Waffles

Expectation: To make a delicious, healthier waffle!

Winning Box Recipe: Kodiak Cakes Flapjack and Waffle Mix

Winning Homemade Recipe: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Waffles

Kodiak Cakes 

Always on the lookout for quick and easy whole grains, I stumbled upon Kodiak Cakes Whole Grain Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix on a recent trip with friends to Oregon. This mix contains all-natural ingredients: whole wheat flour, whole oat flour, milk, honey, leavening, egg whites and salt. Although I haven't made the flapjacks yet, the waffles were excellent: crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. We happened to add bacon to the batter, which definitely didn't hurt, but I know the waffles would be great without it!

Cinnamon and Walnut Sweet Potato Waffles

For Christmas this past year, I received a great new cookbook, The Frugal Foodie, by Alanna Kaufman and Alex Small, authors of the blog TwoFatAls.com. This recipe caught my eye from the very beginning.

Along with whole grains, I love using vegetables in my baking because they add nutrients to otherwise empty-calorie foods. These waffles contain several healthy ingredients; whole wheat flour, cinnamon, sweet potato (or yams, in my case), walnuts and bananas (depending on your choice of toppings). Another bonus about this recipe is that it only contains a quarter cup of brown sugar, as the waffles are sweetened mostly by the sweet potato. I used a yam because yams are a bit sweeter and have that great orange color. 

These waffles are really fun. They have a rich, brown color, and offer layers of flavor from the spices, orange zest and yam. Although they are not particularly crispy, the texture is solid and holds up well to toppings. 

For this recipe (and more), click here: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Waffles

While on the topic of waffles, don't miss one of my all time favorite blogs, Waffleizer.

Banana-Oat Pancakes

Expectation: To whip up something quick and tasty on National Pancake Day!

Winning Recipe: Banana-Oat Pancakes

I woke up this morning to find out that March 1st is National Pancake Day. So, clearly, I had to make some pancakes! I didn't have many ingredients (no whole wheat flour), and I also didn't have time to run to the store. Lucky for me, my King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book had a recipe for Banana-Oat pancakes that I had all the ingredients for!

I can say with confidence that these pancakes are some of the best I have ever had. They are incredibly delicious on their own: completely moist, light and fluffy, with none of that weird baking soda taste and a truly amazing flavor. I couldn't stop saying "Wow. These are SO good."

The best part is that they are pretty healthy! They are mostly bananas, with only oat flour (no white flour), eggs and just a touch of sugar and spices. Nutrition-wise, the are pretty much like eating a bowl of oatmeal.

The recipe is straight out of the book, so I can't take any credit for it, but I just had to post them. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 small (or 2 large) bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

1 cup oat flour (just throw some oats in a blender!)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparations:

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas and add the butter, lemon juice and sugar. Beat in the eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, salt and spices. 

Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Check to be sure the batter is thin enough; you may need to add a touch of milk or water (I added a bit of milk). Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Heat a nonstick griddle or heavy skillet (If the surface is NOT nonstick, brush or spray it with vegetable oil). When the surface is hot enough that a drop of water sputters across it, spoon the batter on 1/4 cupful at a time. Let the pancakes cook on the first side until bubbles form around the edges, 3-4 minutes. When the cakes are just beginning to set, flip them and let them finish cooking on the second side, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Serve immediately!

Yields about 10 small pancakes.

Nutrition facts for one pancake:

101 calories

4g fat

13g carbohydrate

2g fiber

GI 51

GL 7

About the grains:

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened by a roller.  Rolled oats cannot be eaten raw, but are the main ingredient in minimally cooked recipes, like granola. Oat flour is made by blending oats in a blender until they reach the consistency of flour. I bought a two pound bag of Bob's Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats at Whole Foods for $4.39. Rolled Oats have a GI of 58. See how I used them in coffeecake and brownies.

Brownies

Expectation: That I would never find a winning whole grain brownie recipe.

