Banana Oatmeal Waffles - Vegan (But you'd never know it!)

Liv:  "Mom... can I have friends sleep over this weekend?"

Me:  "Sure.  Any special requests for breakfast?"

Liv:  "Ya.  They want the same waffles as last time, they loved them.  But they also said they're glad you don't make them eat vegan stuff.  Haha!  I didn't have the heart to tell them the waffles they want are the 'vegan stuff!'"

Many times vegan, or plant based, foods get a bad rap - sometimes deservedly so.  But I always chuckle a bit inside when I make that "weird vegan food" and people don't even know it's missing eggs and dairy.  I love having people gush over dishes and ask for recipes only to be surprised they are eating plant based and they love it.

And these waffles are no different.  Found on our breakfast table more often than not, these oatmeal beauties pair beautifully with a simple drizzle of maple syrup.  Want to dress them up a bit?  Sprinkle with raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar like we did for the photos.  Or how about a lovely drizzle of Blueberry Maple Syrup?  That will surely do the trick.

This recipe makes 6-7 waffles in my waffle iron (yield may differ based on your waffle iron size, etc - we use a Cuisinart), which gives us breakfast and usually 1-2 left over.  For those we either freeze for super busy mornings, or, better yet turn them into one of my all time favorite things - Waffle PBJs!

~ Waffle PBJ:  Spread 1/2 of the waffle with peanut butter and jam (I like Blueberry Chia), fold in half and toss into a zippy sandwich bag for lunch that will make friends envious ~

But don't wait for weekend to make these beauties!  For busy school nights I set out the dry ingredients the night before, and in the morning mix together the almond milk, banana, and vanilla then add the dry, mix and we're cooking in no time.  Note - they may also be the perfect comfort dinner...

Enjoy the day my friends... balance and love always :)

Vegan Crispy Belgian Waffles with Flax and Vanilla

All I did was blink and July disappeared.  Busy weeks filled with family events sped by with lightening speed, and while we've enjoyed time together those leisurely days of sleeping in with no schedule just haven't materialized.  Until today.

With the first completely unscheduled day of summer upon us, my thoughts drifted to waffles.  Lonely in the cabinet, my Belgian Waffle Maker hadn't seen the light of day since the holidays and deserved a work out.

Assembling ingredients from the pantry I eased up on the "health" facet for these waffles in favor of a sort of "healthy summer treat".  Using my everyday recipe as a base, I increased the white flour/whole grain ratio to a higher white content.  I also added additional oil to bring extra crispness, and of course poured a generous splash of our beloved vanilla extract.  Unable to help myself chia and flax found their way into the mix as did a small handful of rolled oats.  But these additions only served to add additional nutrients in addition to increasing that creamy center that makes Belgian Waffles so special.

Watching my summer bikini figure (insert crying/laughing face emoji here), I promised myself I'd only take a quarter triangle... simply for tasting purposes, of course.  But here's were my self control (it's not known for it's strength anyway) completely disappeared.

A fan of crispy waffles, these are the first Belgian Waffles with baking powder (as opposed to the plan ahead yeasted versions) that have crisped to perfection.  Perfectly crispy on the outside and lightly creamy on the inside, the texture made them irresistible.  Add the exotic vanilla flavor and you can throw all willpower out the window.

Wafting waffle aromas filled the house, and as I knew it would it drew my sleepy teens to the kitchen.  Bleary eyed and hungry, comments of "Oh wow... these are awesome!" filled my heart.  Even my son, a man of very few words and not much of a breakfast eater, mentioned he wouldn't mind if we had these waffles every day till he leaves for summer school next week.  Apparently the UCSB dining commons doesn't serve waffles like Mom.  Yes... he still needs me.

Coconut Yeasted Belgian Waffles

Weekends are made for sleepovers and sleepy Saturdays.  And special breakfasts.  And sometimes second helpings.

So with a special request for "something coconut", I've got a batch of Coconut Belgian Waffle batter resting in my fridge, all ready to toss in the waffle maker for the girls in the morning.  Bringing a little bit of the tropics to your table, this recipe comes together in a snap and has crispy Belgian waffles ready for fruit and syrup in no time.

