I am back! 2009 was a hectic year for me with my wedding. I’ve resolved to publish entries to this blog a on a regular basis. This morning I am posting one of my favorite breakfast recipes. Waffles and pancakes are just not on a bariatric diet. Both are typically too high carb and are topped with high sugar syrup. The heavy bread texture gives me issues as a lap band patient. This cottage cheese based recipe has a much more lap band friendly texture. It makes healthy waffles without the sugar and carbs. It is based on a Martha Stewart cottage cheese pancake recipe. I removed the sugar and substituted lower fat options where I could.

This batter makes a delicious pancake as well. What I have found out is that the cottage cheese based batter takes a long time to cook as a pancake. I tend to over-brown and burn them on the griddle. I have much more success with the batter in a waffle iron. The texture is not as bread-like as traditional waffles, but the result is a delicious fluffy waffle. It as the perfect choice for this snowy cold morning.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 packets Spenda sweetener
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
2/3 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Eggbeaters
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions:

In a blender (a Magic Bullet works great), blend the cottage cheese, milk, Eggbeaters, vanilla extract and canola oil until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, Splenda, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk in the blended liquid ingredients. Allow batter to sit 5-10 minutes.

Heat a waffle iron. When the iron comes to temperature, evenly spread batter and close. Be careful and do not overfill. A typical waffle iron takes about 1 cup of batter. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 full waffles. Each of my waffles is made up of four smaller waffles. The extra waffles freeze well and can be reheated in the toaster like the store bought frozen waffles.

Top with a butter substitute and no-fat or low–fat syrup. 

No Sugar Pancake Syrup

Looking for a tasty no-sugar syrup? Smuckers actually makes a delicious no-sugar pancake syrup. If you want to turn up the volume on taste without adding a lot of calories, try adding some Smuckers Simply Fruit spread to the syrup.

1/2 cup of sugar-free pancake syrup
1/4 cup of sugar-free fruit spread, like Smuckers Simply Fruit

Combine in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir and serve on hot waffles.