Overnight Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles

Hello... (tap, tap)...  anybody there? You probably weren't expecting to hear from me after MONTHS of radio silence, and for that I apologize. I've missed NudeFood tremendously but can offer a few humble excuses. In May of 2011, knowing that we wanted to start a family, Tristan and I took the plunge and tied the knot. A few months later I became pregnant, and in September we left our beloved Capitol Hill apartment and bought a house in Queen Anne. A new job came my way in February because, you know, when it rains.  But the biggest, most significant change of all happened a mere 9 weeks ago. We welcomed our son, Maximo, to the world... and we are totally smitten.

While my hands are rather full at the moment, I do hope to make a semi-frequent online appearance from here on out. 

So without further ado, let's talk waffles. In my pre-pregnancy days, waffles weren't something I would typically order unless they had a piece of salty fried chicken on top. But all that changed around month six. If waffles were on the menu, that's what I was gettin'. However, I came to the sober realization that good waffles were hard to come by.  Either they were too soft, too thin, not toasty enough, too sweet or just too blah. I wanted a thick, crispy-on-the-outside-eggy-on-the-inside waffle with great flavor. Looked like I'd have to take matters into my own hands.

Enter this recipe... 

This method has so many things going for it. It starts with whole grains that get soaked overnight, and we all remember the magical benefits of soaking grains. Besides oats, buckwheat groats are added for a delicious layer of nuttiness. And instead of mixing in whole eggs, some of the whites are whipped separately and folded into the batter to produce exceptionally thick, fluffy waffles.

Warning: If you're looking for generic Eggo-type waffles, you'll be disappointed. But if you're in the market for a delicious and nutritious spin on an old classic, keep reading...

Overnight Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles
I like to make extra waffles to freeze for a quick breakfast anytime. Just pop one in the toaster*, spread with peanut butter and top with banana slices.

1 1/3 cup steel cut oats
2/3 cup buckwheat groats
2 1/4 cup buttermilk**
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs, 2 separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place steel cut oats, buckwheat groats and buttermilk into a blender, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. In the morning, whiz the mixture until blended. Add the melted butter, salt, sugar to taste, baking soda, 1 whole egg, 2 egg yolks and vanilla. Blend until well mixed; pour batter into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whip the remaining two egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the batter.

Cook waffles according to waffle maker instructions. For my Belgian iron, this meant brushing lightly with oil, ladling 3/4 cup batter onto the iron and cooking for about 3 minutes. Keep cooked waffles warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to eat. 

*If you plan on toasting frozen waffles, under-cook them just slightly in the waffle maker. They will brown a bit more in the toaster.

**If you don't have buttermilk, simply add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar (white or apple cider) into the milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken.

Lemon Yogurt Pancakes

Every year over the holidays my mom and I watch The Sound of Music and, subsequently, get the songs stuck in our heads for weeks. I always enjoyed the scene where Maria calmed the children by singing about her favorite things, but I have to admit, my lyrics would be a heck of a lot different than whiskers on kittens and cream colored ponies:
 
“Thin New York pizza and dry apple cider
Custard-filled cream puffs and wine by the fire…”
 
Ok, Tristan said I have to stop before everyone knows that I'm a dork. But if I were allowed to continue, I would certainly work savory pancakes in there. Zucchini, sweet corn, green pea, you name it. But the love ends at the standard buttermilk flapjack. I like the idea of ordering a piping hot stack but they're just too starchy and inevitably leave me feeling 10 pounds heavier.
 
That said, I recently had an inexplicable hankering for sweet pancakes, and my cravings don't go away until they're satisfied. To avoid the infamous flour-induced coma, I decided to make a version using yogurt, lemon zest and whipped egg whites. The result? Seriously fluffy, light-as-a-feather, uncommonly good pancakes.

The key here is separating the egg yolks from the whites. You could easily skip this step (simply mix whole eggs into the yogurt) but you'd be missing out on some incredible texture. Folding in whipped egg whites produces a batter that's impossibly airy and delicate. 

Requiring only 7 tablespoons of flour per batch, these lemony little cakes will simultaneously satisfy your pancake craving and perpetuate it.

Lemon Yogurt Pancakes
A lighter version of the American breakfast classic, these are made with yogurt instead of milk and a bit of lemon zest for freshness.
 
Makes 14 3-inch pancakes
 
1 cup plain yogurt (I use organic whole milk yogurt)
2 large eggs, divided
Zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined (do not over-mix).
 
Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, being careful to retain as much air as possible.
 
Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat (err on the side of lower heat to avoid burnt outsides and raw middles). Add enough melted butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan - you can do this by brushing, swirling or, as I do, running the end of a stick of butter over the pan's surface. Pour in the batter in scant 1/4-cup-fulls. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip carefully and cook another 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
 
Serve in a stack with butter, yogurt and real maple syrup.

Pancake Batter in a Can

I didn't plan on blogging about this, but I can't resist. Did you know that they now sell pancake batter in a SPRAY CAN? And it's organic! I was walking through the store minding my own business when it popped up on my radar. I took a classic double-take, then stood there and stared with my jaw on the floor. Have we really come to this? Is it officially too difficult to mix a few simple ingredients together and scoop the batter onto a griddle? Or is our new breakfast mantra "Point, blast and cook?"

First spray cheese, now this. I can only imagine what's next.