One of my favorite fall memories took place two years ago. John was still in law school and we’d gone to church with some friends in Lawrence – the city that’d become our literal oasis during our dreadful 2-year stay in the state capitol. It was the first day with a substantial chill. The leaves were in glorious transition to gold and red and appeared like a carefully-painted landscape along the highway as we made the lazy drive back home. Greg Laswell was blaring, numbing our ears, and I felt gratitude welling up in me like a tide, and it was all I could do not to cry. But I did, for quite some time. I wasn’t sad; I had inexplicable joy. Fall has a way of doing that inside me. It provides relief, a sense of newness, coats and scarves, and my heavens does it provide ample opportunities for baking. One of my favorite fall flavors is cornbread, paired with chili and toasted into croutons for hearty salads – I could eat the stuff every day. I only tried blue cornmeal for the first time last year and fell in love. Its slightly grainier texture and brilliant color make it perfect for baking into hearty breakfast treats, muffins and breads galore. Blue cornmeal gets its gorgeous hue from anthocyanins: water-soluble pigments that also act as powerful antioxidants, making blue corn a super healthy food to add to your diet this fall. Some Native American tribes grew blue cornmeal because the color had religious significance to them. And some tribes, including the Hopi, Navajo, and other Pueblo Indians used it for making tortillas (source). These waffles are so simple to make, requiring just 1 bowl and about 30 minutes. They’re also vegan and gluten free. I love the texture of these guys. Super grainy and ultra crispy, and just slightly sweet. They make the perfect vessel for butter and maple syrup, as well as bananas and fruit compotes like blueberry. Make them even heartier by serving a fried egg on top, or with almond or peanut butter. Plus, they freeze well and toast up perfectly, making them especially convenient for quick breakfasts and lunches on the go. So bring on the waffles this fall. And the cornbread. I’m already getting beyond excited to dwell in the kitchen as the temps drop to create tons of new soul-warming dishes in this space. Here’s to a lovely start.