I've always loved the idea of brownies, but find that I am often disappointed at picnics and parties when I taste a not-worth-the-calories brownie that is too sweet or too cake-y or too hard. Therefore, I never anticipated finding a blog-worthy brownie recipe. But, after a brief whole grain hiatus over the holidays (there was plenty of baking, just not of the whole grain variety), I stumbled upon this recipe. "Rosie" promises "the best, richest brownies" and describes them as "fudgy" and "deep(ly) chocolate(y)". And, they use oat flour! So, I had to try them out. I made the oat flour myself by popping a cup of oats into a blender. Overall, these were super easy to make, and as good as Rosie promised!

One ingredient to pay attention to is dutch cocoa. There are two different kinds of unsweetened cocoa out there: natural and dutch-processed. It turns out that using the correct kind is important, as you can read about below.

Another alteration that I made was adding chocolate chips and walnuts. I firmly believe that brownies should always have chocolate chips in them, so I never make them without. And, as you know, I love nuts. This recipe will hold up with the added chips and nuts or without.


Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dutch cocoa
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely ground oat flour
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 inch pan.

If making your own oat flour, put a heaping cup of oats into the blender and blend until fine. Measure out a cup of the oat flour and set aside.

Combine the melted butter with the dutch cocoa. Add the sugar and allow the butter to cool for a bit (you don't want to cook the eggs!). Once the bowl feels cool to the touch, beat in the eggs one at a time.

Next, add espresso powder, vanilla, salt and oat flour and combine. Last, toss in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if you'd like). Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before devouring (this is seriously the hardest part). 

About the grains and ingredients:

Dutch Cocoa Powder is cocoa that has been processed with alkali to neutralize acidity, increase solubility and remove bitter flavor. Some people believe it is important to use the cocoa specified in a recipe because the different types of cocoa react differently to baking powder and baking soda. Unfortunately, the dutch-process also reduces the amount of antioxidants in the cocoa, and it can be pricey. For more information, check out this write up by David LeBovitz. I purchased a box of Droste Dutch processed cocoa at QFC for $14.99.

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened by a roller. Rolled oats cannot be eaten raw, but are the main ingredient in minimally cooked recipes, like granola. I bought a two pound bag of Bob's Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats at Whole Foods for $4.39. Rolled Oats have a GI of 58. See how I used them in coffeecake and peach apricot bread. 

Proper Storage of Whole Grain Flours

Expectation: That whole grain foods are dry, heavy and bitter.

As you know from reading my page about whole grains, one of the things that makes grains "whole" is the vitamin-rich germ. In refined grains, this germ (along with it's good fats, fiber and nutrients) is stripped away, leaving a finer flour.

The main reason why whole grain foods taste bitter is because they contain healthy oils that, once oxidized, can go rancid. This rancidity is actually the cause of the bitter taste that many of us associate with whole grains. Although it does not affect the safety or performance of the flour, the rancid germ has certainly affected the popularity. Don't let it stop you from baking healthier treats! In order to prevent this bitter taste, store whole grains in the refrigerator or freezer to minimize the oxidation.

Or, if you have a ton of time on your hands (and an electric grinder), you can grind your own flours just before you bake with them. Happy baking!

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the New Appliances!!

Some of you may remember my post New Town New Kitchen where I talked about the oven in our new apartment. It was a sturdy old thing - definitely use-able. But for somebody with such immediate baking needs (hello, I have a blog!), it just wasn't cutting it. The main issue was that it was 100 degrees hotter than what I set it to. Thank goodness I had a little thermometer that I could stick in there. It turned out that the stove portion wasn't quite right either - it worked on the higher temperatures, but if you set it to "medium" it was pretty much just "off". So, we complained.

We are not really complainers (at least not outwardly), but this particular issue seemed enough of a big deal to merit a complaint. A repairman came to look at it and determined that the thermostat was the problem (good thing we called a repairman to find that one out!), and he called his supplier to find out how much a new one would cost. Apparently these thermostats are expensive, because lo and behold - a new range is here!!

