FA+
Shop
208 submissions
David the polar bear is babysitting his niece for the weekend and comes up with an allergen-friendly breakfast for her to enjoy.
A brief pause in the My Ghost Roommate trilogy before I can get the final part out next week!
Without any further ado:
It was another early morning for David. So early, in fact, that the sun still hadn’t risen. Ugh, It’s so dark out. Where’s my coffee? As if on cue, the drip coffee machine gave a merry chime. A full pot of steaming hot coffee sat below, ready for drinking.
The large polar bear slowly shuffled back into the kitchen and grabbed a clean mug from the cupboard. He’d been up even earlier, making sure that the house was clean and the dishes washed. His sister, Danielle, had dropped off their niece so that they could have a weekend out with their partner.
Right now that little niece of his was fast asleep in the guest room, clutching a beehive plushie that was bigger than her little ursine head.
David took a long sip from the mug. He liked his coffee with lots of cream. Coffee just didn’t taste quite right without that smooth hot chocolate-like texture. A pinch of sugar never hurt... aside from his waistline that is. He let out a quiet grumble as he poked at the fuzzy belly below him. With winter coming up, he and most bears for that matter put on a few extra, dozen, pounds. It made sure they were well insulated but left them a bit rounder around the middle.
He sighed and turned back toward the cupboards. What to make? Koraline wasn’t exactly a picky eater, but the little bear cub had a plethora of food allergies that the family had to keep in mind when feeding her. He needed something gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free if he could muster it. I still have some oat flour left… The gears in his brain turned as a recipe card formed in his mind. Maybe I could do waffles? Yeah. Then I could top them with fresh berries…yeah, Yeah! That’ll work!
The caffeine finally kicked in as he quickly gathered his ingredients:
1 Cup Oat Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
3 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Oat Milk
In a small bowl, he quickly threw together the OAT FLOUR, SALT, BAKING POWDER, APPLE PIE SPICE,and CINNAMON and set them aside. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much spice.
In a larger bowl, he mixed together the MAPLE SYRUP, BROWN SUGAR, and VEGETABLE OIL until the sugar was somewhat dissolved into the liquid concoction. Once it was ready, he added the APPLE SAUCE and LEMON JUICE and mixed it all together.
Oh, shoot! He quickly dug through the cupboards and pulled out two waffle irons. One was rather large and befitting of a classic Belgian waffle while the other was much smaller, no bigger than 4 or 5 inches in diameter. If the waffles turned out well enough, then he could stack one of each size together and decorate them to look like a smiling waffle bear. He smiled to himself. Hopefully.
David plugged both of the waffle irons in and preheated them, making sure to spray them with nonstick spray so that the waffles would come out cleanly.
As the irons were heating, he quickly finished preparing the batter. In a flurry, he added the FLOUR MIXTURE to the APPLE ONE and stirred well. Once it was all mixed together, he added the OAT MILK. The end result was a surprisingly airy and delicate-looking batter like a punch could flatten the whole thing.
With everything ready, he started to cook. The small waffle iron only needed a quarter cup of batter, give or take, but the larger iron needed twice as much, if not a little more to get a full, round waffle.
David knew that gluten-free baking tended to have weird results and bake times as compared to their gluten-filled counterparts. More often than not they needed longer than usual in the oven to set properly and even then, they tended to come out a little on the soft side.
For his normal waffles, all he had to do was wait for the steam to stop seeping from the irons, but these waffles needed a bit more time. A couple of minutes longer couldn’t hurt. After about 4 minutes of cooking, David pulled the waffles from the hot irons. They were still VERY soft and had a hard time retaining their round shape. With a little bit of tweaking, he was sure that he could get them to turn out just right next time.
I could probably reduce the oil and milk down a little, maybe add a second starch and a little bit of xanthan gum. I wonder if I could find some with the xanthan gum pre-mixed at the store? He quickly tapped out a note on his phone to remember to check the next time he went out for groceries. Oh! Maybe I could make my own apple sauce and use that next time. And then, I could use it with the maple syrup and maybe zhuzh it up into, like, a glaze of some kind? So many ideas for another day and another time.
A quiet rumbling echoed from the guest bedroom. His niece would be up soon. It was time to plate it all up. On a large plate, he delicately placed the large waffle on the bottom before adding the smaller waffle on top, but just a little bit off-center so that there would be space to add the decorations.
Blueberries and blackberries made up the snout of the Apple-Cinnamon Bear Waffles while a couple of banana pennies made the eyes and a couple of orange slices made the ears. They looked absolutely adorable! David made a mental note to work on this recipe more and perfect it someday!
With the plates made, all that was left was setting the table. Two tall glasses of orange juice stood by the plates with a cozy little glass syrup dispenser full of that sticky, amber gold. A hungry growl burbled from his midsection. It was time for breakfast!
The wooden floors of David’s humble abode creaked as Koraline made her way toward the dining room table, still in her honey bee pajamas. White and brown speckled paws rubbed at sleepy eyes as she pulled up a seat and finally laid her little blue eyes on the plate of food before her.
