My darling sweet children have been less than darling and sweet lately at dinner time. I can’t complain because honestly they’re pretty good eaters most of the time and are great about trying new things. But the past few weeks it’s been one grumpy face after another and out of the blue, my perfect I’ll-eat-anything four year old turned into “I like everything about this chicken except for the crunchy brown stuff and gooey white stuff” kid (Oh, you mean the freaking breading and melted cheese? That I put on to make it like a giant chicken nugget but only better so you would actually eat it? So basically you like the plain chicken inside. The same plain chicken you complained about last night. Hmph.) Since they’re on a picky kick, I decided to let them each pick a night and decide what we’d have for dinner. That night they’d be the special helper and help make the food and set the table and serve everyone else. It worked like a charm for kid #1, my 7 year old, who picked tacos (remind me to tell you about the time that I realized my 7 year old has never eaten a taco before.) and everyone licked their plates clean and asked for more. Kid #2, the 4 year old pulled a fast one and chose waffles. Of course he’d pick a food that’s basically dessert. Waffle night was scheduled for this weekend, but then this happened this morning:
Those are my kitchen windows, and what you see is a sudden winter storm that resulted in school cancellation. A snow day meant that suddenly my quiet day at home to work on today’s chicken dinner post was quickly interrupted by shouts of “NO SCHOOL!!” “I’m hungry!” “When is it gonna be waffle day?!” I couldn’t argue. Seemed like a perfectly good waffle day to me. But little do they know that their favorite waffles are actually nutrient-packed-super-waffles. Mom win.
I know “whole grain” might turn some of you off, but trust me, I’m very picky when it comes to healthy versions of traditionally non-healthy foods and these waffles are truly crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. So keep reading and make sure you get all the way to the bottom half of this long post because I have some really fun stuff down there! It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure book, but for waffles.
Now. It’s not often I recommend baking with all whole wheat flour. There are certainly recipes that work well that way, but most of the time in general baking both the texture and taste are best when only part of the flour in a recipe is subbed out for whole wheat. These waffles however, are 100% whole wheat, and that’s the way I like them.
When it comes to healthy grains, the sky is the limit. Lots of recipes will call for 12 different kinds and I wanted my waffles to be simple. I also didn’t want people to have to go buy a million bags of things to make a quick breakfast. I’m not grain-crazy, but 2 things I do keep in my freezer and use fairly regularly are wheat germ and flaxseed meal, so that’s what’s going in here to boost up our nutritional content.
Now, let me be honest. When I’m looking at recipes I often tune out the moment I start seeing words like “wheat germ” and all sorts of other weird things I don’t have and don’t want to go buy for $5 a bag just to use the tablespoon a recipe calls for. I also feel like there are limits in how far I’ll go to make something healthier and it has to be balanced against the satisfaction in eating said thing. (As in, if making it “healthy” also makes it taste gross, I’m not going to make it healthy.) So here’s what I want to say before people like me tune out.
1. You can make these plain ol’ whole wheat waffles without the flaxseed and wheat germ so don’t sweat if you don’t have any or don’t want to buy it.
2. Both wheat germ and flaxseed meal are pretty easy to find in a normal grocery store so you don’t have to go hunting around in weird places for it and spend a fortune. If you’ve never bought them before, ask a store employee right when you go in so you don’t have to go on a search.
3. Although we’re just using a little bit, these will keep in the freezer for a long time and there are lots of ways to use them (I’ll list some below.)
4. These taste good. Really good.
This is Wheat Germ:
Wheat germ is the heart of the wheat berry. It’s a great source of dietary fiber, folic acid, and Vitamin E. It kind of has the consistency of a roughly chopped oatmeal and has a great nutty flavor. You can use it to replace some of the flour in baked goods, and it works well in many of the ways oats do, like as a filler for meatballs or meatloaf, breading for chicken and fish, or I like to toast it and sprinkle it on yogurt and fruit. It’s also great mixed into smoothies (try it in Kate’s Power Smoothie)
This one is flaxseed meal:
Flaxseed is known for it’s fiber. I don’t think there are many other grains with as high of a fiber content as it has. (4 grams in 2 tablespoons) It’s also incredibly high in natural antioxidants called lignans- 75 times higher than any other plant food! It’s also packs a punch with high levels of omega-3s. This is a power seed, my friends! The seeds themselves are incredibly tiny and hard, so I love flaxseed meal because it’s ground up into a fine crumb and works great mixed into things- like waffles. Interestingly enough, when mixed with water, it functions as a great substitute for eggs. I toss this one in smoothies as well.
