Whole Wheat Ricotta Waffles with Blueberry Sauce

Most little ones seem to have favorite toys or favorite stuffed animals.  And favorite colors.  But not our little guy Max.  He is rather fickle, dispensing his affection on whatever catches his fancy at the moment.  Or maybe he just kinda likes his toys, stuffed animals and colors equally.  But he does have a favorite letter.  Okay, 2 letters.  He loves both B and O.  And b is just so super awesome because it's also his word for berries.  And it doesn't hurt that b is the first letter of his very favorite thing in the entire world - buses.  Now, he loves all berries, but you never know what berry he will actually want to eat that day.  You see some raspberries on sale and pick up a few cartons, thinking, ohh Max will like this.  No, no, he will not.  He will want blackberries, not the raspberries sitting in the fridge.  But sometimes, sometimes, the stars align all beautifully straight in a row and the kiddie gods smile beatifically upon you and somehow you get the right berry (or B, as it is known) to make him happy.  And since it was his birthday the other day, I made him some waffles with B's.  And it must have been the right B, because he was shoveling the sauce into his mouth.  So thank you gods of toddler eating, we totally appreciate it.  And, I'd have to say these waffles are pretty great for full grown people as well.

Ingredients
Waffles:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup ricotta
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated

Blueberry Sauce:
1 pound blueberries
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground clove (depending on how much you adore clove)

Instructions
Blueberry Sauce:  Place all ingredients in a medium pot over medium-low heat and gently boil, stirring often.  Let it cook together for about 5 minutes, and remove the cinnamon stick.  Let cool.

Waffles:  Beat the egg whites with a mixer until they hold soft peaks.  Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, whisk ricota, buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract, and egg yolks.  Stir in the flour mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites.   Pour batter into preheated waffle iron and cook until waffles are crisp and golden.  I like keeping the oven hot at 350 and giving the waffles an extra round of crisping for a few minutes.  Pour sauce on top of waffles and serve.