Apple Cinnamon Waffles

I have been on a breakfast kick lately. There could be worse things to enjoy often, right? Truthfully I first made these waffles for one of Travis' last breakfasts before he left on deployment, and then again for the Super Bowl, since it was on at 7:30 am here in Japan. Third time being the charm that it is, I made these waffles again this past week, for a brinner for one. It was heavenly.

You may have noticed that I favor carb-y breakfasts that taste like apple pie, and this recipe is no exception. These waffles were absolutely amazing, with a light but crispy texture and incredible flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised to see they're lower in sugar than some other waffle recipes I've made. You could even make them a little more heart healthy by using the Heart Healthy Bisquick, but it was not available at my grocery store. However, despite the other flavor elevating factors, what really took it over the top was the home made syrup made from apple cider.

These waffles are comforting- honestly, I could argue they are the true definition of comfort food. For whatever reason remind me of one particular Sunday when my girlfriends and I went to brunch at the Officer's club here in Okinawa. It wasn't a celebration, or anything special- just a few friends getting together for brunch. I don't as much remember putting apples on my pancakes that morning as I recall that we arrived right at opening at 10:00 am, and stayed all the way through closing at 2:00 pm.

Several plates of breakfast were consumed, followed by lunch- all blanketed by endless conversation and laughter between good friends. In our little "bubble" here in Okinawa, where our work is emotionally and physically draining, the weather is stiflingly hot/humid 9 months out of the year, and our off-time is cut short by duty days, being called in and liberty restrictions, a stress free morning like that is truly an escape from the realities that life here is just plain hard sometimes. Our spouses leave on frequent deployments, our families are 10,000 miles away, our friend groups are constantly rotating with people moving to and from here, and while Okinawa is a beautiful place- everyone gets some island fever at one point or another.

So pull up a chair and pour yourself a cup of coffee and let your imagination, dreams or conversation transport you away from the troubles of your life. Savor your down time while you enjoy the sweet, delicate flavor of these waffles. If you were at my house eating brunch with me this weekend, I'd even serve us some mimosas to highlight our temporary escape from reality.

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Cider Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Bisquick mix

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups apple cider (organic and low sugar, if you can get it)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 dash ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons organic, unsalted butter

Waffles

2 1/4 cups Bisquick mix

1 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 cup finely chopped (and washed) apple (leave the peel on for extra fiber and nutrition!)

In a medium sized saucepan, combine all of the syrup ingredients except for the butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once mixture is almost to a boil, turn off heat (or remove from electric burner) and add in butter. Set aside.

Combine all of the waffle ingredients in a large bowl while a waffle iron preheats. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations regarding cooking spray and amount of batter for each waffle. I used approximately 1/3 cup for each cooking cycle. Cook according to waffle iron’s directions.

Serve hot with syrup and extra apple pieces.

To save for future meals: Cook waffles as directed above and let cool to room temperature. Store in ziplock bags separated by a square of wax paper. Toast from frozen just prior to serving to reheat.