Liv likes coconut, but she only likes a hint of the flavor, and the coconut oil in this recipe does just that.  Want more coconut?  Sprinkle shredded coconut directly into the batter or simply top with fruit and sprinkle your extra shredded coconut there.

And while these waffles are a lovely treat for a leisurely weekend, the night before batter prep also makes them a good choice for a hot school breakfast when pressed for time in the morning.

Pumpkin-Banana Blender Waffles #vegan - but you'd never know it!

Apparently its pumpkin season... at least according to trending internet searches and the calendar.  However my backyard thermometer tells a different story.

It always happens, doesn't it?  The kids go back to school and the mercury rises... a record breaking rise in this case.  Southern California has been enduring a heat wave of unimaginable sorts the last few weeks, and even I, the self proclaimed "I love the heat!" girl, have caved.  It's hot.

As we live close to the coast here in San Diego and "It doesn't really get that hot here..." we don't have air conditioning.  It's never bothered me in the past as I would only have used it a couple of days a year, but this year??  Goodness... I'd have used it consistently for last few weeks.  I may or may not actually be guilty of visiting the mall on multiple occasions, sitting in the car longer than I needed to, or peering into the fridge a just little longer than necessary to cool off.

Cooking has either been outside on the grill or something salad-like that doesn't require heating.  Breakfast, however, is a different story.  I've always fixed a real breakfast before the kids head off to school. -  Waffles, pancakes, ebilskivers, frittatas, - Breakfast is a must.

However sophomore year homework has had my girl up later than she has been in past years, and with recent lights out around midnight and an alarm blaring at 6 AM, I'm tired, and my "get up and make breakfast for everyone" motivation is waning.

Enter blender waffles.  These guys are a lifesaver when looking to shave a few minutes off the morning routine.  Plugging the waffle iron in as I begin to toss ingredients into the blender (we use a Blendtec with the wildside jar), by the time everything is mixed the iron is hot.  Waffles pump out every few minutes and within 20 minutes I've got fresh, crispy waffles on the table with an few extras leftover for a waffle pbj for the lunchbox.

Filled with banana, pumpkin, and whole grains, I feel good about the start the kids are getting to their day, and not guilty at all when I happen to slather my own with almond butter and a drizzle of honey.

Pumpkin season?  We say that's all year round, but blender waffles are definitely a good thing for back to school.

DIY Homemade Waffle Mix - aka Hotel Waffles (mix works for pancakes too!)

How many times do you head to a hotel breakfast only to be greeted with fat laden, white flour, soggy waffles?  For years I've simply skipped breakfast and my kids, while excited at first, complained of not feeling well after these indulgent meals (frequently topped with whipped cream...).  We, however, have fixed the issue on our past few hotel stays with what we've affectionately dubbed, "Hotel Waffles".

With a little bit of pre-planning, healthy waffles can be ready in no time right in your hotel room and no one needs to shower, worry about when the restaurant breakfast ends, or spend the morning recovering from unhealthy treats that weren't really enjoyed but cost a fortune anyway.

A simple DIY mix containing whole grains, chia and flax shake together with an egg, a little oil, milk and vanilla in a lidded jar.  With a waffle maker brought from home (we travel with the Cuisinart Round Waffle Maker that I've had for years), we pre-measure the mix in zippy bags and store eggs and milk in a cooler.

I have small travel bottles of oil, vanilla and maple syrup that we pack along, and shortly after rising my family is happily sliding out of bed and starting their day the right way (healthy, quick and cheap).

Perfect for camping as well as hotels, you may want to make extra mix as these beauties work just as well on a leisurely weekend at home!

DIY Homemade Pancake and Waffle Mix

High School is harder than I remember.  With all this extra homework, dance practice, hospital volunteering and now college application season approaching in addition to my other "Mom Duties", I'm completely and utterly exhausted.  Making my last round of kid pick ups at 9:30 on some night, lights out isn't happening until well beyond what I consider a "decent" bedtime.  And I'm the first to admit that the alarm getting me up again before the sun rises is leaving me a little grumpy.

