Really good oatmeal waffles

I could tell you how these waffles created a firestorm in the Boston Globe and almost gave me a nervous breakdown, but I don’t want to ruin them for you. They are light, they are delicious, they don’t sink like a stone and make you want to lie down and ask yourself why, oh why, did I do that? Why did I eat so many waffles for breakfast?

All right, since I brought it up, I’ll tell you what happened. These waffles were published as gluten-free waffles which is so, so complicated. So much more complicated than I ever could have imagined. First, you have to use certified gluten-free oats, a fact that was not specifically stated IN CAPITAL LETTERS in the recipe because yours truly (moi!) screwed up and filed the wrong version, the one that did not specifically state that. Argh. You can get certified gluten-free oats from Bob’s Red Mill. On top of that, not all people with celiac disease can tolerate oats. And you have to have a squeaky clean kitchen with no cross contamination. See what I mean? It’s complicated. A newspaper has only so much room for a recipe, so because it wasn’t a story about gluten-free baking, like this one in the New York Times, there was no ‘splainin’. So don’t make these waffles if you have celiac disease and you’re not sure. Ask your doctor. And then go to Shauna’s blog where you will find many good recipes. And if you were one of the outraged who read this recipe in the Globe, I am deeply sorry. It pains me to have upset anyone. There. Confession over. Mea culpa. Truly.

Now back to summertime when the livin’ is easy. Anyone without dietary restrictions can and should enjoy these waffles. For instance, if you happen to be in a cabin by a lake and you want to entice the troops into the kitchen with the smell of coffee and bacon and then hit them with something fantastic for breakfast that won’t lay them up for the whole afternoon, you should make some oatmeal waffles. Although being in a cabin by a lake is not such a bad place to play out that scenario, preferably in a hammock while being lulled by the sound of pine branches in the breeze.

Serve them with lots of real maple syrup and butter, or yogurt and strawberries or all of the above.

Oatmeal waffles

Makes six 7-inch, round waffles

3  cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 1/4 cups milk, plus more if necessary

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vegetable oil spray (for the waffle iron)

1. Heat a waffle iron. If you plan to serve all the waffles at the same time, heat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a food processor, grind the oatmeal until it resembles very coarse whole-wheat flour. Add the baking powder, salt, eggs, yogurt, milk, olive oil, honey and vanilla to the bowl and process until blended.

3. Pour the batter into a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it sits. Stir in more milk if necessary.

4.  Spray the waffle iron on both sides with vegetable oil cooking spray. Even non-stick surfaces need a little extra insurance. Bake the waffles using about 1/2 cup batter or the amount recommended in the manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately, or place directly on an oven rack until all the waffles are done.