Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made from steamed glutinous rice that is pounded and molded into cakes. It is a little tricky to find, but should be in your local Health Food store. Some Asian stores carry it during Chinese New Year. Cooking the mochi causes it to "puff" up into a tasty little treat.

For the waffles, cut the mochi into 1/4 inch slices that will fit nicely onto your preheated waffle iron. Lay about 6-8 slices of mochi per waffle. Close the iron and cook for about 3 minutes. They will be puffed and soft (overcooking will make them crispy and not as tasty). Serve right away with the topping of your choice.
Sliced apples carmelized in a little oil and maples syrup are a great choice. Add a little toasted walnuts for a fantastic blend of flavor.

Wow...to even have the word "maintenance" in any way associated with my name is still somewhat surreal. Inside of me I have grown so accustomed to being "weight-loss mommy" that it is going to take some time to appreciate that I am FINALLY in maintenance mode. Hooray, hooray!! My journey definitely began as a crusade to lose weight (something I have struggled with since I was 13 and my mom told me I needed to start watching what I ate). It wasn't until I firmly rooted myself in the desire for HEALTH and not WEIGHT that I finally achieved my goal. It was so much easier than I thought and I was infuriated that the knowledge and information I needed had eluded me for so long. All I want now is to share it with the WORLD!!