kewl waffle pot pops & kewl maple cinnamon glaze

Breakfast in Bed for Mom! Why not make a b-line (b as in, breakfast line!) to the kitchen and make Mom an awesome gift – a delicious and healthy bouquet of… wait for it… edible waffles pops! They’re so easy and fun to whip up, and make for the perfect project that will not only have you partying before the sun comes up as you put together the perfect, nutritious take on classic Mother’s Day breakfast-in-bed, but they’ll have Mom smiling as you start the celebration off right!

This homemade, healthy batter couldn’t be simpler, and is the best substitute (if not better-than-best) for a traditional boxed mix. Plus, check out the ideal topping for these light, tender waffles – my kewl Sticky Maple Cinnamon Bun Glaze. To break it down, there’s no butter, no oil, no added fat… Just creamy nonfat skim milk, aromatic cinnamon, rich vanilla extract, and more, simmered together with just enough sweet maple syrup to cut back on the sugar but cut way up (or, more specifically, skyrocket) on the flavor. Let the stovetop do the work as you assemble an award-winning breakfast that will have Mom counting down until it happens again next Mother’s Day (if not sooner!)! Yum!

kewl waffle pot pops

what you need:

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 dash sea salt
• ¾ cup nonfat skim milk
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh strawberries, for serving in terracotta pots
• Fresh blueberries, for serving in terracotta pots
• Sticky Maple Cinnamon Bun Glaze, for serving (see recipe for ingredients and instructions)

what to do:

1. Fill four medium-sized terracotta pots with the strawberries and blueberries, until each pot contains an abundant quantity of the fruits, mounded high and reaching the rims. (KewlTip: Crinkle aluminum foil into tight spheres and place them into the bottom of the pots reaching halfway up the sides so as to form a base and partially fill the containers. Place the berries atop these platforms to cover them completely and prevent visibility.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients–the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients–the milk, applesauce, egg whites, and vanilla extract.
4. Add all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in the larger bowl and thoroughly whisk to combine until there are no lumps in the batter.
5. Pour the appropriate amount of batter designated by the manufacturer of your waffle iron into a 4-well iron (one that bakes 4 waffles per batch), close the lid, and bake until the exterior is lightly brown and crispy.
6. When waffles are done baking, carefully remove from the waffle iron and set aside on a heatproof dish. Allow them to cool momentarily, until it is safe to handle them with clean, bare hands.
7. Using kitchen shears, carefully cut the waffles into smaller squares or rectangular shapes along the raised borders of the pockets, or indentations, in each waffle. The individual waffles will yield approximately 3 shapes each, or 12 total.
8. Insert the sharp, pointed end of a 6” wooden or bamboo skewer into one side of each of the smaller square or rectangular waffle shapes, formed in Step 6. Thread the skewers into the shapes, ensuring that they are secure. Place the opposite end of the skewers into the berries in the pots, embedding or “planting” them rigidly, prohibiting movement, and creating the image of a pot of flowers with these Waffle Pops. Each pot will accommodate approximately three pops. If desired, more than one waffle shape can be inserted onto a single stick.
9. Serve with the Sticky Maple Cinnamon Bun Glaze for dipping or drizzling! Enjoy!

Makes 4 square waffles, about 12 Waffle Pops, or 4 filled pots.

sticky maple cinnamon bun glaze

what you need:

• 2 cups nonfat skim milk
• ½ cup pure Grade A maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch powder
• 2 teaspoons water
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Kewl Waffle Pot Pops, for serving (See recipe above)

what to do:

1. Combine the milk, syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk to thoroughly combine, place over medium heat on the stovetop, and cook, uncovered and stirring often, for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened and has reduced to approximately 1/3 of its original quantity, or roughly 1 cup.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch powder in the water in a small bowl, beating together with a fork, creating a “slurry.”
3. Once the milk-syrup mixture has cooked, thickened, and reduced, remove the pot from the stovetop burner and add the cornstarch slurry. Whisk rapidly so as to prevent the cornstarch from clumping, and replace the pot on the stovetop burner.
4. Raise the burner to the “high” heat setting, and, whisking constantly, boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the mixture has thickened further and has developed the rich texture of pure maple syrup. Do not continue to boil, in order to prevent overcooking.
5. Remove the pot from the heat, turn off the stovetop burner, and carefully pour the liquid through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Do so in batches, if necessary, affording the syrup the time to process through the sieve. Discard any solids or clumps caught in the sieve.
6. Beat the vanilla extract into the smooth syrup in the bowl, evenly distributing it with a whisk or fork.
7. Serve and enjoy! This Sticky Maple Cinnamon Bun Glaze makes for a delicious swap-out for pure maple syrup when served for dipping or drizzling with the Kewl Waffle Pot Pops!

Yields approximately 1 cup.