waffles

For the past several years, most every weekend I've made waffles for the kids and myself. I've tried about 30 different waffle recipes, plus numerous variations on many of them. The staple recipe we've settled on for most days is these whole grain waffles. Despite the whole-grain ingredients (whole wheat flour, flax, wheat germ) they're soft and delicious. They're also very filling. We find the recipe's half-cup of flax a little too much, so instead I use a quarter-cup of flax and add a quarter-cup of rolled oats. I also sprinkle a big pinch of raw sugar over the batter right after I pour it, before I close and flip the waffle iron; without it we think they're not quite sweet enough, and it also adds a little bit of texture.

Occasionally for a change of pace I make these crispy seltzer waffles. They're really delicious. We don't make them very often because they're a lot less healthy than the whole grain waffles, and because they don't keep as leftovers very well; the delicious crispy texture disappears after they sit for a few minutes. I often make these when one or more kids has sleepover guests.

A couple of the other recipes we've liked well over the years are Martha Stewart's buttermilk waffles and Emeril Lagasse's classic Belgian waffles.

One kid likes her waffles with maple syrup, one with honey, and one with just a little butter. I like mine topped with a banana sliced and sauteed in a little coconut oil.