Multigrain Waffles with Candied Pecans

I promised you multigrain waffles on Friday and I am here to deliver. Growing up, chocolate chip pancakes were a special weekend treat. There was even a time when my pancakes were pink and made with a Minnie Mouse pancake mold. I was a princess, dammit, and I wanted awesome pancakes. At some point in the last few years my Mom bought a belgian waffle maker, which replaced other weekend breakfast treats. My waffles still contain chocolate chips, but they don't come in any neat shape. Although, rumor has it there's a Cinderella waffle iron out there that has my name on it. I readily accept gifts for those of you who are so inclined...

Waffles have unfortunately not been a part of my life for a bit due to their lack of nutritional goodness, so when I came upon this recipe I knew I had to treat myself. They've got whole grains and protein and very little fat, right? Totally justifiable. The thing is, I only like waffles with chocolate chips in them, but something was telling me that the flavors of a multigrain waffle required something a bit more complex and nutty. Adding candied pecans was a brilliant idea. They're made with a little honey, brown sugar and cinnamon--all flavors that go well with whole wheat and oats. In fact, with the addition of pure maple syrup I felt like fall was having a party in my mouth a few months early. Who can't get behind that? If you're one of the odd ones who can't, try the waffles plain. They're surprisingly light and fluffy and full of flavor. A few tablespoons of cornmeal may be a requirement in all future waffle-making adventures.

Multigrain Waffles

As seen on Eating Well

2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oats
2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Candied Pecans

1/2 cup pecans

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Note: I used White Whole Wheat Flour, which is a lighter, less bitter whole wheat. I also used steel cut oats, but any oats will work.

1. Mix buttermilk and oats in a bowl and let soak for 15 minutes.

2. Add liquid ingredients to the bowl and mix well.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl. Whisk extremely well so oats are no longer sitting on bottom.

4. Follow waffle iron instructions. Also, you can use batter for pancakes.

For the Pecans: Break up pecans by hand into smaller pieces. Coat in honey and then in dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork for a few minutes until covered. Bake until you can smell a lovely aroma, 7-10 minutes on 350F. Let cool.

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