So, now that we’ve got the healthy stuff out of the way, let’s mix these up. So easy. Flour, wheat germ, flaxseed meal, baking soda, sugar and salt go into a bowl (doesn’t that sound like the start of a good joke?) I often use Splenda in place of sugar as well.
After those are whisked together, mix up the wet ingredients. And egg, some vanilla, milk, and a little canola oil.
Mix the wet and the dry together. Pretty straight forward. Just don’t overmix!
Cook them in a waffle iron until they’re golden brown on the outside.
They’re nice and crisp on the outside, but soft and sweet in the middle.
The whole grains definitely give them a nutty flavor and a nice chew, but they are still tender and fluffy at the same time.
Now for the fun part. Toppings! I’m going to give you some options of different ways I like to eat these. This is a great example of how you can still eat really great food while counting calories or simply trying to eat fresh and healthy. Each triangle (1/4 of the circle waffle) is under 100 calories, so stack a couple and add on some yumminess!
Honey-Berries with Yogurt
Berries and honey is a classic combination. In the winter months, when fresh berries are expensive (and not always tasty) I use frozen berries. Mixed with a little no-calorie sweetener or a spoonful of jam, they turn into a great syrup. A dollop of fruit-flavored greek yogurt adds a little protein.
Apple-Cinnamon Nut Crunch with Cream
This one tastes like a dessert waffle. For the “Cinnamon Apples” I just toss 1/3 cups diced apple in a little saute pan with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and a spritz of cooking spray. Just stir them around and let them cook for 2-3 minutes, just when they soften a little, and then pop them on the waffle.
Sweet Drizzled Peanut Butter-Banana
When I was a kid, pancakes and waffles on the weekends were drenched in butter, syrup, and whatever else we wanted, but if we were eating them on a school morning (and I’m talking frozen leggo-my-eggos here) it always, always had peanut butter and bananas on it. I’ve continued the same habit with my own kids. I feel like the PB adds a little protein and sticks to their tummies a bit longer and the banana gives them some energy. This is also my go-to pre-work out snack (only I have it on a whole grain english muffin). If you aren’t used to using agave syrup, it’s one of my most favorite things. Calorie-wise, it’s similar to honey, but it has a very low glycemic index. And I honestly love the flavor; it tastes like caramelized sugar. I like the brands they sell at Costco so I always stock up there.
The great thing about these is you can whip up a batch and either freeze or refrigerate them. During the week, just pop them in the toaster to heat up (and re-crisp) a quick breakfast.
Print
Healthy Whole Grain Waffles
Description
These waffles are truly delicious, and packed with nutrition, too!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup wheat germ*
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar or no-calorie sweetener, like Splenda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, wheat germ, flaxseed meal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and oil and whisk until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just mixed together, (it’s okay to have some lumps) don’t over-mix.
- Ladle into an electric waffle iron and cook according to your waffle-maker’s instructions until golden brown. (I use a heaping 1/2 cup batter for my 8″ round waffle iron). Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
Notes
- If you choose to omit wheat germ and flaxseed meal, add an additional 4 tablespoons flour (whole wheat or all purpose) instead.
Freezer Instructions
- Lay waffles in a single layer on a baking dish in the freezer for a few hours. When frozen, place in a ziplock bag or freezer container. Reheat in toaster. Can also keep cooled waffles in fridge and reheat in toaster.
Nutritional Information
- (Calculated using Splenda)
- Serving Size: 1/2 round, 2 triangle wedges
- Calories: 193, Protein: 7, Carbs: 20, Fat: 9, Fiber: 4
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
If you’re in the mood for breakfast now, check out my Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancake recipe. All of these toppings work great on that too!
Here’s a fun little graphic for you Pinners out there…pin away!
