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.
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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 relize this recipes was posted ages ago, but I am working hard to get more fiber into my families diet, which means weaning my 4 year old son and husband off of their morning eggo waffles with peanut butter. Even though we have a wonderful fancy waffle maker, I bought a $10 Dash mini waffle maker, which gives you a perfect kid-sized round waffle (and is incredibly cute). I was SO happy that they loved this recipe from the start. EAsy to freeze and pop into the toaster. So far I’ve made 2 batches and there have been zero complaints or requests for their old processed crap waffles. Only modification I made in batch #2 was to add 1T vinegar to replicate buttermilk and get them a bit lighter. This is a keeper. THANK YOU!
What a delish recipe, thank you!
I thought I actually messed it up when I mixed the ingredients together, as I decided to use some melted coconut oil instead of canola as I had none. I’m new to baking with coconut oil, so didn’t realize it would solidify one mixed with the cold milk. The batter turned into a lumpy mess with hardest coconut oil lumps. Anyway, I kept going and although the batter sizzled like bacon on the waffle iron, they turned out beautifully and tasted great. Love the texture…very moist and tender.
It’s my first time to your site but I will be back for more! Thanks again!
Yes, coconut oil is tricky like that! I’m glad they worked out still!
Lovely waffles but I did change a few things. I omitted the sugar entirely and used organic olive oil in place of the canola oil and added a 1/4 cup of teff and increased the milk (also organic) and they were delicious!
Can you use butter instead of oil?
Is it ok to make a bunch of these and then freeze them? I really want to do that but since it’s a lot of natural ingredients I don’t know how well it would do after being frozen. Either way I must try this recipe!
Hi!
Tried it this morning… As my kids were insisting on
Waffles! I really want to get them away from white flour.
They came out awesome! Love the flaxseed addition.
I also make a whole wheat bread with flaxseed , sesame
And ground almonds.. Kids love it!
Would love to see some health bread recipes for the bread
Machine… Specially with cinnamon!
Have you ever tried this with beating the egg whites and folding in? I love waffles and that makes the best in my opinion. Might try this flour mix with that change – will let you know how it goes!
I recently bought a waffle iron and was so excited to try it out. I’m a healthy eater so I was so glad I found this recipe! The waffles came out amazing, and tasted so naughty for something so healthy. Definitely going to make these waffles countless times in the future. Thanks so much <3
Could I mix the dry ingredient’s and store them in the fridge? For how long do you think?
These are the best waffles. I used coconut oil instead of canola oil. Freezing them for go to breakfasts.
Favorite pancakes. Cook up perfectly every time. Thanks for sharing this one 🙂
These were great!! they get nice and crispy and soft at the same time. I replaced the oil with applesauce and it was still great! Probably a little more dense, but didn’t alter taste. Thanks for such a filling and healthy recipe! It will be my go-to one!
I made these tonight with dried cranberries and almonds…delish!!
Just sub equal amounts- it should be fine 🙂
Would you happen to know if I would use the same amount of almond milk in place of the milk? (Milk allergies in our family). I haven’t cooked much with almond milk though so don’t know if it would ruin the waffles (especially since I’m not a big fan of the taste of almond milk straight up in a glass).
The perfect sunday breakfast recipe! I made the batter right away. Then I realised I threw the waffle iron out last year. Made really good pancakes though! 🙂
I know this is a very late comment, but I have to tell you how much we love this recipe at my house! I always make a double batch and freeze, they are so crispy and light and yummy from the toaster! AND they are totally kid-tested and aprroved 🙂 Loved by my whole-wheat-hating 3 year-old and 13 year-old.
I’m also a FACS teacher and I decided to try this recipe as part of our breakfast unit in a beginning foods class and most of the kids loved them. Thanks for the awesome recipes, please keep the healthy ones coming!
do you have a suggestion for a good waffle maker? my 17 yr old one is on its way out.
I just have a simple one, but I know on one of our waffle posts (I think it was Kate’s recent “Light and Crispy Waffles” post) a lot of people were talking about a specific waffle maker they love. It’s the one Kate has so it’s probably featured in that post- check it out!
I made these for breakfast yesterday. Everyone loved them! Thanks for sharing.
I cant even begin to tell you how much we LOVED these waffles!! My two teenaged sons kept saying how much they loved the nutty flavor and how full they stayed until lunch time..total winner of a recipe..thank you!
looks so yummy! i love bready baked goods, just sometimes feel guilty for all the white flour we consume.
also- have you tried PB2?? its a healthy alternative to peanut butter- all natural, just less fat and calories! would be a great addition to your 3rd option! 🙂
I do use PB2- love it!
I have tried many whole wheat pancake and waffle recipes and these are by far the best ones ever. And they are very sustaining. If we have these for breakfast, my girls don’t ask for a morning snack. Very good!
I am pulling this up to make these for the fourth time since you posted this… The other three times were all within a week of your post, but I was too embarrassed to admit it at the time. 🙂 Haha – needless to say, my family loves them! We have also drained a jar of Buttermilk Caramel Syrup to top them off. I love that they are healthy – especially since we cover them in sugar. Every little bit helps!
haha, I love it!
Do u know the calorie count using regular sugar?
I don’t, sorry. You could easily calculate it though.
Just bought my belgian waffle maker today and can’t wait to try these. Do you happen to know if the dry ingredients are mixed and stored ahead of time in bulk, how much would we measure out to add to the wet when we are ready to bake one recipe?
These are delicious! Thanks for the great topping ideas too. My favorite- the cinnamon apples, and I made some homemade buttermilk syrup (kind of like a caramel apple waffle). I don’t think I’ll be able to eat waffles without them ever again! I am all out of wheat flour, and all purpose flour, so my only option tonight was bread flour. I did have toasted wheat germ however-a great addition. These were fantastic. Thanks again!
I made these this morning and they are super yummy! I love using whole wheat flour (bought at the store or ground myself) in anything I can. Thanks for sharing!
We had these for dinner last night. They were delicious! I’m not usually too fond of whole-wheat anything, so I was very pleasantly surprised. I topped mine with butter and homemade apple butter. It was wonderful.