A lot of people think that gingerbread is just for the holidays. I disagree. I love.. LOVE gingerbread and thought today would be a great day to try a different breakfast. Today it was gingerbread waffles and homemade lemon sauce. The thing I love about these waffles is, well… the combination of the tasty and toasty gingerbread with the tart lemon. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
1 c. hot water
2 Tablespoons baking soda
2-1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. cloves
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger

Directions

1. Mix butter and sugar with beaten eggs. Add molasses and water.
2. Sift soda, flour, cloves, cinnamon and ginger together; mix well.
3. Preheat waffle iron. Pour in batter and bake until lightly brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Makes 8-10. Serve with warm Lemon Sauce.

Lemon Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
pinch nutmeg
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

In a medium saucepan mix sugar, cornstarch, and nutmeg. Gradually mix in water. Cook, stirring, over medium head until mixture is thick and clear. Add butter, lemon rind, and lemon juice stirring until butter melts. Serve hot.

Breakfast… it’s the first meal of they day. Everyone says you should make sure to eat breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day. When I was growing up breakfast was cold cereal and milk. I didn’t mind it at the time. I mean it was sugar after all.

Breakfast has always been a hard meal for me to make sure I eat. Often breakfast has been coffee, or a bit of yogurt or maybe a banana. Nothing spectacular or great, and nothing wholesome and filling. I’ve tried to make sure to eat breakfast and eat something good for me and filling. This recipe helps meet that goal.

Since I joined WeightWatchers earlier this year (I’ve since canceled my membership) I added several WW related blogs to my Google Reader. This recipe is one of those. I love the http://www.loserforlife.com website. She’s so good about sharing how her weight-loss journey is going and sharing recipes like crazy.  I love LOVE this recipe for breakfast cookies. These things are filling and also healthy. There’s almost no sugar and there’s lots of bran. Make some this weekend and enjoy each morning in the coming week. I know I will be.

Banana Walnut Breakfast Cookies

½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup oat bran
¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar, unpacked
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large banana, mashed (about 4.8 oz.)
1 egg, white
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, bran, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a smaller bowl, combine banana, egg white, applesauce and vanilla.

Add banana mixture to oat mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Stir in walnuts.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop batter and place mounds on lined cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Makes 5 big cookies.

Notes:
Nutritional Facts: Serving size: 1 cookie. 181 calories, 5 grams fat, 5.1 grams fiber and 5.7 grams protein.

Ingredients:

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together milk, butter and egg substitute. Add the sugar, then gradually beat the flour in.

Carefully stir in the baking powder and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cut into 16 square servings

(Serves 16)

Ingredients:

Directions:
Slice and cube bread in 1-inch cubes.

Cube cream cheese into small pieces and toss together in slightly greased 9 x 13-inch dish.

Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg together and pour over bread mixture.

Ensure that bread is completely covered.

Keep refrigerated overnight or at least 5 hours.

Bake in 350 ∞ oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.

Serve with maple syrup and icing sugar.

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Ingredients:

Directions:

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