The school year started some 6 weeks ago with me jumping out of bed before the alarm even went off, grabbing a shower and then happily popping downstairs to get a hot breakfast on the table before the kids headed out the door.  We had pancakes, waffles, French Toast, etc, lunches were packed with imagination and the kitchen was cleaned all before 8 AM.

However, these last few weeks have seen me lose my morning perk.  The alarm blares once, if not twice before I slide out of bed to get Liv moving.  My shower may be lasting a bit longer, and breakfast has been reduced to a bowl of cereal because I didn't had time to get all the ingredients for pancakes together and mixed as well as get lunches ready before the kids head out the door.

Hence, I've been working to streamline the morning breakfast routine by doing as much as I can the night before.  And last week I took that even one step further as I put together a wholesome pancake and waffle mix that had me whipping out hot breakfasts for an entire week in no time flat.

Enhanced with spelt and oat flours in addition to ground flax meal, the batter is then mixed with protein-filled eggs and and calcium-rich milk all combining into light and fluffy pancakes or nicely crisped waffles.  Adding fruit and nuts either to the batter or over the top brings a rounded meal that I feel happy sending the kids out to start their day on.

Scaleable to whatever quantity you are looking for, making your own baking mix is cheaper and healthier than store bought, and you can mix it up at your convenience (like after your afternoon nap!) to have you looking like Super Mom in the morning.  Have a sick friend? or perhaps a neighbor with a new baby?  Make up a cute mason jar filled with the mix, toss in a recipe and a bottle of pure maple syrup to ease their day.

Crispy Yeasted Belgian Waffles

Spring is here!!!  Well... at least that is what I keep telling myself.  Truth be told, this week I've considered packing up, leaving this frigid San Diego and moving myself somewhere tropical and steaming with hot humidity.

Yes, San Diegan's are somewhat, shall we say, "sissified"?  Dip those daytime highs into the 50's and out come the jackets, hats and gloves.  Throw on a scarf and you might stay warm.  Something called a "cold front" has blasted through my little coastal surf town, and as a girlfriend and I faced the gale force (30-40 MPH) winds for our beach walk yesterday, that nagging thought of moving tropical was looking more and more like a better option.

This morning's early morning temps left frozen grass in the front yard and two chilly Maltese pups snuggling close together in their bed with no desire to head outside to freeze their tender little paws.  Cranking the heat and wrapping my scarf (yes... in the house) just a tad tighter, I set to encourage the Spring Gods as best I could.

Pulling out my Christmas Gift, a bright and shiny new Double Belgian-Waffle Maker, the kids rose to aromas of freshly baked waffles.  Having experimented over the last few weeks, I've discovered that my usual waffle recipes don't pair well with the Belgian maker, and a higher fat content seems to be key to crispiness along with a very thin batter.

With this new successful recipe under our belt, we soon found ourselves topping our perfectly crisped waffles with berries, syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar (representing snow...), and spring almost seemed a glimmer.  Either that or the heat in the house was finally warming us up.

Crispy Belgian Waffles
The Belgian Waffles we know today, are in reality an American creation, though they do have roots in Brussles.  Belgian Waffle Makers feature deep grids which in turn create deep pockets in the crispy finished product.  Belgian Waffles are noted for their golden, crispy outside and creamy-like, moist interior.  The Belgian version typically uses yeast in place of baking powder, making it necessary (but OH, so worth it!) to plan ahead.  We whisk up our batter the night before, and in the morning with the batter already prepared our waffles are done in no time.

Searching for waffle recipes after I received  my maker for Christmas, my heart sank as recipe after recipe came filled with high contents of oils, butters and white flours.   While I don't mind such splurges on occasion, these recipes won't do for me as a "good start to the day" breakfast.

Adapting numerous recipes into our version below, we've added whole wheat or spelt flour to increase fiber and protein, replaced whole milk or cream with skim or rice milk (for our lactose intolerant family member), and decreased the amount of oil or butter to reduce saturated fats, all while still maintaining the ever popular and traditional golden, crispy crust.  Toss a few berries or bananas and nuts on top of your waffle and you have a decent start to your day.

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cups whole wheat or spelt (we prefer spelt for its light, nutty flavor)
2 Tbs ground flax meal (optional, but healthy and tasty!)
1 pkg yeast - 2 1/4 tsp (we use Red Star Active Dry Yeast)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (or melted butter substitute like Earth Balance)
2 Tbs brown sugar (add an additional Tbs or two if you like sweet!)
3 cups room temperature low-fat or skim milk (we sometimes use rice milk)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (we made our own!)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, flax (if using), yeast and salt, whisk to combine. 

In a medium bowl, add the oil or butter, sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk vigorously to blend.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking vigorously again to combine thoroughly.  I give it a good 1-2 minute whisk (it's good for your arms!), or use a hand mixer to combine.  Note:  Your batter should be thin.  Add a bit more milk if too thick.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours to overnight.

When ready to use, remove from fridge.  Heat up waffle maker and follow waffle maker directions. 

Top with fruit, nuts or a simple pat of butter along with syrup and powdered sugar if desired.  Enjoy!

One VERY cold and empty San Diego beach... winds at nearly 40 MPH sent sand stinging across the face and a chill directly to my bones!

PBJ Banana Waffle Sandwiches

Even the most organized of us sometimes run out of an ingredient, but to run out of syrup on the day one makes waffles is unforgivable.  Or so I've been told.

With a batch of steaming Banana Waffles (our Blueberry Waffle recipe with bananas replacing the blueberries) ready to be eaten, Liv shook her head in despair as less than 1/2 of a teaspoon of syrup slowly dripped from our empty bottle.  Minutes before heading out the door to school, I had no alternative suggestion other than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, something she is not particularly fond of.

A look of deep thought flashed over her face, and I was commanded to grab the peanut butter.  As I reached for bread as well, she smiled, but shook her head no.

Grabbing the top waffle, the triangles were quickly separated, one side slathered with creamy peanut butter and the other with her favorite strawberry jam (Personally, I love how the peanut butter and jelly sinks into the little waffle squares...).  Smooshing the triangle sandwiches together, I tapped my watch and told her, "Make it to go.".

Settled in the car she took her first bite.  Here eyes momentarily closed followed quickly with a broad smile as she went back for more.  Finishing the first waffle sandwich she had only one comment,

"Brilliant!"

Peanut Butter Waffles

As I rose before the kids, I hoped their first early morning of the school year was eased ever so slightly with aromas of freshly baked waffles wafting throughout the house.  Up at the break of dawn, I had the flour mixed, eggs lightly beaten, and the waffle iron hot before the full sunrise.  A touch of peanut butter in the batter proved somewhat controversial in prior discussions, however that same touch also proved to be an extraordinarily welcomed addition on this early first day of school morning.

Now left with empty plates and syrup drips on the table, I find myself alone in the house for the first time in months.  I've been looking forward to this day, but now that it's here, I find myself somewhat lonely, and even a little emotional.

Then... and now.

It seems only yesterday that I sent my little 5 year old boy off to kindergarten and watched in amazement as a few of the veteran moms simply popped their kids out of the the car, driving off with errands on their minds as I stood rooted to the playground grass watching my son keep his eye on me while he played.

As the bell rang the teacher mentioned it was time for parents to go.  A look of fear passed over my son's face as he decided whether to run to me or follow the other kids to the line.  He did go to the line but the tears welling up in his eyes brought tears to my own, tears which flowed again 4 hours later as he sprinted from the classroom and leaped into my open, waiting arms.  Burying his head into my shoulder he cried how he had missed me, and I responded in like fashion.

A similar scenario followed for a few years, but today things are different.  My six-foot tall junior in high school still has to let me drive him to school due to the lack of his car ownership, however he pops out of the car as soon as traffic slows, and today there is no looking back at mommy... no tears in his lake blue eyes.  But there were tears in mine.

I know my time is coming close.  I know that two years from now I will also be dropping him off at school, but that day he won't be coming home when the school day is done.  Hopefully he'll home for Christmas break, but I know the man who comes home will be different from the man I drop off.  And while I'm so very proud of that person he is becoming, I also know I will forever miss that little boy who ran into my arms and missed me.

But for today, there were waffles.  My waffles, and he liked them.  He even said thanks, and I got an ever so quick pat on the shoulder before we headed to the car.  He chatted on the ride, and I savored each and every second of our time alone in the car together.

