I love getting email. In fact, I received one just as I was sitting down to type this blog post.
It was a summary of a conversation I'd had a week before. It was brief but very effective. It jogged my memory of the deeper discussion we'd had and the work which remained. I began thinking about why summaries like these get sent? Well, I think one of the lines in the email sums it up nicely--"because we forget!"
Yes, we do forget. We know things. We experience things. In our hearts. In our minds. Through our life experiences. Through our education. Through our lovers (or ex lovers eyes). Through our children...or pets in my case. We experience highs. We experience lows. We experience all the emotions in between.
But despite us feeling and experiencing things as we go through life, we do forget. It just slips into a little filing cabinet in our brain, only to get extracted when our memory is jogged. We smell a smell and it takes us back to a kindergarten class/teacher/school. We hear a noise and it sends us reeling, even if the danger is no longer present. It's what allows us to fall in love with someone even after our hearts have been shattered. We remember....and when we are in our loving place with that new person, you silently hear yourself whisper, "I forgot how good this feels. I'm glad to have this back."
Now, I bet you're thinking---what in the world does this have to do with waffles? Easy....we forget how good it feels to create something amazing from our own kitchen. I'm reminded every time I create something yummy that sends my foodie self into overdrive. We forget how cool it is to love on our family and friends by sharing a meal with them and lingering over conversations. We forget how it lights up the faces of others as we bring them homemade treats to enjoy at their own casa. We forget that cooking takes us out of the rush rush rush of life....and let's us create magic on a slower scale.
These waffles reminded me of how fun sharing recipes are. It is a reminder of how simple flavors yield stupendous results. It's also a reminder to make these more often, as they are out of this world delicious!!!! So, with this post, I just want to remind you of your amazing abilities. You have the power to make "ish" happen. You have the choice, on any given day, to choose again. You have the ability to change your life in one day, one hour, one minute. You have the power to create. And if you ever need someone to jog your memory, come on over to my house. I've got a warm plate of waffles with some fresh coffee for you. Can't guarantee they'll be syrup though, so better bring your own. ;)
adapted from The Detoxinista
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My favorite fruit of all time has to be the banana.
Sure, dates have tried to steal the show. Apples too. Even black mission figs on occasion. They've all tried...and they've all failed. No one has been able to eclipse the feelings I have for a banana. Even during the time I gave them up.
Bananas have always had a spot at my table. When I was a young kid, bananas were the only fruit I ate (unless fruit roll ups counted). I enjoyed them sliced over cereal.
As a teenager, when my eating disorder began, a banana and a cup of yogurt held me through the entire afternoon of school, swim, and dance (hmmm maybe that's being too generous...I think it held me until mid afternoon if I'm totally honest). In college, when my disorder was in full gear, a banana was my pre workout snack (and often the only thing I ate during the day). It was, quite frankly, my safe food. As I started my healing process, I'd add more foods into my diet but the one thing which has remained constant--my pal, the yummy, yellow banana.
And you know what? During this past year, when "fruit fear" totally had its grips on me, I gave up my beloved. I deemed it too much sugar for me. I decided it fed yeast, Candida, and fungus in my system. I thought giving them up would mean I'd have to say goodbye forever. I felt myself being so sad, but I set them aside anyway. "All in the name of my health", I said.
Then, I got constipated. Like really unable to go. For almost 9 weeks. I cut out all carbs and fruits, eating only meat and veggies. I was miserable physically and emotionally. It's a wonder I didn't get sicker than I was. (Yep, I'm talking about food and poop in the same post. I'm all about sharing TMI haha) When I finally went to my doctor to see what the heck was actually going on with my unfortunate irregularity, I said to her, "I don't just want, I NEED my bananas." I missed their fluffy goodness. How easy they are to take anywhere. How they fuel me. And, how regular they made me. She knew I was serious, and I wasn't taking no for an answer.
And just like that, my banana ban was over.
Welcome back my old friend, I've missed you.
They've been back in my life ever since. In fact, every single day. So, what better way to celebrate than to create a waffle which is worthy enough to bear your name??
Omg...fluffy and flavorful doesn't even begin to cover the mouth happiness I felt upon eating this creation. Words just can't adequately describe these pillows of banana-y goodness. I topped mine with what else? Bananas! Add a couple spoonfuls of my blackberry & cherry chia jam with some sunflower seed butter and I was a very happy gal. Like really happy. So happy I forgot I'd even walked away from these jewels for a brief period. Here's to you banana.....you deserve it!
adapted from Savory Lotus
Today, I wanted to start a new series to celebrate all things waffle....making fun syrups, jams, sauces, chutneys, and compotes (just to name a few) to accompany your creations!
