That's why I am in LOVE with waffles. You don't have to be so careful to achieve a soft, fluffy waffle. My husband is big into breakfast, and as many of you know from previous blogs, he is my picky eater; not my 19 month old. So creating a breakfast that the entire family will love is often tricky. And after playing around with a few ingredients, I came up with this delicious batch of waffles that are packed with nutrition, extremely filling, delicious, and most importantly: fluffy.
These waffles are a great first food for babies and make a wonderful meal or snack for toddlers. They freeze well and can easily be reheated in the toaster (for a slight crunch) or left out over night (for a softer bite). Having these on hand will alleviate those rushed mornings when you need a quick breakfast. They're inexpensive to make, will fill you up (without feeling bloated or sick), provide lots of energy, and are extremely good for you!
If we're on the go I'll pack these for my daughter plain to keep mess free, but if we're home, I top them with a little almond butter (for extra healthy fat, protein, and nutrients). My husband prefers his slathered in syrup, while I like a little bit of fresh fruit.
Enjoy them plain (for the little ones), or topped with fresh fruit, nut butter, jam, coconut whip, or even chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is a great dairy, nut, and gluten free non-GMO brand!) You can choose to eat these however you wish!
What you need:
5 cups Water
2 cups Uncooked Oats
1/2 cup Uncooked Millet
1/4 cup Uncooked Quinoa
3/4 cup Ground Flax
*1/2 cup Raw Walnuts
*1/2 cup Raw Pecans
1 Apple
Dash of Sea Salt
1/4 Sesame Seeds (for coating Waffle Iron)
* You can use 1 cup of any nuts you like; we preferred this combo!
What you do:
1. Combine all ingredients, EXCEPT sesame seeds, in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. After your waffle iron is heated, sprinkle sesame seeds on one side.
3. Pour batter onto waffle iron and sprinkle additional sesame seeds on top. Close the waffle iron and cook per manufacturer's warning. (I kept my Belgian waffle iron set on medium and cooked about 3 - 4 minutes on each side).
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining batter. Makes about 10 large Belgian Waffles. (What we don't eat, I split up into quarters and freeze for my daughter for quick snacks!)
Enjoy!
Why These Ingredients?
Oats (Unprocessed) - Known to improve the immune system, control blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and stabilize blood sugar. They have also been shown to lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and phytoestrogen compounds (called lignans) in oats have been linked to decreased risk of hormone-related diseases such as breast cancer. Oats also provide high levels of Manganese, Fiber, Iron, Phosphorus, Biotin, Vitamin B1, and Magnesium.
Millet - A heart healthy, gluten free grain (technically a seed but referred to as grain) that is high in Fiber, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese, and Copper. Millet also contains many phytonutrients, including Lignans, which are thought to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers, as well as heart disease. It is alkaline (cancer cells grow in an acidic environment so eating more alkaline foods is extremely beneficial to prevent, halt, and reverse cancerous growth), digests easily, and provides serotonin to help calm the brain.
Quinoa - A complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in Fiber, Manganese (an antioxidant that helps prevent damage of mitochondria during energy production as well as protects red blood and other cells from injury by free radicals), Riboflavin (improves energy metabolism within brain and muscle cells as well as create proper energy production in cells), and Magnesium (helps to relax blood vessels, transmit nerve impulses, regulate body temperature, detoxify, provide energy, and form healthy bones and teeth, as well as reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and the severity of asthma). Quinoa also provides good sources of Iron, Vitamin B-6, Thiamin, Niacin, Potassium, Zinc, Folate, and antioxidant phytonutrients Quercetin and Kaemferol (provide anti-inflammatory and disease fighting properties).
Ground Flax - High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fiber. Also known to improve blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and protect against cancer and radiation.
Walnuts - High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium, Copper, and Manganese. Walnuts also provde a good source of Vitamins A, C, E, folate, and other B Vitamins. They provide a wide variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, which research shows provide measurable anti-cancer benefits. The antioxidant properties of walnuts help lower the risk of chronic oxidative stress, and the anti-inflammatory properties help lower the risk of chronic inflammation. These two types of risk, when combined, pose the greatest threat for cancer development. (Source). Archives of Internal Medicine found walnuts to reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 7.4 percent, reduce the ratio of LDL to HDL by 8.3 percent. (Source).
Pecans - High in Fiber, Protein, and Essential Fatty Acids (helps to decrease total as well as LDL cholesterol). Pecans also provide an excellent source of Vitamin E (helps maintain integrity of cells and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals), B Complex (Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamin, Pantothenic Acid, Vit B-6, and Folates which work for the enzyme metabolism inside the body), Manganese, Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, and Selenium.
Apple - Excellent source of Vitamin C, B-Complex Vitamins (Riboflavin, Thiamin, and Vitamin B-6), Calcium, Potassium, and Phosphorus. Apples are also packed with Fiber (helps prevent the development of many diseases and prevent the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood from rising), and phytonutrients (helps protect the body from the detrimental effects of free radicals). Apples are good for neurological health, because they contain an antioxidant called "quercetin" which reduces cellular death caused by oxidation and inflammation of neurons, according to research conducted by G. Bureau and M. Martinoli at the University of Quebec.
Sesame Seeds - These prevent the batter from sticking to the waffle iron (in place of oil) and are loaded with Protein, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Phosphorus, Calcium, and Zinc (promotes bone health and prevents osteoporosis later in life). They also increase levels of Vitamin E, which helps play a role in fighting disease, and have even been found to inhibit the spread of many cancers. More benefits of these amazing seeds can be found here.
Nutrition Info per Waffle:
Calories: 254
Fat: 13.7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 6 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 6.8 g
Sugars: 2.8 g
Protein: 7 g
Looking for other first meals for your baby or tot?
Try these power packed "all in one" meals that were, and are, a hit in our home!
To connect with others in this crazy journey of life, discover new parenting ideas & fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, & find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.