I know my husband and I have done a good job, we've prepared him for life without us and he will succeed.  He is confident, bright and eager to grow.  He will go out into the world and I will become more of an afterthought... as it should be.  But he will miss my waffles.

Coconut Macadamia Banana Waffles - A taste of Aloha

Dreams of swaying palms, warm ocean waters and light tropical breezes constantly fill my head and become my happy place when I'm in need of a lift.  A tropical girl at heart yet stuck on the mainland, my husband and I have made San Diego our home and every once in a while we can almost feel a Hawaiian influence around town.

That same husband was lucky enough to actually feel my beloved warm, soft and tropical Hawaiian breezes last week as he "worked".  Yes... flying that big huge airplane all the way across the big huge ocean to find that teeny tiny island is actually work.  So much so, he says, that that is why he and his hard working co-pilot received 2 full 20 hour layovers to "rest", one on the Big Island and the other downtown in Waikiki.  I actually think it has something to do with flight scheduling... but we'll let him have his hard work fantasy.

With images such as this one:

King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel

And this one:

View from Chuck's Steakhouse, Waikiki

arriving frequently by text message,  I got the Island Fever... and I got it bad.

Intense and pure jealousy flowed through me as I received 10 minute updates on his meal at my Favorite Kona Brewing Company on the Big Island while he dined on my cherished Strawberry Spinach Salad with Island Macadamia Nuts sprinkled lightly on top (I'll spare you that photo message).  The next day he enjoyed views of Waikiki beach while dining on a fillet at Chucks, just over Dukes, as they watched the sun dip into the calm Pacific.

While he did bring me a new Kona Brewing Company water bottle, I couldn't help but be just a bit envious of his "work" last week.  Heading to the internet, I immediately started researching Bed and Breakfast locations on the Island of Kauai.  Settling on a lovely vacation rental property with panoramic views my next thought was about the breakfast part of the deal.  With no real description on the website I turned to Tripadvisor reviews and found that the breakfast at this bed and breakfast is lacking.  While the property is indeed spectacular, the breakfast included a basket containing instant Quaker Oatmeal and a sleeve of store bought bagels.  So disappointing, and potentially disappointing enough to have me stay elsewhere (in my vacation dream).

Pulling staples out of my Hawaiian stocked pantry, Liv and I set to putting together our own version of what a proper bed and breakfast would serve.  Luckily, our day was sunny with light breezes as we mixed a basic banana waffle batter.  Enhancing with coconut was a no brainier and then topping with additional bananas, toasted coconut and chopped macadamia nuts brought the islands to us.  The Liv Life Bed and Breakfast proudly serves Coco-Mac Banana Waffles with fresh tropical juices and Kona coffee.

Oh... that traveling husband?  I'm not so jealous anymore... this morning he is dining at a cheesy buffet in a hotel in Fresno before heading to Rockford, Illinois.  I think I'll stick with San Diego.

Blueberry Waffles

It wasn't until I was in my late 20's, after I met my husband (some 20 years ago...), that I discovered I have a love of blueberries.  Growing up, I don't remember eating a blueberry other than in a sweet, cupcake-like muffin, and I certainly don't recall ever eating a fresh blueberry right out of the basket.   Fruit salads also remained blueberry-less.

My husband, however, lists blueberries as his favorite fruit and has indeed passed the blue gene down to Liv.  As a baby she she would gobble exorbitant amounts of the little blue orbs costing me a small fortune in out of season organic berries.  Today she still loves blue berries and will snack on a handful them right from the freezer as she whips them into some sort of smoothie.

Also loving all things breakfast, the Blueberry Waffle is a frequent Liv request, especially on leisurely weekends.  While she prefers to place her berries by hand into pancakes, creating an individual smilie face on each one, I prefer to dump a handful or two into my waffle batter for more of an I-don't-have-time-for-that scattered look.

With our new Cuisinart Waffle Maker, waffles have been making more of a frequent appearance on our breakfast table.  This particular version is filled with plump fresh berries in addition to protein-rich eggs and whole grains for a healthier start to her day.  Topped with additional fresh berries as well as Pure Maple Syrup, we have a keeper.