They went wide with wonder and joy as she turned her attention to her uncle. “Is this for me?!” She smiled a wide toothy grin.
David returned her smile with a warm one, “Absolutely!” He raised his glass of orange juice toward her and the two bears clinked their glasses together. “Dig in!”
Koraline did just that, quickly tearing into the waffles with her silverware and taking a bite. She melted in her seat, “Mmm!!!” She nodded toward her uncle and quickly swallowed the morsel. “It’s really good Uncle David!”
“I’m glad you like it!”
The little bear cub quickly returned to her food, drowning it in maple syrup and nearly inhaling the waffles with how quickly she was eating them.
David finally turned his attention toward his own plate and dug in at a slower pace, trying to savor each bite and pondering how he could make them even better.
The waffles themselves had taken on a dark brown color, thanks to the brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices. If anything, the waffles most resembled a grizzly bear, much like the girl’s father.
Once the two had had their fill of waffles, David collected the plates and quickly rinsed them off in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher for later.
“Thanks a lot, Uncle David!” she cheered from the dining room table.
“It’s no problem, Kora.” He called back with another warm smile.
“They were so good!” She kicked her legs back and forth, “I wish I could have that every day!”
“I’ll be sure to give your mom the recipe when they come back to pick you up.” David returned from the kitchen and joined her at the table once more. “You know,” he smiled, “I bet if you gave me a week, I could make them even better!”
Her little eyes turned into saucers, “Even better than that!” He nodded. “Wow! How could they get any better?”
“That’s my little secret for now!” David winked at her, “But I’ll be sure to give you the best version of the recipe once it’s done.”
“Ooh! I can’t wait!” Her little legs kicked faster as she changed topics. “So, what are we gonna do today?”
“Well, I was thinking that we could go to the library today and do some exploring!”
“Cool!” She smiled, “I like your library. It’s really big!” She spread her little arms out wide. “Like this big!”
“Yup!” He smiled back. “But we can’t leave until you’ve brushed your teeth and gotten dressed for the day. We can’t have you wandering around in your pajamas after all!” He let out a light chuckle, “Imagine what your mom would say to me if I let you do that!” Koraline giggled out a response and ran back to her room to get ready.
It would be a good day today. A quiet day of fun and reading at the library. If it was warm enough, maybe they’d even go for a walk through the cozy downtown of this quaint little mountain town.
He looked out at the sunrise peaking over the mountains. Yeah, today would be a good day.
The End.
A brief pause in the My Ghost Roommate trilogy before I can get the final part out next week!
Without any further ado:
Made With Love: An Apple-Cinnamon Waffle Recipe
Written by: Ryker-Wolf
It was another early morning for David. So early, in fact, that the sun still hadn’t risen. Ugh, It’s so dark out. Where’s my coffee? As if on cue, the drip coffee machine gave a merry chime. A full pot of steaming hot coffee sat below, ready for drinking.
The large polar bear slowly shuffled back into the kitchen and grabbed a clean mug from the cupboard. He’d been up even earlier, making sure that the house was clean and the dishes washed. His sister, Danielle, had dropped off their niece so that they could have a weekend out with their partner.
Right now that little niece of his was fast asleep in the guest room, clutching a beehive plushie that was bigger than her little ursine head.
David took a long sip from the mug. He liked his coffee with lots of cream. Coffee just didn’t taste quite right without that smooth hot chocolate-like texture. A pinch of sugar never hurt... aside from his waistline that is. He let out a quiet grumble as he poked at the fuzzy belly below him. With winter coming up, he and most bears for that matter put on a few extra, dozen, pounds. It made sure they were well insulated but left them a bit rounder around the middle.
He sighed and turned back toward the cupboards. What to make? Koraline wasn’t exactly a picky eater, but the little bear cub had a plethora of food allergies that the family had to keep in mind when feeding her. He needed something gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free if he could muster it. I still have some oat flour left… The gears in his brain turned as a recipe card formed in his mind. Maybe I could do waffles? Yeah. Then I could top them with fresh berries…yeah, Yeah! That’ll work!
The caffeine finally kicked in as he quickly gathered his ingredients:
1 Cup Oat Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
3 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Oat Milk
In a small bowl, he quickly threw together the OAT FLOUR, SALT, BAKING POWDER, APPLE PIE SPICE,and CINNAMON and set them aside. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much spice.
In a larger bowl, he mixed together the MAPLE SYRUP, BROWN SUGAR, and VEGETABLE OIL until the sugar was somewhat dissolved into the liquid concoction. Once it was ready, he added the APPLE SAUCE and LEMON JUICE and mixed it all together.
Oh, shoot! He quickly dug through the cupboards and pulled out two waffle irons. One was rather large and befitting of a classic Belgian waffle while the other was much smaller, no bigger than 4 or 5 inches in diameter. If the waffles turned out well enough, then he could stack one of each size together and decorate them to look like a smiling waffle bear. He smiled to himself. Hopefully.
