Ricotta Waffles/Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

3 waffles: 3 carbs and 19 grams of protein! 

I apologize in advance for my poor photography.  Times like these I wish I was a food stylist.  I still need to figure out how to use more pictures but I think what I have will do for now!

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• I know ricotta cheese and eggs making a good waffles seems a bit crazy.  I agree, I had no idea how this would work but I was pleasantly surprised!  I found this recipe online at  http://www.fatsecret.com/. My husband loves waffles and needless to say since going grain and sugar free, he has done without for a while! I made modifications to the original recipe to include full fat ricotta and stevia.  Now I realize that everyone may not have Stevia yet (order it or get it as soon as possible).  Just for now, you can substitute 6 packets of Splenda or other sweetener (or to taste).  I do like using fresh nutmeg because it taste so much better and a little "nut" of nutmeg will last you a while! If you don't have a waffle iron, just use the batter as you would for pancakes.  The texture of both the waffles and pancakes are light and fluffy. 

I recommend making a few batches.  Once cooled, place in ziplock bag and store in refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze for a few weeks or longer.  These would make a great weekend breakfast or if you make enough in advance, a great, quick, week day breakfast you can just pop in the toaster.  Use them just like you would conventional frozen waffles.  When re-toasting, stay beside toaster because they will toast quickly.

You can skip the sweet route and eat them like my husband does,  using the waffles as "bread" and putting fried eggs and mayo on it to make an egg sandwich!  The key is to be creative.  

For the blueberry syrup, you can use fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries if you like.  You can leave the blueberry pulp in or strain it out to more resemble a syrup (I strained out pulp).  For the butter, if you use salted butter, you will get a sweet and salty thing going on, which I kinda like.  OH, warning, you will have blue teeth after eating the syrup! ;-)

If you have any leftovers of the syrup, store in a mason jar or old peanut butter glass jar (I have a collection of them and soon you will too!)  Better yet, pour it into an old syrup container and try to fool kidos.   Be sure to store in refrigerator and warm by placing jar in hot water or zapping in microwave if you must (I am not a big fan of microwaves). 

Nutritional Value:

2 waffles contain Less than 3 carbs and 19 grams of protein! Compared to 2 Blueberry Eggo waffles with 30 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of protein!  Now you know why you are starving right after eating your Eggos!  I say" Let Go the Eggo!"

For the syrup, you will be shocked.  1/4 cup pancake syrup has 55 grams of carbs and my blueberry syrup has 6 grams of carbs per 1/4 cup! 

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    Blueberry Syrup
  • (3) 1/4 cup servings
  • Total time to prepare: 25 minutes (but you also cook waffles at same time)
  
  
  3 cups blueberries (fresh/frozen)
  1 cup water
  1/2 cup of fruit juice (Optional.  One way to use up juice if you already have it in fridge)
  Stevia- to taste ( I used 1/4 tsp Kal brand)
  2 tablespoons of butter
  
  

  

  1 cup water, 3 cups blueberries, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 tsp Stevia 

  
  
  1. Place blueberries and water into small pot. (if adding juice, add at this time)
  2. Bring to boil and crush blueberries with slotted spoon or potato masher. 
  3. If straining out blueberry pulp, do this now and return blueberry juice to pot. 
  4. Taste for sweetness.  Add stevia (or Splenda if you don't have stevia yet).
  5. Bring back to boil for 15 minutes. (Start on Waffle mixture while syrup is boiling.  You will have enough time to finish waffles while syrup is reducing.
  6. Turn off heat and whisk in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted. 
  7. Will make about 3/4 cup, more than enough for 2 servings of waffles. 

  

  Step 3

  

  Step 6, add butter.

  
  
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• Waffles/Pancakes

Serves 2 (each serving 3 waffles)

Total time to prepare: less than 10 minutes for waffles (while cooking syrup)

• 4 large eggs 
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 servings Stevia (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

4 eggs, 1/2 cup ricotta, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Stevia

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1. Preheat waffle iron. If no waffle iron is available, recipe can also be used for fluffy pancakes.
2. Beat eggs with electric mixer on high for 1 minute to make them light and fluffy.
3. Add all other ingredients (nutmeg is optional). Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Batter will be very runny. 
4. Spray waffle maker (top and bottom) with cooking spray.  Use a little more between 1/3 and 1/2 cup batter to make each waffle. Make sure the bottom of waffle iron is completely covered to eliminate holes in your waffles. Cook about 3 minutes (may vary with different waffle irons).  Carefully remove with fork.

Runny batter is good!

Finished Product ; -)

Makes 4 waffles 

Serve with eggs or meat of your choice or let them stand alone. Enjoy with your morning cup of coffee sweetened with stevia and a bit of heavy cream!  With a breakfast like this, there is no way you can have a bad day! (If it were only that simple).