Sweet Potato Walnut Waffles

In an effort to get some sort of fruit or vegetable into the kid's diets I have resorted to fruit or veggie filled pancakes, muffins, breads or waffles.  Having inherited the "I must have carbs each and every day" gene from me I can always count on the plate of baked good being kindly received and by adding a measure of whole grains, eggs, nuts and milk they are getting a few of their food group requirements met in a package that works on the run.

Waffles have always been a favorite of Liv's and these Sweet Potato Walnut Waffles are no exception.  As the UPS Man so kindly left us a new waffle maker (oh how I love seeing these boxes on the doorstep!) we had the perfect opportunity to try it out.  She's not a huge nut fan, but if I put just a few in the batter she no longer complains.  Walnuts, with their heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and a measure of vitamin E have been shown to be exceptionally good for you in moderation.  Chopped and added to the waffle batter they not only provide a health benefit, but give a wonderfully welcome texture as well as their nutty flavor.  A few tablespoons of ground flax meal only increase the benefits.

Versatility is another benefit of this recipe as any sort of squash will work well in place of the sweet potato.  I happened to have sweet potato on hand and a few tablespoons of pumpkin left over from our recent Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and mixing the two together gave an additional vitamin and fiber boost to the waffles.  Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves your kitchen will be a haven of fall!

Sweet Potato Walnut Waffles

recipe by Kim Kelly - Liv Life

⅔ cup pureed sweet potato, pumpkin or other squash

1¼ cups all purpose flour

¼ cup whole wheat flour

2 Tbs ground flax meal

2½ tsp baking powder

2-4 Tbs finely chopped walnuts

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ginger

⅛ tsp nutmeg

pinch cloves

1¼ cup milk

2 Tbs brown sugar

2 eggs

1½ Tbs vegetable oil

¾ tsp vanilla extract

Puree or mash left over sweet potato with a bit of water to obtain the consistency of canned pumpkin... I had left over baked sweet potatoes and mixed 1-2 Tbs Tbs of water during pureeing as mine were fairly dry.

Lightly spoon flours into measuring cups and level with a knife, pour into a medium mixing bowl with flax, baking powder, walnuts and spices.  In a smaller bowl combine the pureed sweet potato or pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla, whisking until smooth.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently, just until combined.  Add additional milk or water if the mixture is too thick.

Ladle the batter into your waffle maker per your makers directions and cook for about 4 minutes, or per your makers directions, or until cooked through and lightly browned.

Serve with additional chopped walnuts, butter and syrup!

Chocolate Waffles

Dance Team Try Out Day... the day Liv has been eagerly anticipating for weeks has finally arrived!  Last season she participated on a team of Competitive girls with our local dance studio and had the time of her life.  With the spotlights lighting their way, these amazingly talented girls danced all the way to the Nationals in Vegas last July. 

Dance has been a part of Liv's life since she was born.  At the tender age of 11 months she would hang onto the coffee table, beaming smile on her face, bouncing up and down to the beat of the music.  At 2 she enrolled in her first tap class and "entertained" us with hours of boisterous tapping each and every day.  Today, her feet are rarely still as she sways to rhythms streaming through her head, and she is frequently seen for hours on end in our spare room dancing the day away.   

Liv's first competitive season culminated last July when she attended her first National Competition in Vegas with her team.  Tears streamed down my face as I watched my little girl up there on a Vegas stage, all alone, dancing her heart out.  Her eyes widened first in surprise, and then in sheer excitement as the judges announced her name as the 6th place overall winner for Junior Solos and handed her a trophy!  Here's where I enter into shameless bragging and share the video of Liv's award winning rendition of I'm a Brass Band from the Broadway show Sweet Charity (YouTube link here):

With today being such a special day, I could in no way reject her request for Chocolate Waffles... even though they were not on the healthy pre-dance diet.  We figured we'd add a touch of spelt flour and top them with our farm fresh raspberries from our local Farmer's Market to increase the health benefits and maybe supplement with a banana and yogurt a little later.  As my back was turned, Liv created her own topping, assuring me that whipped cream did indeed have calcium - which we all know is important for growing dancers bones!