I just bought this today:


And I can't wait to get it in the mail.

If you are wondering what it is...
"The agave (uh-gah-vay) plant has long been cultivated in hilly, semi-arid soils of Mexico. Its fleshy leaves cover the pineapple-shaped heart of the plant, which contains a sweet sticky juice. Ancient Mexicans considered the plant to be sacred. When the Spaniards arrived, they took the juices from the agave and fermented them, leading to the drink we now call tequila.

But there is a more interesting use for this historic plant. Agave syrup (or nectar) is about 90% fructose. Only recently has it come in use as a sweetener. It has a low glycemic level and is a delicious and safe alternative to table sugar. Unlike the crystalline form of fructose, which is refined primarily from corn, agave syrup is fructose in its natural form. This nectar does not contain processing chemicals. Even better, because fructose is sweeter than table sugar, less is needed in your recipes. It can be most useful for people who are diabetic, have insulin resistance, or are simply watching their carbohydrate intake."

She also has some dairy-free recipes which I love, including gelato and ice cream. So I couldn't resist.

So I think mom should crochet me one of these:


You can do it mom: ) You can buy the patterns here.

These are simple to make and work great as Brinner (breakfast for dinner). Freeze leftovers individually, and pop in the toaster for a quick breakfast. A great way to sneak in a vegetable.

Sweet Potato Waffles
Alton Brown
yields about 4 8" waffles

1 1/2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
Vegetable spray, for waffle iron
Special equipment: steamer basket and waffle iron

Put cubed sweet potatoes in a steamer basket. Place the basket in a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of steamer. Allow potatoes to steam for 20 minutes of until fork tender. Mash cooked potatoes and set aside. (Instead of steaming my potatoes, I baked them in the oven at 425 until soft, then peeled off the skin and mashed them.)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In another bowl combine the sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, butter, and grated orange rind. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture and thoroughly combine. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold egg whites into batter 1/3 at a time. The batter will be thick. Place 2 scoops of batter onto a preheated, oiled waffle iron, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Strawberry sauce
Ellie Krieger
yields 4 servings (1/3 cup each)

16 ounces strawberries, fresh or frozen (unsweetened, thawed)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Puree strawberries to a chunky puree. Heat them in a small saucepan over a low flame, until they are just warm. Stir in lemon juice and maple syrup.


Top waffles with strawberry sauce and serve with chicken and apple sausage. Enjoy!