The summer after my first year of college, my grandparents flew to Northern California to visit us, as well as some friends they met on a vacation in China multiple years before. Since that couple lived a bit farther south, all six of us loaded our suitcases and ourselves into my parents’ minivan, and we drove down to Carmel for the weekend.
My grandparents picked out a little hotel for the two of them farther inland, away from Carmel-by-the-Sea’s fog and overcast weather, and after helping them check in and find their room, we headed over to their friends’ home for afternoon tea. While sitting on the back porch overlooking the valley, their friends suggested that we joined them for breakfast the following morning.
So on Sunday, we met them at a little brunch restaurant tucked away within the valley, and the hostess pushed together a few tables on the outdoor patio to make enough space for the eight of us. We scanned the menu, and a few minutes later, a waiter stopped by to take our order.
Although most of the adults requested egg dishes like scrambles and omelettes, my brother and I both opted for sweeter dishes. I asked for the Belgian waffle, which came with a side of real maple syrup and topped with fresh fruit, and when it arrived at the table, everyone’s eyes widened.
It was huge! That waffle covered an entire dinner plate, and the pile of fresh melon slices and juicy berries towered over it. With how much sweet fruit sat in front of me, I completely skipped the syrup and just ate a forkful of fruit with every bite.
In hindsight, that waffle ended up as one of the very best I’ve ever ordered from a restaurant. Incredibly fluffy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside, not too sweet (that’s what drizzles of maple syrup are for, in my opinion!), and perfectly rich on its own… Yet somehow even more magical when served with all of those fun toppings.
And that waffle’s texture and toppings actually served as the inspiration for these Healthy Carrot Cake Waffles! These healthy homemade waffles have the same incredible texture, supremely fluffy on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside, and although I skipped the sweet fruit toppings… I still made sure these waffles tasted like carrot cake, one of my favorite sweet treats!
So there are lots of rich and cozy spices on the insides, along with plenty of bright carrots, and they’re topped with cream cheese drizzle. No maple syrup necessary, in my opinion! And even better, these healthy carrot cake waffles contain no refined flour or sugar and just 111 calories!
Continue reading & see the rest! ›› Healthy Carrot Cake Waffles
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