Whole Grain Chocolate Waffles

When I whipped these up on Sunday morning everybody thought I was making dessert for breakfast. But the truth is, these couldn't have been more simple or better for us. 

Since I added cocoa powder to my waffles, I was able to boost the flour to 100% whole grain instead of the 50/50 blend that I normally use with all-purpose flour. (Because the cocoa made the waffles a nice chocolate brown and that totally hides the whole grain color from my family. (mostly the teens!)

I sliced up the last of the berries that I had in the fridge and the ones that I had to cut up because one side had gone a little "mushy" got put into a sauce pan and cooked down to make a delicious syrup - who's only ingredient was mashed up berries. 

 

You could serve these with sliced bananas, or other fresh fruits. You could even serve them as dessert waffles and not tell a soul they were eating something really good for them. 

They did turn out a little Cake-y for the waffle purist in our family, but when I heated one up the next day in the toaster over it was crispy on the outside and perfect on the inside....  I might just say these are Better the next day. But I'll need to make a few more batches and do lots more chocolate waffle research. 

Carrot Banana Bread

I made this bread first thing in the morning, because I knew that I really wanted to get to it, and I also know that I have a tendency to put things off and they never get done. 

So right after I cleaned up breakfast, I started grating carrots and mashing bananas. 

When I picked Ezra up from school and we were driving home, I said, "I made your favorite thing in the whole world today" 

Banana Bread?!

no wait, Carrot Cake?!? 

Yes, I said. and explained that I had made a test of making carrot banana bread, and he declared that sounded like the best thing he has ever wanted to eat in his life.   Now, he's only 9, but he was pretty close to be right. 

To frost.... or not to frost..... ?  

That is completely up to you. I happened to have some frosting in my fridge (yes! I am that kind of person) But it was a delicious quick bread on its own.  This also would make fantastic muffins and would be great with added nuts of raisins.  

Gouda, Carrot and Cumin Bread

I could bake bread every day - well at least quick breads I could. 

I love this savory version with carrots and gouda cheese and the unexpected flavor of cumin. 

If you don't have access to Gouda substitute another mild cheese and it will still be delicious and you'll still be a bread baking hero to all those who you feed. 

I like to shred my carrots really really small, so I can distribute the flavor evenly and also to "hide" big carrot chunks for carrot-hating children. (or even adults)

 The aroma of the cumin and fresh bread will have people flocking to your kitchen. Enjoy making this savory quick bread and eating healthy whole grains in the process. 

Rosemary Olive Quick Bread

This is a fantastic bread with so much flavor and hearty goodness. I used a 10-grain whole grain flour, but you can use any whole grain flour that you choose. Quick breads are a fantastic way to introduce whole grains to your family because they are by nature a heartier bread than a yeast bread.

I love the taste of salty olives and so this bread is a favorite of mine. And while rosemary isn't typically an herb that I love the taste of, it was a perfect compliment to the olives.  

You can use quick breads for snacks or breakfast, I won't lie, this would make some Amazing avocado toast. Or you can use it to compliment both a simple dinner or a fancy one.  

Whole Grain Cheddar Bay Biscuits

If I didn't have to get up at 4:00am everyday, I would have loved to have been a baker. But they aren't really any snoozy bakers - they have to be all early risers.  (Oh That's Hilarious!!) *blogger benefits, you get to assume everyone things your lame food puns are hysterical. 

Since my career as a baker was over before it started, I have no choice left, but to be a southern grandma. And that means big, flakey buttery biscuits. 

I have never been able to manage good biscuits until I found the recipe that uses heavy cream instead of the butter. Using the cream distributes the fat more evenly and so the biscuits rise nice and all. The recipe is so shockingly easy and very impressive. 

I have loved the recipe so much that I felt confident experimenting with the flour and making them whole grain has been wonderful. They turn out so delicious and I like knowing that they are full of whole grain goodness.  

When you try the recipe, if your family is new to whole grains, trying add just a cup of whole grain flour and the rest all purpose flour, until you happily adjust to whole grains. You'll really enjoy it. I promise. 

Danish Aebleskivers

My grandma used to make these for us when we would sleep over at her house. I thought they were the fanciest food in the whole wide world.  My oldest son had a casual school dance and asked my mother to host him and his friends and make Aebleskivers for them for dinner. (she did! because that's what Grandma's do)

And while the pan is a bit odd, they really aren't anything more than a different kind of a pancake. My kids think it is the best day in the whole when we have these for breakfast or brunch. 

I am including the recipe, but I want to challenge you to be adventurous and try other foods that are out there. I don't consider myself to be very brave when it comes to food, so pancakes are a good start for me.  I can try lots of different types of pancakes. Proffertjes are a Dutch pancake, they're made with yeast and buckwheat flour and made in a round pan, just like these. My kids go crazy for them... buckwheat pancakes! 

It is just different ways of adding flour, water, eggs and bit of leavening (soda, yeast) and seeing what you get! Try making oven German pancakes, or Dutch babies in a cast iron skillet. 

Of Course, you don't have to make them just for breakfast, having a breakfast for dinner night is a great way to have an easy meal plan night, eat a meatless meal and keep things stress free. 

Donut Muffins

I have not kept my love for muffins a secret, and these little gems only make me fall deeper in love with the little cakes of happiness.   They really aren't going to fool anybody that they are a donut, but I used to make these donuts that had nutmeg in them and they actually DO taste a lot like them. 

They zip together so darn fast, and since they are small they take barely any time to bake at all. 

And they are perfect for using a whole grain flour, because you roll them in cinnamon and sugar after they are baked and so my kids don't say, "why are they so brown?!"  Yeah, I get that sometimes. 

They are a great little whole grain muffin and they'll disappear just as fast as donut holes do. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

 1 cup flour, whole grain preferred (or try ½ and ½) 

Cinnamon Sugar Coating- 

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add your egg and mix together.  

Stir in the milk, then mix in the baking powder and flour until just combined. Fill the prepared mini muffin cups about half full.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

While muffins are baking, in a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. 

When the muffins are done baking, and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, remove muffins from their cups, roll each muffin in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. 

Let cool and serve

Gingerbread Apple Muffins

Gingerbread is one of my favorite things in the whole world.  My dad makes the most incredible ginger snap cookies - which I changed and adapted to a chewy molasses cookie with a lemon glaze and my mom makes a big fluffy gingerbread type cake that we eat with whipped cream and lemon glaze.  I have a lot of food memories that revolve around gingerbread flavors. 

So of course, I had to make these muffins. They are amazing, the addition of the apples makes them just a bit different and you really can't get much healthier in a recipe than this one.