I’m excited to implement something new into this post! To make it super clear what is ethical about these Belgian waffles I have made a little key pictured below! As you’ll see consuming ethically is less about what you consume and more about where you get it from. (This is not 100% true, but for these Belgian waffles it is). I will also talk about recommendations for sourcing ingredients just before the recipe. But first let’s talk about these rosemary lemon Belgian waffles! Valentine’s day is around the corner and we are all either looking forward to it or dreading it. Holla single people! You can all get together and celebrate how much you appreciate each other too! Are you ready? It’s okay if you’re not cuz I got you. Honestly I don’t know what says I love you more than preparing food for someone. I think it probably has to do with how we must eat to survive; it just seems like an extra thoughtful, nurturing gift. But then again I love food so I’m probably a little biased. 😉

Whether it is breakfast in bed, breakfast for the whole family, breakfast for two or brunch with a bunch of mopey single friends these are quite simply some of the best Belgian waffles I’ve ever had, and I really mean that! I have a secret for you that makes the fluffiest freakin waffles or pancakes on the planet! I rarely order sweet breakfasts at a restaurant, but if I do I immediately know whether they have done this or not, because if you don’t your waffles will be so dense! Are you ready? The trick is to separate the yolks from the whites, beat the whites into moist peaks and fold them into the batter. Folded not mixed people. I repeat. Folded not mixed! It results in the lightest batter and adds a flavor… like having meringue in your waffles or something. You haven’t tried Belgian waffles until you’ve had them like this. Waffle heaven. The light batter is also spongy and moist and absorbs the syrup or whatever it is that you are putting on your waffles without getting soggy. I have extra tips to ensure unsoggy Belgian waffles too, but I’ll get into detail about that in the recipe description.

Ian, my boyfriend, and I will not be together this Valentine’s day so if you are having a mopey singles brunch I’ll take an invite! Ian and I are long distance for the third time in our three and a half year relationship. In fact, until last year we had spent more time apart than together since we’ve been dating. I guess since we’re both still relatively young we are trying to not let our relationship get in the way of pursuing our goals. You’d think that I’d be a long distance expert by now, but it never seems to get any easier. Does anyone have any wisdom to share for coping with long distance relationships?

My perspective has always been that it is better to be in a long distance relationship with him than not be with him at all. And I absolutely still feel that way! But not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and wish he were here to snuggle up with. Thank God for my dog Jack. Without him sleeping in my room every night I’d be so lost. In fact he’s sleeping behind my desk right now. I think he knows I find it comforting to watch him adoringly. He’s intuitive like that. Or maybe he just likes to watch over me, whatever the case the company is much appreciated.

I spent the last month visiting Ian in LA and then going on vacation with him in way up Northern California (Humboldt County) and then Eugene, OR and Portland, OR. I was really getting used to his company again. I just find myself slipping right back into the same routine so easily. The same simple expectation of physically being there for each other. But regardless of the long distance struggle, I wouldn’t trade my situation for anything.

I am SO fortunate to get to pursue my passion while my parent’s help support me. I know a lot of people don’t get that opportunity so I’m working hard to turn this blog into something really special! Something that you’ll find useful as you try and live a more sustainable life. I know when I looked into it I had a hard time finding a lot of resources and that’s why I started Get Cultured Kitchen. So please let me know in an email if there is anything you would like to see on this site. I built it for you and feedback is not only welcomed, but much appreciated!

Where to source the Belgian Waffles ingredients:

So rule of thumb is to follow this order when it comes to sustainably sourcing food:

1. Grow it yourself
2. Buy it from a local vendor that uses sustainable practices
3. Order online from a sustainable vendor

Obviously for some things it will be easier to go the DIY approach than others. For flour I am not growing wheat berries in my backyard, nor do I have the means to grind up wheat berries right now. I also didn’t know until today that there is a farmer’s market in the San Francisco Bay Area that sells whole wheat flour! So in the past when I have bought flour I have bought it from Bob’s Red Mill or Jovial Organics einkorn flour. I’m creating a post right now that lists all of my favorite brands for foods that may be difficult to source from home or the farmers’ market, but for now I’ll leave you with those two. Bob’s Red Mill is a 100% employee owned business, which means there are no large corporations secretly buying all their stock and influencing the company. Woo hoo! And Jovial Organics grows sustainable einkorn wheat, one of the only heirloom varieties of wheat around! For this recipe I actually used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour and you would never be able to tell the difference! I find I feel more energized after a meal when I avoid wheat so I went with that option, but it is up to your preference!

For butter I recommend buying cultured (AKA “European style”) grass fed butter or Miyoko’s vegan butter. If using real butter make sure it is third party grass fed certified. There are a lot of certification programs out there that are honestly not much better than factory farming, but Certified Humane, American Grassfed Association, Animal Welfare Approved and GAP 5, 5+ have the highest standards. If you are still unsure do some online research or shoot me an email asking about a brand. If you get a butter that is a rich yellow color and tastes better than anything you’ve ever put in your mouth you’ve probably found legit grass fed butter. Trust me, the difference is obvious.

