Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles

I don't cook breakfast- for breakfast, anyway- very often. Occasionally we'll have pancakes or french toast for dinner. But a big meal before noon? Rarely. I like to eat light in the mornings. Heavy breakfasts weigh me down for the rest of the day. So unless I can crawl back into bed after consuming a stack of carbohydrates, I stick to fruit and toast.

But this weekend I was in the breakfast mood. There's something fun and comforting about gathering (if you can call two a gathering) around the kitchen table on a Sunday morning to share a plate of waffles. And I decided that a hearty breakfast doesn't have to be heavy. It can, in fact, be light and wonderful and leave you energized instead of comatose.

These whole wheat belgian waffles are impossibly fluffy. They come out of the waffle iron crisp on the outside and light as air in the middle. (The secret is beating the egg whites until stiff and then gently folding them into the batter.) I've also replaced the fat with applesauce with great results. Serve them warm with a dab of butter and real maple syrup, or a spoonful of thick greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey.

Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk (or buttermilk)
3 eggs, whites and yolks separated
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or butter or oil)
dash cinnamon (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat belgian waffle maker.

2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and applesauce. Add to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold into the batter.

3. Cook on preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions, using about 2/3 cup batter per waffle (making sure to lightly grease the iron with cooking spray between each waffle or they'll stick).

Makes 6 belgian waffles.

(Adapted from Food.com)