This theme day was inspired by the blog Yumuniverse. Heather Crosby is the creator of this blog/book bearing the blog's namesake, and it's so creative, thorough, and satisfies my need for knowing all things plant based!! I received her cookbook as a birthday gift for my Kindle, and I tore through it like I did reading 50 Shades Darker (looking forward to seeing that movie next week btw).
One recipe I just HAD to make from that book was her raspberry and chia jam. There was only one problem. Well, I didn't have any raspberries. And I've never made this type of jam before in my life. So, make that 2 problems.
Well, what type of jam is this? One that's way easier than what I learned growing up--you know, sterilizing the jars, spending long times cooking over the stove, slicing fruit, filling the hot jars, sealing the jars and then storing them. While it is a fun process, it's certainly a long one. And sometimes I just want a quick jam I can make up in a few minutes to enjoy on waffles, oats, crackers, rice cakes, and ahhhhmazing gluten free bread courtesy of Heather and her Gluten Free Baking Academy.
This recipe absolutely fits the bill. It was quick, fresh, and uses chia seeds for the gelatinizing agent....why had I never thought of that before? I'm glad she did...because my jam life will never be the same! This is my new go to. And while I didn't have raspberries, I had some frozen blackberries and cherries which caught my eye. Excellent choice B if I do say so myself.
The two biggest things to remember here are:
1) you can use any combo of berries or fruits you'd like. Throw in some spices to be saucy if you wish! Ginger and blackberries or even rosemary and blackberries would make a mighty fine combo (not my dog Ginger, but the spice hahaha) 2) make sure you take the jam off the heat before you stir in the chia seeds. The wonderful, magical chia seeds will do the thickening for you as your jam cools. No pectin or boiling jars required!!
After sitting for just about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to cool, I just spooned it onto my yogurt for a fun, refreshing, mostly homemade snack!!
What jam combo could you come up with using this simple go to recipe? I know there's plenty out there, so let's brainstorm some ideas. Hmmm, I wanna do something with figs....that's my next not so secret project!! Any suggestions as to what goes well with fig? I thought of caramelized onions for a savory combo....but what about a sweet one?? Happy Friday....may it be jammin' ;)
adapted from YumUniverse
With all of the changes going on in the world, I'm really glad I have waffles to make.
I want to cut through the uncertainty, anxiety, and the numerous versions of spin out there...and take you back to an old favorite muffin flavor...the deliciously fragrant lemon poppyseed. Let me preface all of this by confessing: I love to grocery shop. I have since I was able to remember. Back then, we didn't have those little carts for kids some stores currently have. No no..I got to walk alongside the adult buggy. I'd assist with the reading of the list; keeping up with the coupons we'd use; and mayyyybe getting to toss in a box of Golden Grahams (or 2) if Mom was in a good mood. She wasn't the biggest fan of grocery shopping (still isn't), so being at a grocery store wasn't her favorite way to spend her time. But, for me, it is. The chance to get new things; restock what's been eaten; and just explore various cultures through their food gets me excited. It may be a tad dorky, but it's just perfect for me.
Okay, back to my childhood grocery shopping days....there used to be these muffins we passed at the bakery which were kind of an electric (dare I say unnatural...hmmmm too much food coloring) shade of yellow, with these blue speckles.
They looked strange, but woah they had an intoxicating smell. I didn't really speak up to get these items because a friends told me at school they were drugged (I was real naive back then and believed most of what I was tolearn) and I was freaked out. What did drugged exactly mean? I didn't know and I sure as heck wasn't gonna eat them to find out. So, I avoided them completely. Fast forward to a tea someone had in high school and we got a cake which looked eerily similar to those muffins--minus the neon yellow color. Well, I didn't want to be rude, so I took a piece and began eating (yep, still avoided eating them even though I knew better than to call them drugged by now--what can I say? Old habits die hard.). It wasn't overly yellow, had those poppy seeds...and was just plain delicious. Wowsers....where had this cake been all my life??
From then on, it's been in my home whenever I see fresh, plump lemons. But, since I've been gluten free, it's not been eaten....until now.