It arrived this morning and is shiny-and-clean-and-brand-spanking-new! This could possibly be the only time in my life when I have a brand new appliance (especially on somebody else's dollar) and boy am I going to take advantage of it!

Now we're working on a new dishwasher... does that come in stainless steel, please?

A Chocolate Chip Party!

Expectation: That there is no such thing as a delicious whole grain chocolate chip cookie.

Winner: Laura's Whole Wheat Chocolate Chippers

I knew I had to attempt the chocolate chip cookie, but I also knew I would need some help. So, I called the pro herself: Mom. But, instead of just one mom, I called in back up. I invited 4 friends and their moms for a whole grain chocolate chip cookie baking party! Despite being slightly chaotic, the party was a ton of fun and the cookies were all really tasty. Everybody was surprised at the outcome and we all had a hard time picking a winner. 

I chose four recipes (one for each pair) that were different, but each was a "basic" chocolate chip cookie with no additions like cranberries, oatmeal or nuts. I'm sure that all of these recipes would taste great with cranberries, oatmeal and nuts but, for purposes of testing, we needed to keep it simple. 

The recipes we made were: 

The winner: Laura's Whole Wheat Chocolate Chippers

Recipe by: our close family friend and neighbor Laura

Made by: Laura and her daughter Megan

Laura makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies, and her recipe is highly coveted. We got permission to use the recipe and substituted only 3/4 of the white flour with whole wheat flour, leaving 1/2 cup of white flour. But, we all agreed that you couldn't taste the whole wheat at all, so substituting all 2 cups would work just fine. Absolutely scrumptious!

A close second: Healthy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from: Kitchen Stewardship

Made by: my sister-in-law-to-be Erin and her mom Sharon

While doing my research, I came across this recipe. The reviews were great, and I was intrigued by the use of coconut oil. These are some delicious cookies!

In third place: Classic Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from: King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking Book

Made by: my mom and me

I chose this recipe because it uses Barley flour. These are slightly crunchier cookies, and overall pretty tasty!

And last: Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from: King Arthur Flour

Made by: My good friends Shea and Jillian (no mom involved)

I'm not quite sure what happened here, but these cookies didn't turn out quite right. I can't say for sure that it was caused by the lack of mother involved, but it is a little suspicious. I chose the recipe because of some interesting ingredients: honey, espresso powder, cider vinegar, and white whole wheat flour. The cookies had really great flavor, but they lacked "presence" or "oomph". I love you Shea and Jillian!!

Before the guests arrived, I set up stations for each pair and put all the ingredients in the center of the room. We also provided snacks and wine, to keep everybody in good spirits! 

As guests arrived, each pair got to work on their recipe.  

Once the cookies were in the oven, my mom kept everyone outside while I set up the tasting stations. The hardest part was keeping everyone from tasting their cookies before the "official" tasting! I set out four bowls with one kind of cookie in each bowl. Guests went down the line tasting each cookie and dropped an M&M in the bowl of the cookies they liked the best. 

The clear winner was Laura's Whole Wheat Chocolate Chippers (although these really were a close second).

I asked Laura if she had any tricks, and she says to not let the butter get too soft and to take them out of the oven after 10 minutes, when they should be barely browned and they will cook the rest of the way on the pan.. And, as an experienced eater of Laura's delicious cookies, I know that she makes them really big, and really full of chocolate chips! She even makes them with walnuts sometimes, which I LOVE.

WARNING: I'm about to tell you the nutrition facts for one cookie. I suggest that you not scroll down and look, because I'm a true believer in the health benefits of chocolate chip cookies (being happy is good for you, right?). And now I'm going to list some of the health benefits of dark chocolate (semi sweet counts as dark), just because I think you should know:

• lowers blood pressure
• lowers bad cholesterol
• contains antioxidants
• contains epicatechin (this is something that is good for you, apparently)
• stimulates endorphins (makes you happy!!)
• contains seratonin (anti-depressant)
• contains healthy fats like oleic acid (also found in olive oil)

And I know I don't have to tell you the benefits of whole grains, since you're reading this blog. So, now that you know the tremendous health benefits of whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, here are the nutrition facts, if you must look. But first I'm showing you one more picture just in case you change your mind. 

