Recipe: Wood-Stove Einkorn Flour Waffles

Do you enjoy some yummy waffles first thing on a relaxed morning in your PJs, sitting near a wood fire? Here's a recipe that we made using a cast-iron waffle maker, on top of a wood stove. For this recipe, we used our Promise Valley milk and eggs, organic einkorn flour, vanilla extract, butter, lemon juice and baking powder!

This recipe is a treat in one major way (besides simply the joy of having waffles in the morning)! The ingredients in these waffles can be mostly organic and local, and by using the milk and flour we used, the waffles are much easier to digest than regular waffles using conventional milk and regular wheat flour. Our Promise Valley milk is organic, A2/A2 from our Guernsey cows that walk our fields here in the Cowichan Valley, and our eggs are from our free-range and organic chickens. Anita's Mill whole grain einkorn flour is organic, comes from Canadian farmers and is milled in Chilliwack. You can make your own vanilla extract at home (see how to make vanilla extract here), and it is possible to grow your own lemons indoors.

Einkorn flour is a special treat here, too! Einkorn flour comes from the grains of an ancient species of wheat used thousands of years ago. In fact, it's known as the oldest variety of wheat -- possibly being the first wheat. It also has weak gluten that makes it easier to digest, and is also higher in protein and richer in carotenoids, B vitamins, and trace minerals than modern wheat. Its consistency is a little different than regular flour, so it's best to find a recipe specifically for einkorn flour to have the best results.

Using the A2A2 milk from our Promise Valley cows also may make the waffles easier to digest -- making it a truly great start to a new day!

A2A2 milk refers to milk that only contains one type of protein: A2 beta-casein. To put it in context, most of the conventional milk you purchase in the grocery store contains both the A1 and A2 beta-casein. But, the "original" milk that our ancestors drank centuries ago contained only A2 proteins; the cows had A2 genetics only. (Today, still sheep and goats only have A2 milk, which is why their milk is preferred by people who struggle with digesting regular cows' milk.)

Over time, the new A1 gene was naturally introduced to commercial cows and eventually became commonplace. However, studies are showing that our bodies may digest the two different types of protein differently. Some people have trouble digesting the A1 protein in milk, and those who have experienced adverse gastrointestinal troubles from A1 milk have no adverse reactions while consuming A2 milk.

We enjoy several waffle recipes; but generally, waffle recipes boil down to a particular combination of milk, eggs, butter (sometimes substituted with oil), flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract (and sometimes other ingredients such as lemon juice and sugar). Do you have a favourite waffle recipe that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear which your go-to recipe is in the comments below!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe (from Snacking in Sneakers here):

INGREDIENTS

(Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes. 4 servings.

1 1/2 cups milk

2 TSP lemon juice

2 eggs

3 TBSP melted butter (or oil)

1 TSP vanilla

2 cups whole grain einkorn flour

1/2 TSP salt

2 TSP baking powder

For topping: frozen berry blend (e.g. blackberries), maple syrup, whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place milk in a large glass or jar, and add lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Stir in butter (or oil), vanilla, and milk/lemon juice mixture.

3. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir to combine.

4. Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with a cooking spray to prevent your batter from sticking (this is important!). Add the batter and cook approximately 2-3 minutes.

5. Top with your choice of a berry blend, whipped cream or maple syrup. To make the berry blend, simply heat frozen berries in a saucepan until they start to release their juices and are warm.

Serve warm and enjoy!