This waffle creation smells like those lemon Girl Scout cookies I used to love as a kid....again, minus that faux yellow coloring. It's real important to let your coconut flour batter sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flour and the liquids to meld. It will yield a better product every time. So, take the time while you're waiting to preheat your waffle iron; clean your area; and, wash dishes. Makes clean up so much easier if you clean as you go instead of and all at once cleaning at the end (I speak from experience). I served this with a simple blueberry/raspberry mix and a dollop of sunflower seed butter. Nothing better. Now, time to go to the grocery store and get some more goodies to create. Think I'll outgrow my grocery store love? I sure hope not. Do you have a fave waffle you'd like me to try...please let me know!!
adapted from The Roasted Root
Can you believe we're about to turn the calendar and be into February?? Yeah, I sure can't. Just seems as if it's going too fast.
But, with each one of these calendar page flips, I take a moment to reassess where I'm at and where I'm going. I do look forward to my assessment time, because I get a chance to shift and realign my goals for the next month. This end of the month reflection has stemmed around this blog. Specifically, its focus.
I've been referencing feeling scattered both on my IG feed and here on this blog. I've been feeling disconnected from myself and my heart.
And one of the ways I've been scattered is in trying to choose the variety of recipes to prepare for the blog. Going back and forth between dinner and breakfast blog worthy recipes put some incredible pressure on me. I constantly felt like I wasn't good enough in anything I was doing. My words felt flat. Not sure if you could feel it, but it was suffocating me. And suffocation isn't a feeling I enjoy at all. Who does though right? I've lived with that feeling for most of my teens, 20's, and early 30's. I vowed once I got diagnosed with chronic fatigue that I'd not feel said feeling again...or at least recognize it immediately and do something different. And so, I am.
Starting today, I'll be focusing my blog on exploring and creating amazing, gluten free waffles for you and yours.
We will delve into a myriad of gluten free flours, binders, and even how to use vegan replacers! We will explore both sweet and savory creations. We'll also explore #funsauce Friday, where I look into some amazing compliments to the waffles I create--jams, jellies, chutneys, and syrups just to name a few. I look forward to sharing with you all of my knowledge and learning together through the ups and downs of my culinary experiments (I'm sure there will be downs, though I'm hopeful they will be few and far between).
Now, onto today's waffles and an introduction to coconut flour? Sure, we've all heard of it, but what exactly is it? And how do we use it in our baking?
Coconut flour is made from drying out the white meat of the coconut and pulverizing it into a flour like texture. It has amazing health benefits: from being high in fiber and trace minerals (keeping you regular and giving you critical nutrients people are typically low in), to being gluten free, hypoallergenic, and not as detrimental to blood sugar (not like regular gluten flour which can cause crazy blood sugar spikes). It's got a completely different make up than other gluten free grain and nut flours, so it needs a bit more tlc than other flours. Okay, how do we use it? First off, the recipes you make with coconut flour will need more eggs as a binder. Why? Because of its high fiber and the way the nutrients make up the flour, it's a bit more delicate than other grains and nut flours. It doesn't have the elastic like texture of gluten when liquid is added. So, it needs more of the binders which eggs have to create a stronger finished product. Otherwise, your waffles will fall apart (trust me on this one) ;) Also, coconut flour recipes need to be followed very closely in regards to the liquids you add. Coconut flour is super moist, so it absorbs a lot more than other types of flour.
There isn't really a lot of room for getting creative by adding and subtracting your liquids. Coconut flour seems to act a bit different from what you think it will. Adding a bit more flour in an effort to absorb liquid will make your final product super dry. Adding more liquid to loosen the consistency of the batter will make the batter too thick.
It's also helpful to sift your coconut flour if your flour is super clumpy. It will give you a more consistent texture. How do you store coconut flour? It's preferable to store this type of flour in an airtight container. If not, coconut flour can absorb a lot of moisture, get clumpy, and spoil very fast. You can store it in a dark pantry at room temperature for a few months. You can also store it in the fridge for about 6 months to a year! And a good rule of thumb--your nose is your guide. Give it the smell test, and when in doubt, throw it out!! These waffles were delicate, even with adding multiple eggs to the batter. So, let them cook a tad longer than you normally would....which is real tough for me to do!! I'm usually right there trying to take waffles off of the iron as soon as my green light dings. This is what happens when you pull it off as soon as your "done" light cuts on....
Whoops lol.....I had much better luck the second time around after letting the waffles cook longer and get a deep golden brown. The result: they were so delicious!! Super caramely, with a hint of almonds. Yummy!! Again, you know me and my no syrup with my waffles thing....I ate these with shredded coconut, pitted dates, and almond butter. My dad ate his with butter and syrup and gave rave reviews for you syrup lovers out there :)
Let me know what you think about this new focus for the blog AND if you've got a gluten free waffle recipe idea you want me to try. I'm looking forward to working for you and taking on this amazing journey!!
adapted from The Beautiful Balance
Hi! Happy Friday! How was your week?
