Easy-to-Freeze Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles

This post is written by contributing writer, Paula from Whole Intentions.

I don’t know about you guys, but mornings around here are busy. Outside chores, inside chores, helping the kids with school work, entertaining a toddler, answering the phone, preparing lunch . . . and yet we’ve been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

93% of Americans agree with that statement, but unfortunately only 44% actually eat it. And those who skip it end up with a bigger waistline. Why? Because they consume more soft drinks and more sweets. (source)

Our bodies crave nourishing foods that will give us the right kind of boost we need to start our day. If you eat your last meal of the day at 7 p.m., by the time it’s 10 a.m. the next morning you’re starving from a fifteen-hour fast. Your body is craving calories and energy so you end up grabbing something quick and easy that will give you a fast energy boost – a soft drink and a glazed doughnut.

Not good for the waistline.

And not only does that fifteen-hour fast cause you to grab unhealthy substitutes, it also sends an unmistakable signal to your body that you’re starving. When your body thinks it’s starving, it immediately slows down your metabolism – which in turn slows down the fat burning process. Interestingly enough, weight loss is improved if your biggest meal of the day is breakfast instead of lunch and/or supper.

Not only does skipping breakfast affect your weight, it also affects your mood, your ability to concentrate, and your energy for the entire day. But most importantly – it affects the message and example you set for your kids.

A study of 6,000 children showed that those who ate breakfast had better grades, and those who ate a filling and hearty breakfast like oatmeal performed 20% better than those who ate sugary cereal. It only makes sense to start out your day, and theirs, with something hearty, nutritious, and down-right delicious.

But if your day starts out like mine, it’s not easy to fit that essential meal into the morning chaos, or to find something quick that will stick with growing children for more than an hour. That’s where making easy-to-freeze Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles comes in with a flying cape and big, toothy grin.

It’s so easy to take out a bag of frozen sourdough waffles, pop them in the toaster oven (or toaster) and have a breakfast even a seven or eight year old could manage.

Now I can’t divulge the recipe without first telling you a little bit about our hero, sourdough. That breaker-down-of-phytic-acid-and-gluten, carbohydrate-lowering, blood-glucose-level-stabilizing, energy-making, digestion-loving, makes-you-full-longer, fermented champion of champions is the man of the hour. You can read more about him and sign up for his fan mail here. Suffice it to say, he’s the guy you want on your team. 😉

Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles (casein-free, nut-free, sugar-free, yeast-free)

2 c. sourdough starter
1 c. pumpkin (if it’s frozen, be sure to thaw and drain well first)
1 egg
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. cloves
1 1/2 t. stevia powder
1 t. baking powder

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients into large bowl and mix thoroughly.

2. Pour 1/2 c. of batter onto hot and oil-sprayed waffle irons.

3. Bake until done.

4. Eat a few now and freeze a few in freezer bags to take out on a whirlwind morning. Like today … and tomorrow … and the next day …

 photo credit: Free Digital Photo.net

This post is part of our freezer cooking series. You can see all the posts here.

This post is linked to Works for Me,  Healthy 2Day, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Homemakers Challenge, Your Green Resource, Full Plate Thursday.