Power Waffles made with Coconut Oil

I am celebrating this momentous day of having BOTH MY KIDS IN SCHOOL ALL DAY for the first time (just a bit excited), with an awesome new breakfast recipe. Like any parent, I try and keep breakfast interesting, but nourishing for my kids. My oldest daughter especially gets tired of cereal (my youngest could eat it three times a day!). So for my oldest especially, I tend to cook up batches of waffles and pancakes when I have time on the weekends, and then freeze them so I can just pop them in the toaster or toaster oven in the morning before school. So, with the weather beginning to cool, and my daughter starting to crave a warm breakfast vs cold I came up with this new waffle recipe after playing with my favourite Yogurt Waffles recipe but wanting to “power it up” with some more healthy ingredients. I added wheat germ, mashed banana and fresh blueberries and replaced the butter with coconut oil. The results were fantastic and the kids (even the cereal eater) devoured them! I don’t have a fancy waffle maker, just my handy dandy 11 year old Proctor Silex “Morning Baker” Waffle Iron that still works great and would buy another if needed. Eat some waffles everyone!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of large flake (old-fashioned) oats
• 1/4 cup of wheat germ
• 3/4 tsp Kosher (coarse) salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted – plus more for greasing the waffle maker
• 3 large eggs (Free Run Omega 3 are my preference)
• 1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt (I use Biobest Plain Probiotic Yogurt)
• 1 banana, mashed
• A heaping 1/2 cup of fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine the flours, oats, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and stir with a whisk.
2. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs, yogurt, and mashed banana and stir well with a whisk until all ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Pour your wet ingredients into the dry, and combine well with a large spatula, without over-mixing the batter.
4. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.
5. 5 minutes before the batter will be ready, heat your waffle iron.
6. Fold in the blueberries at the last minute before you start cooking the waffles.
7. Lightly brush coconut oil onto the waffle maker grates, ensure the batter won’t stick (I didn’t melt the coconut oil just lightly brushed on a bit with a small silicon brush). Be sure to brush in between each waffle.
8. Use approximately a heaping 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle. Cook for about 5 minutes, however all waffle irons are different so make sure you watch your first waffle, and then note how long it takes.
9. Serve waffles immediately with your favourite toppings (like fruit and maple syrup), or let them cool and freeze for breakfast anytime! Recipe makes five 6.5″ waffles (or 20 quarters – my kids tend to find 2 quarters or 1/2 waffle enough with fruit).

Note for Freezing: I cook all of my waffles, cut into quarters, and then freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once frozen I move to plastic freezer bags and store until needed. Re-heat/toast in your toaster or toaster oven until golden and toasty.