One of my favorite things I used to do when I taught a course in college was going through each day and checking in with my students, and asking them to give me the highlights and then the lowlights of their week. It was how I got a sense of what was going on in each of their lives and how I could gear my lessons to be more relevant to their lives. Yep, I taught college in one of my former jobs and I totally loved teaching!! I think I could've gotten used to being called Professor on a daily basis. Maybe I'll go back one day....who knows?
Back to this week....
My highlights: *It was my birthday on Wednesday!! I used to be freaked out about getting older, but now I say bring it on. I'm learning so much and doing nothing but getting wiser, so when I have the opportunity to rewrite patterns I didn't quite have a grasp on the first time, I welcome them. Let's start anew! *Birthday Cake Waffles with Chocolate Drizzle--need I say more? My lowlights: *Uhhh, how about being sick on your birthday? Yeah, that wasn't fun. In fact, tummy viruses are NEVER fun, no matter what day they fall on. *I'm feeling a tad emotional this week. I feel disconnected from my body and my spirit. I feel lost and have been questioning my path, wondering where I go from here. I'm looking at how I can stretch myself and grow, not only in my blog, but in my business/career path. And it's confused the hell out of me.
But, what I can say is I'm emotionally and physically exhausted from this week. So, I don't need a lot of time in the kitchen...because I want to snuggle in my bed and just be for a while.
Is anyone else with me??? Good. Let's welcome the weekend then.
So, I've been dreaming about creating these for quite a long time.
And why not? Everyone wants to have a fun cake to celebrate their birthday. And you should go all out for your birthday. It's just a fact. Calories don't count on your birthday (I don't count calories any day but especially not today!)
Why create a waffle like this today Brooke? I mean, I'm glad you've been dreaming of birthday cake....but why now?
Well, you see, it IS my birthday today. And it fell directly on a waffle Wednesday. Coincidence? I think not!
So, with some help from my amazing friends at Simple Mills and a blogger I truly admire for her work/creativity/ahhhmazing photos, Minimalist Baker, I created my own birthday cake waffles.
I just didn't start my birthday today the way I wanted to....being up sick all night. Yeah, I know, classy right? What a way to turn 37. But, I'm looking forward to this year more than ever before. Last year was just plain hard. With the focus on so much of my physical health (it's understandable--I have chronic fatigue syndrome caused by chronic Epstein Barr infection), I neglected just about every other part of my life--my friends, my family, my finances, my emotional health, and my spiritual awakening. I neglected some of the essential things which made me, well me. This year, I'm back in the kitchen creating meals for myself (and by default, you too!). I am back on my yoga mat (just got a new one today from Manduka, I'll be sharing more about them, stay tuned!). I am actively making an effort to get myself back out in the friend world--doing things and making plans. I'm working on launching my own side work too...helping you with meal planning, prep, and grocery shopping, amongst other offerings. This is my year to shine. I've had to hibernate so much during the past year. I want to break free. I want to start anew. This year holds such hope and promise for me. My only complaint....it's going by to dang fast! Can someone slow it down please? How can we be at the end of January already? Seems like I was just snoozing....I mean watching...the ball drop to symbolize changing to 2017.
But, I digress. Back to the waffles. I topped these yummy waffles with frozen raspberries, drizzled with the chocolate drizzle, and sprinkled with shredded coconut.
My stomach may hate me for it later (if you're sick it may be too much)...but woah it was so good going down. And who can blame me? It's my birthday. And I'll eat waffles if I want to. When's your birthday? Let's celebrate it by making these shall we?? Make a wish......
Drizzle adapted from Minimalist Baker
Have you ever stopped to think about this quote: "How you do one thing is how you do ALL things?"
I'm not quite sure who said that, but it's so true. How I do one thing in my life is how I do all things. And recently I've woken up to seeing how I actually do things. I've gotta admit....I don't love it ALL of the time. I can admittedly be an intense, lost, unconnected, emotional woman one minute and then an inspired, connected, passionate, funny, intelligent, intuitive, lit up being the next. It's quite a conundrum and it's quite beautiful at the same time. So, I know I am working in my creative, passionate brain when I get in the kitchen. And this Sunday meal was no exception.
A simple lentil pasta sauce served with black olives over sautéed squash & zucchini made a wonderful, filling, and flavorful meal for football viewing.
Might not be traditional game day food....but when have I ever been traditional?? Don't answer that. ;)
On second thought, I'll answer it. Sure, I've done a lot of the so called "typical" things---graduation from college & law school, got a dog, a desk job, and bought a home.