David plugged both of the waffle irons in and preheated them, making sure to spray them with nonstick spray so that the waffles would come out cleanly.
As the irons were heating, he quickly finished preparing the batter. In a flurry, he added the FLOUR MIXTURE to the APPLE ONE and stirred well. Once it was all mixed together, he added the OAT MILK. The end result was a surprisingly airy and delicate-looking batter like a punch could flatten the whole thing.
With everything ready, he started to cook. The small waffle iron only needed a quarter cup of batter, give or take, but the larger iron needed twice as much, if not a little more to get a full, round waffle.
David knew that gluten-free baking tended to have weird results and bake times as compared to their gluten-filled counterparts. More often than not they needed longer than usual in the oven to set properly and even then, they tended to come out a little on the soft side.
For his normal waffles, all he had to do was wait for the steam to stop seeping from the irons, but these waffles needed a bit more time. A couple of minutes longer couldn’t hurt. After about 4 minutes of cooking, David pulled the waffles from the hot irons. They were still VERY soft and had a hard time retaining their round shape. With a little bit of tweaking, he was sure that he could get them to turn out just right next time.
I could probably reduce the oil and milk down a little, maybe add a second starch and a little bit of xanthan gum. I wonder if I could find some with the xanthan gum pre-mixed at the store? He quickly tapped out a note on his phone to remember to check the next time he went out for groceries. Oh! Maybe I could make my own apple sauce and use that next time. And then, I could use it with the maple syrup and maybe zhuzh it up into, like, a glaze of some kind? So many ideas for another day and another time.
A quiet rumbling echoed from the guest bedroom. His niece would be up soon. It was time to plate it all up. On a large plate, he delicately placed the large waffle on the bottom before adding the smaller waffle on top, but just a little bit off-center so that there would be space to add the decorations.
Blueberries and blackberries made up the snout of the Apple-Cinnamon Bear Waffles while a couple of banana pennies made the eyes and a couple of orange slices made the ears. They looked absolutely adorable! David made a mental note to work on this recipe more and perfect it someday!
With the plates made, all that was left was setting the table. Two tall glasses of orange juice stood by the plates with a cozy little glass syrup dispenser full of that sticky, amber gold. A hungry growl burbled from his midsection. It was time for breakfast!
The wooden floors of David’s humble abode creaked as Koraline made her way toward the dining room table, still in her honey bee pajamas. White and brown speckled paws rubbed at sleepy eyes as she pulled up a seat and finally laid her little blue eyes on the plate of food before her.
They went wide with wonder and joy as she turned her attention to her uncle. “Is this for me?!” She smiled a wide toothy grin.
David returned her smile with a warm one, “Absolutely!” He raised his glass of orange juice toward her and the two bears clinked their glasses together. “Dig in!”
Koraline did just that, quickly tearing into the waffles with her silverware and taking a bite. She melted in her seat, “Mmm!!!” She nodded toward her uncle and quickly swallowed the morsel. “It’s really good Uncle David!”
“I’m glad you like it!”
The little bear cub quickly returned to her food, drowning it in maple syrup and nearly inhaling the waffles with how quickly she was eating them.
David finally turned his attention toward his own plate and dug in at a slower pace, trying to savor each bite and pondering how he could make them even better.
The waffles themselves had taken on a dark brown color, thanks to the brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices. If anything, the waffles most resembled a grizzly bear, much like the girl’s father.
Once the two had had their fill of waffles, David collected the plates and quickly rinsed them off in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher for later.
“Thanks a lot, Uncle David!” she cheered from the dining room table.
“It’s no problem, Kora.” He called back with another warm smile.
“They were so good!” She kicked her legs back and forth, “I wish I could have that every day!”
“I’ll be sure to give your mom the recipe when they come back to pick you up.” David returned from the kitchen and joined her at the table once more. “You know,” he smiled, “I bet if you gave me a week, I could make them even better!”
Her little eyes turned into saucers, “Even better than that!” He nodded. “Wow! How could they get any better?”
“That’s my little secret for now!” David winked at her, “But I’ll be sure to give you the best version of the recipe once it’s done.”
“Ooh! I can’t wait!” Her little legs kicked faster as she changed topics. “So, what are we gonna do today?”
“Well, I was thinking that we could go to the library today and do some exploring!”
“Cool!” She smiled, “I like your library. It’s really big!” She spread her little arms out wide. “Like this big!”
“Yup!” He smiled back. “But we can’t leave until you’ve brushed your teeth and gotten dressed for the day. We can’t have you wandering around in your pajamas after all!” He let out a light chuckle, “Imagine what your mom would say to me if I let you do that!” Koraline giggled out a response and ran back to her room to get ready.
It would be a good day today. A quiet day of fun and reading at the library. If it was warm enough, maybe they’d even go for a walk through the cozy downtown of this quaint little mountain town.
He looked out at the sunrise peaking over the mountains. Yeah, today would be a good day.
The End.
Category Story / All
Species Polar Bear
Size 2559 x 1440px
File Size 837.9 kB
Comments