Papa Joe's Whole Grain Waffles

One of the favorite breakfasts (or sometimes lunch or dinner) at our house is waffles.  Waffles are a batter-based cake cooked in an patterned iron--characteristically a grid pattern of alternating ridges and square dimples.  Waffles are eaten all over the world but especially in Belgium (there are more than a dozen regional varieties there), France, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the United States.

The word waffle comes from an the Frankish word "wafla" which is the root of the word "wafer".  The ancestor of waffles was introduced in the Middle Ages in the form of irons created to make communion wafers during the 9th–10th centuries.  These were flat circular irons with imagery depicting Jesus, His ministry, and crucifixion.  These wafers were called "host" (derived from the Latin "hostia", which means "sacrificial victim") and were/are used in the Catholic Church in their Holy Communion which commemorates Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples.  These communion wafer irons were quickly followed by larger circular wafer irons with simple floral and other patterns for baking decorative circular unleavened wafers called "oublies" which were made of grain flour and water with perhaps some honey or other flavorings added.  By the 15th century the Dutch had made these irons rectangular and introduced the now classic grid pattern.  In 1560 waffles were so popular that Charles IX enacted the first waffle legislation in response to a series of quarrels and fights that had been breaking out between the oublieurs (waffle sellers) requiring them to be no less than two yards from one to the other.  By the 17th century the Belgians created the first leavened waffles using beer yeast which created the need for deeper waffle irons--hence the deep holes in the modern "Belgian Waffles". By the 18th century the word “waffle” appears in the English language.  In 1789, Thomas Jefferson returned from 5 years in Europe with a waffle iron, setting off a fad for waffle frolics (waffle parties), though the Dutch had long since established waffles in New Amsterdam (New York City).

The ingredients in waffle and pancake batters are similar but pancakes are generally more soft and spongy while waffles should be light and crispy.  Because of that there is typically extra fat in waffles to make it easier to crisp.  Also, traditionally waffle batter is made with egg yolks and the whites are whipped separately and folded in just before cooking.  This gives waffles a much airier texture than pancakes--the batter ends up being a foam.

How To Make Delicious and Nutritious Whole Grain Waffles

• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup Rolled Oats - ground into flour in strong blender or food processor
• 3 cups Kefir or Buttermilk (regular milk with 1 T of vinegar or lemon juice can be substituted)
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 cups Oil

Mix together all the dry ingredients.  Separate the eggs and whip the egg whites until they are stiff.  Beat egg yolks, oil, and buttermilk into the dry ingredients.  Fold in the egg whites.  Bake in hot waffle iron or on griddle until golden brown.

I recommend serving them with sliced fruit and with either my homemade perfect pancake syrup or my low-fat coconut caramel sauce.