I have finally found some much needed inspiration in these past 2 weeks of vacation—amazing what some time off, sunshine, adventure afternoons with the husband and pup, and lots of movie watching can do for a person! Both my husband and I have been working endlessly for the past few months, so I was thankful the Navy gave us some much needed rest and relaxation before he heads out to sea again.  We have been cooking up a storm together, sitting on our back patio with the pup and it has truly been wonderful! I have lots of fun things coming for you all over the next few months, so tomorrow it’s back to work putting those plans into action!

But first, sharing a easy peasy oh so simple recipe for grain free and paleo friendly waffles with you all from my friend Kelly’s new book Everyday Grain Free Baking.  Kelly sent me her book a while back, and it got lost in the midst of my cookbook writing frenzy, but I found it while cleaning off my desk, and of course I just had to make waffles!  We enjoyed them with whipped cream, hot coffee and crispy bacon, because that is always my favorite breakfast!

If you are new to a grain-free or Paleo way of eating..or just baking in general, this book is a great starting point as Kelly’s recipes are simple and she recreates family staples, made healthy! So here is a bit about the book from Kelly and her grain free blender waffles—yes, blender means basically no clean up so they were great!

From Kelly—What was your inspiration for writing Everyday Grain Free Baking?

• My inspiration for writing Everyday Grain-Free Baking came from my love for family traditions and cherished recipes passed down from one generation to another. When I began my grain-free journey as a means of finding relief and healing from two chronic autoimmune conditions, I became passionate about finding delicious and healthy ways to transform those familiar favorite comfort foods from my past into delightful grain-free creations that everyone can enjoy – whether or not they’re living grain-free.

What was the hardest recipe to develop?

• In my experience, one of the most difficult recipes to create for any grain-free baker is cake, especially if you opt to exclude starches from your baking. I actually spent over a year on and off working on my grain-free vanilla cupcake and cake recipes trying various combinations of ingredients to achieve a cake-like flavor and texture without the use of starch-based flours. I remember the moment that the ingredients finally came together – it was sheer joy and lunacy. I literally ran around the neighborhood passing out cupcakes to gain validation that these truly do taste like the real deal.

Turquoise plates: Old Havana Side Plate

Paleo Blender Waffles

recipe from Kelly Smith’s book Everyday Grain Free Baking

makes 5 circular waffles

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup coconut milk or heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (plus more for greasing waffle iron)
• 1 tablespoon honey*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups blanched almond flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 3 large eggs

*I substituted the honey with 3 tbsp of unsweetened applesauce for a no-added sugar version.

Directions

• Preheat waffle iron (I used this waffle maker, heated to the lowest possible setting).
• Add all ingredients, excluding the eggs, into the blender starting first with the liquid ingredients and adding the dry ingredients in last.  Briefly blend, scraping down the sides of the blender if necessary.
• Add in the eggs and blend until the batter is smooth, being careful not to over mix.
• Generously brush both sides of your waffle iron with coconut oil.  Add a spoonful of batter into the center of the waffle iron, filling the iron about half way full as the batter will expand.
• Cook until the iron signals they are done and golden brown.  Remove the waffles with two forks keeping them in a warmed oven until ready to serve.  Repeat until all batter has been used.
• Serve with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, sliced bananas and a side of bacon*. Enjoy!

*I always keep sugar free bacon and breakfast sausage from US Wellness Meats on hand for a simple breakfast side dish.