For eggs I really recommend trying to find a friend or local farmer that can sell you eggs. It has never been a difficulty in any place I’ve lived before, but if you are struggling to find a local, humane egg source try finding Vital Farms, The Happy Egg Co., and Backyard Eggs at your grocery store. Again look for Certified Humane labels, a fairly rigorous third party certification. “Free range”, “pasture raised” and “cage free” all sound promising, but the claims do not have legal definitions/ are not audited by a third party company so anyone can claim them. Cage free is particularly bad, usually meaning birds cramped into dark hen houses so cramped that they often kill each other. You can learn more about the conditions of factory farm animals through my free eBook. 

For the milk I prefer to use homemade nut milk or Forager brand, but for regular milk try Claravale Farm raw milk, Organic Pastures raw milk or St. Benoit. I don’t know enough about other milk brands to recommend any yet.

Make sure whenever you buy sugar it is fair trade and not coming from a place that exploits its workers and uses child slave labor.

For the produce I got the meyer lemons and rosemary from our garden and beets from the farmers’ market. Just make sure your produce is grown sustainably. This does not mean it has to be certified organic, as certification is expensive and actually allows a lot of questionable practices, but if you are shopping at the grocery store organic is a safer bet. I’ll also be writing a post about organic certified vs. sustainable shortly, but for now you’ll just have to look into it yourself or take my word for it. 😉

I’m still working on a vegan version of this recipe! I’m going to try aquafaba (a way to make meringue out of canned chickpea water) in place of the egg whites and get back to you guys!

Kelsey | Get Cultured Kitchen

Yields 4

Pink Rosemary Lemon Belgian Waffles Recipe: Easy Easter Brunch

Pink rosemary and lemon Belgian waffles are the perfect way to impress while hosting brunch or whip them up for a holiday like Easter or Valentine's Day! My family loves these for breakfast!

25 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

45 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

Waffle mix:
• 4 eggs separated
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
• 4 Tbsp butter melted and cooled
• 1 cup and 3 Tbsp gluten free flour or 1/4 cup whole wheat and 3/4 all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp minced rosemary
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1-2 tsp beet root powder*
• Rosemary for garnish (optional)
Whipped Cream:
• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
Lemon Curd:
• 1/2 cup meyer lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter diced
• 3 eggs

Instructions

1. Melt the butter for the waffles and place it in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Add all lemon curd ingredients into a medium sized sauce pan on medium low heat.
3. Whisk the curd constantly. It will thicken just before the boiling point or about 170 degrees.* About 10 minutes.
4. Move it to the refrigerator to thicken.
5. In a medium sized bowl beat the egg whites until they form moist peaks. Set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl beat together the egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt until thoroughly mixed and yolk color lightens slightly.
7. Beat in the milk, vanilla and butter until well incorporated.
8. Slowly pour in the flour while continuing to beat the mixture. The batter will be fairly liquidy.
9. Mix in the desired amount of beet root powder. It won't effect the flavor of the waffles, just add some pink. Start with 1 tsp and work your way up. Remember that the waffles will come out lighter than the batter looks.*
10. Dump the egg whites into the batter and gentle fold them in.*
11. Heat waffle iron according to its instructions. It will be ready when a drop of water can be flicked onto it and it sizzles.
12. If necessary season grilled with butter or avocado oil to prevent sticking. (My waffle iron produces enough moisture that this is not necessary)
13. Pour a quarter of the mixture into the middle of the waffle iron. The mixture should spread out almost all the way to the edge give or take an inch. Remember that once you close the waffle iron the batter will spread out more.
14. Press until golden and slightly crisp on the outside.*
15. While the waffles are cooking whip together the whip cream ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
16. Serve waffles immediately with lemon curd, whip cream and rosemary garnish

Notes

1.It was taking my lemon curd a long time to heat up so I temporarily turned the heat up to medium (while keeping a close eye on it) and immediate turned it back down when it looked like it was going to simmer. You DO NOT want the eggs to cook so keep a close watch! 2.I made homemade beet root powder using this recipe http://www.getculturedkitchen.com/dried-fruit-rings-spice-variations/ and grinding it in a spice grinder, but you can find it at Wholefoods or online. You can always call your local grocery store and ask them if they carry it too! 3. Using a spatula slice down the middle of the egg whites and scoop under the batter to gentle fold it over. Don't over do it! You still want little chunks of whipped egg whites in the batter. This is what gives it that fluffy texture! 4. To keep your waffles from getting soggy try and let air circulate around them so moisture doesn't condense. Layer the waffles with parchment paper keep them stacked at an angle.

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https://www.getculturedkitchen.com/rosemary-lemon-belgian-waffles-recipe/

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Lemon Curd:

 Whipped Cream: