Books for cooks

BARBARA BURKE

"Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café" By Mollie Katzen (Hyperion, 2002, hardcover, $29.95)

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Cookbook brings cheer
into your breakfast

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Rise and shine! When author Mollie Katzen comes out with a new cookbook, it's worthwhile to pay attention. With nearly 5 million books in print, Katzen is one of the most successful cookbook authors of all time. She is also credited with helping move healthful vegetarian food from the "fringe" to the center of American plates.

Her newest cookbook, "Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café," centers on breakfast. Here, she shows you how to approach breakfast "strategically, spiritually and sensually -- so that you can not only make space for this cheerful, important meal, but embrace it and look forward to enjoying it each morning."

This breakfast book is divided into 12 chapters ranging from "Beverages" and "Fruit" to "Eggs, Tofu, Scrambles, Quiches & Soufflés." More than 350 recipes also include crepes, muffins, coffeecakes, pancakes and waffles, as well as 21 brunch menus.

With each recipe, you'll find helpful information such as variations, substitutions, preparation time and interesting food facts. The author's full-color drawings beautifully illustrate the introduction to each chapter. "Sunlight Café" is clearly one of Katzen's best efforts.

With just five minutes of preparation time the night before, and five minutes more in the morning, you can make homemade waffles that are incredibly crisp and light. If desired, canola oil may be substituted for some or all of the butter. Don't be scared off by the yeast! Just mix it into the flour. No proofing or kneading is necessary.

Amazing Overnight Waffles

2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg
Nonstick spray
Butter for the waffle iron

Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add the milk and whisk until blended. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let it stand overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, preheat the waffle iron and melt the butter. Beat the egg in a small, separate bowl, then beat it into the batter along with the melted butter. The batter will be quite thin.

Lightly spray the hot waffle iron on both the top and bottom surfaces with nonstick spray, and rub on a little butter (see note). Add just enough batter to cover the cooking surface -- approximately 2/3 cup for each waffle (1 1/3 cups for a Belgian waffle).

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your waffle iron. Don't overbake -- you want it crisp and brown, but not too dark. It's OK to peek.

Serve hot with your chosen toppings. Serves 4.

Note: Katzen recommends buttering a chunk of bread and using it as an edible utensil to butter the waffle iron.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (excluding nonstick spray, extra butter for greasing waffle iron, and toppings): 500 calories, 23 g total fat, 14 g saturated fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 14 g protein, 60 g carbohydrate.

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Rating Scale: Best in its class / Highly recommended / Recommended / Not recommended

Barbara Burke is a Hawaii-Pacific University instructor who teaches and writes about food and nutrition. Contact her at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail her at: features@starbulletin.com

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