Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

Before you inaccurately assume Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles are unhealthy and gross, let me tell you how I kicked my own tushie yesterday. You see, after picking up Lily on Monday, I had no motivation for a sweat session…I just wanted to cuddle with my furbaby and relax after the travel nightmare that was last weekend. Seeing as my last workout was Saturday during a hike and Thursday evening prior to that (Tuesday, too), I was far below my quota of 4-5 workouts a week. Oops..

So as I was driving to work yesterday morning trying not to slide into a ditch in the Winter Wonderland, I was game planning my own torturous workout for after work. I landed on 800 meter repeats. You see, I ran cross-country in high school. Not well, but I was on the team (there were no tryouts, hence, I “made” the team), and I HATED 800 meter (~1/2 mile) repeats. 800 meter repeats are tough because they’re long enough to tire you out, but short enough that you have to do lots of them — a lose-lose in my book. And just like in high school, running really isn’t my forte… I just like to think it is. Running is, after all, a killer workout. I digress. My planned torture mapped out like so:

2 minute warm-up, walking @ 4 mph
5 minute run @ 6 mph (10 min/mile)
5 minute “recovery” on the elliptical (level 8 of 12)
5 minute run @ 6.5 mph (9:13 min/mile)
5 minute “recovery” on the elliptical (level 7 of 12)
5 minute run @ 7 mph (8:34 min/mile)
5 minute “recovery” on the elliptical (level 7 of 12)
5 minute run @ 7.5 mph (8:00 min/mile)
5 minute “recovery” on the elliptical (level 6 of 12)

Whew! For my 10-11 minute/mile self, this was a killer workout. My 5 minute runs were between 800 and 1000 meters, roughly. While an 8 minute/mile pace is a run for some, it’s more like a sprint for me! My 5’3 frame with my tree trunk-like thighs just don’t run all that quickly. So I kicked my own butt in my workout yesterday and it really did feel great. You know, the once-every-few-months-or-so kind of great, not the I-should-do-this-more-often kind of great! I have totally transitioned into an exercise for health not fitness type of person, and I’m totally okay with that.

Here’s  a few more photos (on my crappy camera) from my prior workout — an ~4 mile hike in Albuquerque. It was gorgeous — 60° F and sunny!

And on to these ever so curious-sounding waffles!

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles adapted from Jaime Cooks and Chef Mommy

10 slices of nitrate-free turkey bacon
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2/3 1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400⁰ F.

Lay the bacon a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the bacon is really crispy. Dry on paper towels and serve. Place them on a cutting board to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size bits and set aside.

Set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the bacon bites. Stir.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions. Serves 8.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 361 calories; 15.1 g. fat; 123 mg. cholesterol; 768 mg. sodium; 44.3 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 10.1 g. sugar; 10.3 g. protein

Result: Can I first say that Mr. Prevention thought these waffles sounded gross? I was appauled and shocked all at the same time. My man loves him some turkey bacon, mmkay? Weirdo. These were delicious (and he agreed after getting over himself)! If you’re not jiggy with the idea of bacon in your waffle batter (which you should be, FYI), just omit the bacon and have delicious, fluffy buttermilk waffles. This batter could just as easily be used to make pancakes, so don’t fret if you don’t have a waffle iron. While I tried to make-over the recipe to include some nutrition, the sodium content remained high due to the bacon, baking soda, and baking powder. I will try cutting the baking powder in half next time, I just fear the waffles might lose their beloved fluffiness if I do so. We shall see. I served the waffles with Smart Balance Light mixed with agave nectar in a 2:1 ration – YUM…and then just a drizzle of lower sugar maple syrup, a side of orange sections, and 1 pan-fried egg (fat omitted in frying)…a delicious breakfast for dinner meal. Enjoy! 😀

Question: From the sound of it, thumbs up or thumbs down for bacon waffles?

I’m off today to go Christmas shopping with Gina! 😀 Weee!!!