Questions & Reviews
I made these (minus the wheat germ & flaxseed). I mixed some berries into the batter and used my mini-belgian waffle maker. The kids loved them!
I love this! All versions look delicious!
I made the mini puffed oven pancakes with east berry sauce for breakfast this morning but substituted half the flour with whole wheat flour. They came out almost indistinguishable from the 100% white flour version and the whole family loved them!
Question on the flax–I have whole flax seed that I mix in the blender and add to smoothies. Is flax meal the same thing, (ground up flax seeds) or made with only parts of the seeds? And is the flax meal better either in taste or nutrition? Thanks for all your recipes. I was looking for a good wheat waffle recipe–mine is only mediocre.
It’s just ground up flax seed. The seeds are so itty bitty, that it’s hard for them to really get ground up (like, even in smoothies you’ve probably noticed it leaves some grit.) So the flaxseed meal just makes it easier to incorporate into recipes, especially batters and doughs since it’s a finer grind.
I made these for breakfast this morning and they were fantastic! I’m not a huge waffle fan, but these had great texture and flavor. The kids were big fans of doing the choose your own toppings bar. It was great!
I’m so glad you liked them, Esther!
Love the add-ons you listed! These sound like a great idea, and healthier than my normal waffles recipe for sure 🙂
I made these this morning in a Belgian waffle maker and they were delicious! I had flax on hand, but no wheat germ, so I added 1 tablespoon of wheat flour and it turned out great. Loving the healthier (but still so dependably tasty) recipes!!!
Do you have a waffle iron you’d recommend to make thin waffles as opposed to Belgian?
I just use an old (not-fancy) Black and Decker we got for our wedding years ago!
Rachel F–we make our very similar recipe in our Belgian waffle maker every time and it works great! LOVE our waffle maker!
Thank you for this post! We have a very similar recipe (except we add a little Bisquick and cinnamon to ours), and had even tried them with wheat germ and flax seed before, but were never really sure how much to add. And thank you for explaining everything’s health benefits! I’ll definitely be using more of these healthier ingredients now! I’m excited to try these new toppings too!
This recipe was a huge hit for breakfast this morning. Thanks for sharing my new go-to waffle recipe!
These look great! I love wheat germ on yogurt(although I buy it in a jar in the breakfast isle instead of a large bag, but the bag might be a better deal I will check!). So good. Anyway, I have a question. I have been putting off buying a waffle iron because I want a Belgian waffle maker but I am not sure if that means I have to have special batter. Would this recipe work still do you know? (of all the more complicated recipes I make and create, I have a hang up on waffle batter of all things, lol)
Is that add 4 tbs flour for each wheat germ and flax(8 total) or 4 tbs to replace both? I usually have flax but not wheat germ.
Nope, you’re just leaving out the flax and subbing flour for the wheat germ. 4 tablespoons total.
Thanks so much! I loved these waffles! I tried the peanut butter and bananas…delish!
This is amazing! My daughter is 22 and she becomes instantly suspicious if I open a second flour canister when I’m cooking. Apparently she’s figured out that it means I’m trying to sneak nutrition into her ‘white-bread’ life and poison her! With this 100% whole wheat recipe, unless she’s looking right at it when I get the flour, she’ll never know (;-D) And she loves her waffles something fierce!!
Thank you! Thank you!
Oh Sara. This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try these waffles. By the way, another great way to eat toasted wheat germ–bananas, peanut butter and wheat germ. Peel bananas, cut in half. Spread all over with peanut butter, roll in wheat germ and freeze. You can also stick a Popsicle stick or lollipop stick up through the middle before freezing. Yummy quick breakfast or snack. My mom made these for us back in the 80s. Yeah, that long ago. LOL.
Do you ever seperate the egg yolks and whites first? My mom’s recipe does that; mix the yolks in with the batter and beat the whites until fluffy, then fold the whites into the batter (don’t overmix). It makes them noticeably lighter and fluffier!
I’m excited to try a whole wheat recipe 🙂
I do in other recipes, but not in this one. They come out pretty fluffy already, and since there’s only one egg in the recipe it’s more of a nuisance to try and whip it up!
