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Saturday, May 7, 2016

My parents included a gift certificate from Bed, Bath & Beyond in our Christmas gifts this year so that we could add a few more household items to our LA-based life. Having left all of our electronic devices in Australia when we moved here last year, we've only gradually been adding non-essential electrical items to the house. A waffle maker has always been in the back of my mind, but was definitely not a priority as we populated the house with lamps, a coffee maker, hairdryer, etc...

So at the post-Christmas BB&B sales we made a few non-essential purchases, and now that we own a waffle maker, I don't know how we did weekend breakfast without it. I have recipes for savory waffles and spiralized-veggie based waffles saved, but this oat-flour based waffle mix has been our go-to for the last three Saturday mornings. The texture is just hearty enough, and it perfectly soaks up this delicious fresh strawberry compote. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, frozen or fresh, whatever you have access to, would also be awesome here.

I make oat flour in small batches when I need it using our coffee grinder (another non-essential electronic kitchen item, but we use it at least every other day), but you can also just pour what measurement you need of old fashioned rolled oats into a blender, and then blend on high for 15-25 seconds until you have a fine four. The amount of rolled oats is roughly equal to the amount of freshly-ground oat flour.

oat flour makes for a tender inside/crispy outside waffle

I often have a couple extra waffles to wrap in foil and store in the fridge for the next morning, but they will also keep wrapped up in the freezer for a month, just microwave for 10 second intervals till they are defrosted and re-warmed. They won't have the crispy-outside, tender inside texture of a just-made waffle, but the taste is still great. Happy weekend breakfasting, and I promise a savory waffle recipe in the not-too-distant future.

Place the sliced strawberries and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm the strawberries through, stirring occasionally, until they begin to bubble. Turn the heat down to low, add the vanilla, and continue to cook, allowing the strawberries to break down while you prepare the waffles. Stir occasionally, and add an additional tablespoon or two of water if you feel there is not enough liquid in the pan and they might burn.

As the strawberries are simmering, make the waffle mixture. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle, and pour in the wet ingredients, whisking everything together just until the ingredients are combined. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat up your waffle iron during the last few minutes of resting the batter, then make your waffles one at a time, spooning enough batter into the center of the waffle iron to fill the iron when you press down to bake.

Place finished waffles on a platter in a single layer, or slightly overlapping, while you prepare all of the batter. Try not to stack the waffles, as they can become soggy. If you want, you can place the platter in an oven preheated to 250F/ 120C to keep them warm as you go, or just microwave the waffles for 30-45 seconds on high to reheat before serving.

Pour the warm strawberry compote into a bowl with a serving spoon, and serve alongside the warm waffles, with butter and warmed maple syrup if desired.

Storage tip: Store waffles in a freezer-safe plastic bag or wrapped in foil in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave, a toaster, or a 350F oven until warmed through. Note that this batter does not store well in the fridge for later use, as the oat flour will absorb liquid and become quite dry. If you do need to store the batter in the fridge and make waffles at a later time, add a few tablespoons of milk and stir through to thin out the batter again.

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About Southern Spoon

I find that delicious, nutritious food, served beautifully and in the company of family and friends, is one of life's great joys. I love cooking wholesome food inspired by my upbringing in the American South and the other *southern* places I've lived (including Texas, London, Sydney, and now Los Angeles). Follow along here, on twitter @southern_spoon, and on instagram @SouthernSpoon.