Waffles

Saturdays have become "Breakfast Day" at the Hungry Hippo (current name for the kitchen) and waffles are often on the menu.  I grew up eating waffles made by my mom and never really thought about what went in them.  Only when I started making them myself did I realize that waffles are really just breakfast cake, lots of fat and sugar, not much fiber or other good things.  I know they've got eggs and milk in them, but they're still just cake.  Sarah and I have tried making more robust and healthy waffles but our efforts usually just end up resembling crisp oatmeal.  Crisp oatmeal is all well in good when it's called for, but crisp oatmeal does not a waffle make.  We keep coming back to this recipe because they're just really good.

This is my Mom's recipe...

Waffles:

2 Eggs, Separated
1 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1 1/2 Cups Milk

Lightly oil and heat your preferred waffle iron.

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites into mixing bowls.  Into the yolks add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, oil and milk.  Wisk together until smooth.

With an electric egg beater or using a stand mixer beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.  Fold the whites gently into the rest of the batter.

Pour the appropriate amount of finished batter (1/2 cup?) into the prepared iron and cook as per usual.

We usually top our waffles with plain yogurt and some kind of fruit jam or butter.  Syrup is a good stand-by but if more interesting things are to hand then we go with those instead.