Have you ever tried white whole wheat? It’s great, like a cross between whole wheat and white. I haven’t studied the nutritional differences but I love adding it to recipes. I use half white whole wheat and half all purpose in my pancakes.
I use white whole wheat all the time and I sub it into tons of recipes in place of all purpose.
White Wheat is not a cross between whole wheat and white, it is simply a different type of wheat berry and is very nutritious. I firmly believe that most people that say they don’t like wheat have only had red wheat, which has a much more robust flavor and is more commonly used/sold. White Whole wheat is awesome.
I have a hard time getting my family to eat anything whole-wheat, unfortunately. This recipe looks a good excuse to give it another try, because they look really delicious!
Seriously, don’t tell them and just cover them in butter and syrup 😉
Such I great week of posts!! I’ll be making every single one of them 🙂
I’ve been searching for a great waffle recipe forever and this looks like the one!!
Thanks for all the both of you do in putting together these amazing meals!!
I love your solution to the picky eaters problem. And I love that I now have a waffle recipe that uses all wheat flour. And I love the picture with the square plate wedged in with the waffle.
Good timing. I was feeling like I was in a breakfast rut…I asked my toddler this morning, “Ok, do you want pancakes, a smoothie, oatmeal, or french toast for breakfast?” I think he was feeling the breakfast rut too, so he replied, “Something different.” I went to the breakfast category on your blog and hooray! Something healthy and different. I made them this morning and they are fabulous! I used only 1 Tablespoon of sugar (sometimes I lose track when trying to keep my toddler happy while I am cooking) and they were still fabulous! They are great even plain! Next time I will make a double batch so I have more to freeze. I love the wheat germ and flaxseed meal in them. Thank you!
That is one lucky toddler! The conversation at my house goes more like, “Do you want brown cereal or white cereal?” haha
he he, that’s my house, too! 🙂
I love the gorgeous way you swirled the peanut butter on the knife for the photo. You always go the extra mile for us!
I love that you notice things like swirled peanut butter 🙂
Thank you so much for posting healthy recipes that actually taste good! It is a real challenge to find simple and delicious healthy recipes but you guys have got it covered! I hope these posts continue occasionally past January!
Thank you for this!! For some reason, it didn’t occur to me to freeze them until I read it–but if Eggo can do it, so can I 🙂
I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not I’d use a waffle iron. Now I want one. 🙂 These look delicious and I love the topping ideas!
I didn’t want to fill up my kitchen with gadgets, myself, so it took a while for me to buy a waffle iron. When I did, I picked out the one that you can flip the heat plates and it’s a griddle, panini press on the other side. Works wonderfully and doesn’t take up as much limited space.
I just got that same chandelier from PB! I’ve been debating whether the size is right for my dining room before installing. Is that the large or small? It looks great in your room. And it kind of looks like the same table runner I have from World Market, but I’m probably just seeing things!
One of my boys ALWAYS picks waffles when I have them pick a meal for the week!
Stacey is there a large and a small in the globe?? I thought there was just one. I was iffy on the size too, until it went in and I absolutely love it. It doesn’t provide a huge amount of light since there’s just the candelabras in there, but if you have surrounding light it’s just fine. I have the mini chandeliers from that line over my kitchen island, and the big one in my entry way. I get tons of compliments on all of them, I love how they turned out. I’m going to do a post about my kitchen in the next couple of weeks so that might help with some perspective.
And yes- that runner is from World Market, looks like we need to be shopping buddies!
I love this. Thank you!
I don’t have a waffle iron could these be made as pancakes?
No idea, you’d have to try. But you might want to check out my favorite pancake recipe, it uses whole wheat too. They’re amazing and freeze great!
https://ourbestbites.com/2010/03/whole-wheat-buttermilk-pancakes/
You say “cinnamon apples”, but your instructions say 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Should there be cinnamon AND brown sugar mixed in? Or just cinnamon? Either way, these waffles look delicious, & I love making waffles for dinner. =)
Yep, both. Just a dash of cinnamon along with the brown sugar 🙂
These topping variations look delish!
We had your fauxtisserie chicken for dinner tonight, but breakfast for dinner is always my 7 year old’s first choice when he picks dinner.