For: The Chelseas

(Image from here)In nursing school I hung out with Danielle, Chelsea and Chelsea. Every fall when pumpkin season would roll around Chelsea squared would talk and swoon over all the different pumpkin foods, breads and desserts. They would even get teary just talking about it. So this post is for them. I found this recipe a couple years ago in Family Circle magazine (Dec. 07). We finally tried it this year and they are YUMMY! I didn't make the cranberry honey because of a lack of cranberries but the waffles were still amazing. Pumpkin Waffles with Cranberry HoneyThis recipe is copied directly from the family circle website. Click here for original source.

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Cranberry Honey:
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1 cup fresh or frozen, thawed cranberries, divided

Directions
1. Waffles: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place a large baking sheet in the oven.
2. Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well and set aside.
3. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add the buttermilk mixture and 1/3 cup water to the flour mixture; stir until a moist batter forms.
4. Beat egg whites in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whites into batter.
5. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon about 1/3 cup of batter for each 4-inch waffle onto the hot waffle iron, spreading the batter to the edges. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the steaming stops. Transfer waffles to baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat procedure to make 16 waffles. Serve with Cranberry Honey.
6. Cranberry Honey: Bring the honey and cranberry juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add 3/4 cup of the cranberries and cook 5 minutes or until cranberries pop. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cranberries. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 cup.