But, I've done a lot of "non typical" things too--left the desk job in my early 30's for culinary school, changed careers again in my mid 30's, and moved back in with my parents as a single gal with her pup when I got sick with chronic fatigue syndrome.
And while I've had some major struggles and heartbreak (who hasn't if we are all being honest here), I'm glad I've not been traditional. I'm glad I've tried new things. I'm glad I've taken & chosen to follow different paths. I may not be writing here for you if I hadn't have.
So, if I'm going to keep doing things one certain way from now on, let it be this: live creatively, heartily, non traditionally, and in the case of this recipe here, super lentil-ly.
Because doing things this way will yield yummy, fun, adventurous, joyous, and delicious results. No need for an emotional, intense, unconnected being when the kitchen calls.....
How's that for breaking my own tradition? :) Enjoy!
Things are warming up weather wise around these parts. We had close to 70 degrees one day and a string of mid 60's, one week after we got 9 inches of snow.
No wonder everyone around my world has had the sniffles. But, as the weather turns warmer, my thoughts turn to....pizza and avocados? Yes pizza. And avocados. I mean, don't you? I think of warm spring and summer evenings, sitting around a large pie while chatting loudly with my girlfriends. I also think of sharing margaritas and chips/guacamole on a patio with my girlfriends catching up on life. Warm weather and guacamole? Sign me up!
My next thought centered around combining pizza and avocados.....ahhh a pesto pizza. Perfect way to channel those yummy, soul nourishing meals. All that was missing here were my girlfriends. Well, Ginger was there and we chatted.
Okay okay....I chatted....she just looked at me while tearing the fuzz off her tennis ball. So much for interaction ;)
This pesto was so versatile. I paired one of avocado's fave ingredients (cilantro) with one of my faves (lemon).
This pesto can be the star of the show, as I've shown with my Simple Mills flatbread and sliced tomatoes. Or, it can be just a side item. I topped rice dishes with this for extra flavor. I dipped crackers in it. Heck, even apples got a big boost from this yummy jar.
And I'm admitting right now I've never made pesto from scratch before this creation. Sure, I've opened plenty of jars of pesto, but to make my own? Yeah...that was for my fave tv chefs.
Well, I did it. And only opening jars of pesto is a thing of the past. Expect an invite this spring and summer ladies....we've got some major gabbing to do. :)
I don't know if you know this, but I have an official waffle taste tester. Yes, that's totally her title.
It's a foodie friend of mine. We bounce a lot of ideas off one another when it comes to creating delicious veggie meals and making fun waffles. She's given me quite a few ideas for upcoming posts...so when they make their debut, you've got her to thank for them. And last night, as I was putting a stack of waffles in our freezer at work for her, I was stopped by another employee who asked me, "Why make your own when you can go the freezer section at any grocery store and get frozen waffles for less than $5?"
Ummm I'm sorry what??
Could you imagine the look on her face if I handed her frozen waffles, lovingly wrapped up in parchment paper, claiming them to be my own?? Yeah, I can.....a look of sheer and abject horror would come over her. And she'd quizzically ask me where were my fluffy, light, stupendous, delicious, homemade creations?
Okay so mayyyybe I'm being a bit dramatic. She'd have maybe only used one of those words....not all 5 to describe my creations. ;)
But, she would be horrified....at least I hope so. Nothing wrong with store bought frozen waffles. They have their place. But, when you make your own, any leftovers can be wrapped up to become frozen waffles. Then, you get to taste your own creations from the freezer again and again. Now that's a huge win in my book. What about you?
I adapted this recipe from the Huffington Post. I subbed in coconut flour and added more almond milk, as coconut flour is super absorbent. I thought this blend created a nice palette to make a bunch of different flavors. You want chocolate chip waffles? Add in some of your fave chips. You want lemon poppyseed? Throw those items in there. Customize it to your own liking.
I made mine as written, but topped them with warmed berries, flaxseed, andSo Delicious coconut milk yogurt. It was hearty but light, and kept me fueled for hours! Soooo ready to eat these again.....bummer I don't have any more. Oh wait! I do have some. In the freezer. Perhaps that's the reason why my coworker asked me about why I was freezing some for my taste tester. They wanted to apply for the job! ;) My apologies, but, the position has been filled. Nothing is stopping you though from making your own batch. Then, you've got your own freezer creations. Can't wait to see what you create using #wafflewednesday and tagging me on IG (@brooke_langford_) |