Let’s get started on this “I can cook great food” journey with a little bit of kitchen instruction. In case you have always wondered, that room that houses those curious items that are cold or hot on the inside, and has lots of storage cabinets is called your kitchen. Wonderful, magical things can happen in that place. It can be a place of joy and relaxation. For every recipe you find at Finleys’ Kitchen, you will see a list of the equipment you will need. Most of the items you may already have, but you may have to invest in a few items to have the right tools to make simple, healthy feasts.

Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. Start your day off with a cup of coffee and a piece of toast and you are doomed for a 10:30 a.m. disaster. That long, food-less slumber leaves the body hungry for good, nutritious fuel, so why not make it GREAT?

The waffles in your culinary repertoire, to date, may have been one of two choices…frozen “healthy” choices, or a trip to that pancake house that sends you into fat and sugar overload. Well, take a look at the selection below.

This gorgeous waffle will keep you stuffed until lunch! After using several boxed and prepared mixes that had some unpronounceable ingredients, I developed a waffle and pancake mix that is high in fiber and protein, low in fat. Here’s your pantry and shopping list for the ingredients:

whole wheat flour (not white), baking powder, salt, oat bran, low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese, liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters), extra virgin olive oil, no-stick spray, fresh or unsweetened frozen fruit (if using frozen fruit, you will need some cornstarch), fat-free spray whipped topping (like Reddi-Wip Fat Free Dairy Topping)

Here’s your equipment list:

a 7″ round waffle maker (not a Belgian Waffler), measuring cups, measuring spoons, a rubber spatula

Waffle Mix (Make the waffle mix ahead of time and store in a canister with a tight sealing lid.)

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

3 Tablespoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup oat bran

Measure all ingredients carefully, leveling measuring cups and spoons. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.Will make about ten servings.

To make the waffle: Preheat the waffle iron before mixing up the batter recipe below. Read your waffler instructions. Most have a light that goes out when it is hot.

Mix together in a small bowl:

1/2 cup minus 1 Tablespoon waffle mix

1/4 cup liquid egg substitute

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup water (if the batter is very thick and not very pourable, add a little bit more water, like a teaspoon.

Spray the preheated waffle iron with no-stick spray. Pour the entire waffle batter onto the waffle iron, using a rubber spatula to get all the mix. Close waffler lid. Cook waffle about 3 minutes, or until steam stops escaping from edges of waffle iron and waffle feels “crispy” when you lift the lid and tap it with a fork. Every waffle iron works differently. You will get used to your own iron.

Remove cooked waffle from iron and place it on a dinner plate. Top waffle with 1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese. Top with your favorite fruit or fruit combination. Squirt some fat-free whipped topping on the top, grab a fork and dig in!

Ideas: If using frozen fruit, like blueberries, thaw a serving of berries (about a cup) in the microwave in a microwaveable container or in a pan on the stove over medium heat. When thawed, stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch. Return to microwave or continue heating on the stove, until thick. In the microwave, this could take another 1 to 2 minutes. One the stove, stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.

Don’t like cottage cheese? Try a 6 ounce serving of fat-free flavored yogurt (the 80 calorie per serving kind) or a single-serving container of refrigerated fat-free pudding (like Jell-O)