Soaked Oats Waffles

I have a hard time getting my children to eat oatmeal from a bowl, but they will eat their oats in waffle form any time. We've been making these waffles for a while now as they have become my family's favorite waffle recipe. They are ridiculously easy, which is why I love them. You just soak the oats overnight (which helps to reduce the phytic acid thereby making them much easier to digest), then add the rest of the ingredients in the morning, puree, and cook in the waffle maker. It's also all made in the blender so clean up is a cinch.

These come out of the waffle maker fairly firm, but once exposed to air, they will become slightly soft and a little soggy-like. My family doesn't mind this at all, but if you like a crispier waffle, you can put them in the oven for a few minutes on 350 degrees or pop in the toaster to firm them up. In fact, I usually make a double batch and toast the leftovers in the toaster for a super quick, easy, and nutritious breakfast the following day. (Or freeze leftovers and they'll last up to a month.)

Soaked Oats Waffles

1 3/4 cups gluten free rolled oats
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup kefir (water or milk)

1 egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt

Soak oats in water and kefir in a high powered blender overnight.

In the morning, add egg through salt. Puree.

Pour into a preheated Belgium waffle maker and cook according to manufacturer's instructions.

Enjoy immediately with butter and pure maple syrup.

Makes about 5-6 waffles.

Egg Free, Gluten Free Pancakes

Well hello there, friends. It's been quite a while since I've posted something here. This past winter and spring (which was really just winter that lasted through the end of April... ugh!), I found myself completely immersed in the task of settling into life at home with my three young boys. Homeschooling, cleaning, preparing nutritious meals, reading, and staying sane (thank you God, Kay Arthur, and yogaglo.com) have been consuming most of my time.

BUT now the sticky notes of recipes are piling up in my kitchen! It's time to do something about them... get some of those recipes on this blog... finally.

A while back, I ran out of eggs, and wasn't picking up another dozen from my farmer for a few days... and we desperately wanted pancakes. So I created this egg free recipe and I'm so happy with it that it's become my go-to pancake recipe ever since. My boys love them. In fact, last night we ate them along with some organic chicken sausages for dinner (what kid doesn't love breakfast for dinner?). I like to smear mine with freshly ground peanut butter and my boys love drizzling them (or dousing them) with pure maple syrup.

The ingredient list seems long, but really they are easy to prepare. I find the buckwheat flour to be essential as it helps to hold the pancakes together nicely, which is especially important when you're cooking gluten free.

Egg Free, Gluten Free Pancakes

Egg replacer:
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons water

Dry ingredients:
1 cup sprouted brown rice flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or sucanat
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

Wet ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup + water

Preheat a pancake griddle over med-low heat.

Mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add flaxseed mixture, coconut oil (melted), honey, and vanilla. Stir.

Begin adding water slowly, up to 1 cup, and stir. The batter will thicken upon standing, so you may want to add an additional 1/2 cup water if the batter sits a while before you pour onto the griddle.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter into round circles onto the griddle. Wait until bubbles form on the top of the pancakes (about 3-5 minutes) and flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with 100% pure Grade B maple syrup.

Makes about a dozen pancakes.