkin and the spice flavors to shine, not the wheat. Since I didn't want to sacrifice the nutrition, white whole wheat was the clear choice.

White whole wheat flour is a little more difficult to find but it is gaining in popularity since at least a few Americans want to use more healthy grains but aren't gaga over the way whole-wheat flour tastes. I use King Arthur Flour's variety, but Hodgson Mill and and Bob's Red Mill also produce it.

The flavor results of the flour substitution? Undetectable. This recipe definitely hits the spot.

Pumpkin spice waffles, topped and ready to devour

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Whole-grain pumpkin spice waffles with blueberry syrup
From The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook

Serves 2-3

For the syrup:

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or mixed berries>

2 tablespoons water (if using fresh berries)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon dark honey

1 tablespoon light molasses

Pinch of ground cloves

For the waffles:

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 cup (5.5 oz) white whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup (1.5 oz) whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup (4 oz) all-purpose flour

1/4 cornmeal, preferably whole-grain and stone ground (like Bob's Red Mill)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup plain soy milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons light molasses

1 egg white

Make the syrup: combine berries, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, molasses, and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer until the berries burst and the juices are slightly thickened (about five minutes for fresh berries, longer for frozen). Set aside and keep warm.

Preheat the waffle iron. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 225 degrees F. In a small bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a larger bowl, whisk together the soy milk, pumpkin puree, olive oil, and molasses. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white until in a stainless steel bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the rest, mixing until just incorporated.

Spoon or ladle 1/3-1/2 cup of batter (will depend on your waffle maker) onto the iron. Cook according to iron's directions. Transfer the waffles onto the baking sheet in a single layer to keep warm. Repeat until all the batter is cooked. Top with the syrup and serve.

Posted by Jitterbean Girl at 7:05 AM | breakfast, fall & winter, whole grain | Printer-friendly version | Comments (0)

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