My best estimate of the nutrition facts for one cookie (if you make 16 like we did - these are BIG):

355 calories

21g fat

44g carbohydrate

4g fiber

GI 73

GL 32

About the ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour contains the macro nutrients of the wheat's bran and germ (the whole kernel). It is hearty and more robust than white flour and a good source of calcium, iron and fiber. It can be substituted for some or all of the white flour in most recipes, and found in most grocery stores.

Espresso Powder starts with specifically selected coffee beans that are ground and brewed to make espresso. After brewing, the grounds are then dried and crushed into a fine powder. This powder can also be used to make instant espresso or as a garnish. If you cannot (or don't have time to) find espresso powder, you can use instant coffee or finely ground coffee beans in it's place. Espresso powder is much more concentrated than instant coffee, and has a darker, richer flavor, so adjust to taste.

Hazelnut Espresso Coffeecake

Expectation: To make another amazing whole-grain coffeecake for a special weekend.

Winner: Hazelnut Espresso Coffeecake

I was looking for an interesting and delicious breakfast treat to have around on a special weekend. As soon as I read the name of this coffeecake, I knew I had to make it. I love hazelnuts, and I really love chocolate, and this coffeecake has both! The final product has a drier texture than expected, but it tastes amazing with coffee. If you're a coffee, chocolate or hazelnut fan, I guarantee you will love this coffeecake!

One interesting thing this recipe calls for is espresso powder. My King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking Book (where I found the recipe) describes espresso powder as "chocolate's best friend." It says to "use 1/2 to 2 teaspoons in chocolate baked goods, frostings, and sauces; a touch of espresso powder enhances chocolate's flavor without adding any coffee flavor of its own."

I didn't expect this ingredient to be difficult to find, but was soon proven wrong. The first place I tried was Whole Foods. I thought it might be in the baking section, near cocoa powder and that kind of thing, but it was nowhere to be found. Eventually I made my way over to the coffee kiosk, and asked the girl behind the counter. She hadn't heard of it, but thought it sounded like something that would be used in Tiramisu, and took me to ask the baker in the baking section. The baker told us that it is not used in Tiramisu, and that the yummy dark powder on top of Tiramisu is cocoa powder. Meanwhile, the coffee girl made me a bit of finely ground espresso beans, just in case I had no luck. The baker told me to check an Italian grocery store, so I set out next to AG Ferrari. They also didn't have espresso powder, although, like Whole Foods, they carry instant coffee for baking. Still feeling hopeful, I checked Draegers to no avail. I did eventually find espresso powder online, sold by King Arthur Flour. Perhaps it's a marketing ploy afterall. Matt surprised me with a jar on my birthday, which I still have to put to the test, and I ended up using the finely ground espresso beans in the coffeecake.

Nutrition facts for one serving (1/16th cake):

414 calories

22g fat

46g carbohydrate

4g fiber

GI 58

GL 29

About the grains and ingredients:

Espresso Powder starts with specifically selected coffee beans that are ground and brewed to make espresso. After brewing, the grounds are then dried and crushed into a fine powder. This powder can also be used to make instant espresso or as a garnish. If you cannot (or don't have time to) find espresso powder, you can use instant coffee or finely ground coffee beans in it's place. Espresso powder is much more concentrated than instant coffee, and has a darker, richer flavor, so adjust to taste.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour comes from the same grain as regular whole wheat flour, but is made from a softer variety and milled to a finer texture. It has a higher starch content, but is lower in gluten and protein. The end product is lighter and more tender than that of regular whole wheat flour. Whole wheat pastry flour can be found at most health food grocery stores (I found it at Whole Foods).