Start Your Day Stress-Free With These Easy Powerhouse Waffles

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it can also be one of the most stressful, especially if you have little kids running around. In my ideal world, my kids and I are eating a beautifully balanced breakfast each morning, packed with everything we need to fuel us through day (or at least until morning snack time). But I’m not going to lie, I reach for frozen waffles more than I’d care to, as I try desperately to fend off two tiny, hangry humans while also getting them dressed, packing their lunches, and maybe even getting myself ready.

But then I got a waffle iron, and I realized that I could stock my fridge and freezer with homemade, grab-and-go goodness. Although I love an indulgent Belgian waffle as much as the next person, I wanted something a little healthier. I wanted something without refined sugars, with a hit of fiber and a good dose of protein to keep us full. And I wanted them to, you know, taste good.

These powerhouse waffles, as I like to call them, check all of those boxes. They’ve got whole wheat, oats, and flax, which bring fiber, omega-3s, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, carbs (to give us energy), and more. They’re slightly sweetened with real maple syrup, and use coconut oil instead of canola. Vanilla and cinnamon—and optional cocoa powder—flavor the waffles without adding a bunch of junk. My older son also likes when I add blueberries sometimes, too.

But the main powerhouse ingredient is real milk. We go through an absurd amount of milk in my house, since we add it to smoothies, use it to create creamy mac and cheese, eat it with cereal, and drink it straight. It’s full of high quality protein, which gives us energy and helps build and repair muscle; as an incredible source of calcium it helps my little ones build strong, healthy bones and teeth and helps me maintain bone health (a real concern as a, shall we say, maturing woman); plus it’s got plenty of potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins D, B12, and A. In our family we try hard to get all of the vitamins and nutrients we need through our food, and milk goes a long way toward helping us to achieve that.

But all of that wouldn’t do me much good if my kids didn’t like the waffles. Thankfully, these have their stamp of approval and are a huge hit every time I make them. The waffles aren’t super sweet on their own, but my kiddos still enjoy them plain or topped with jam, maple syrup, and fresh fruit. And while I used to think of waffles as a weekend treat, they’re now part of my school-day repertoire because they are truly fast and easy (the convenience of using a single bowl for a recipe is a total prerequisite for me—I’ve got enough mess to tackle without needing to clean 90 mixing bowls and spoons). When we make them on the weekends, when I have more time and patience, the kids love to help me pour in and mix the ingredients.

To streamline my morning further, I like to mix up the dry ingredients the night before so in the morning all I have to do is mix in the wet ingredients and heat up the waffle iron. Often, I make a big batch and store them in the fridge or freezer to pull out as needed so I don’t need to reach for the artificial, sugar-packed, store-bought variety. I throw them in the toaster, but you can even reheat them right back in the waffle iron, where they get crisp and warm once again. Paired with a glass of milk, they're one of my (and my kids') favorite ways to start the day.

Easy Powerhouse Waffles

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 waffles
Special equipment: Waffle iron

Ingredients:

1 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (75g) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (50g) old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons (18g) unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
2 tablespoons (15g) ground flax
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (1g) cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (335g) dairy milk
1/2 cup (80g) melted coconut oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons (24g) maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract

Directions:

1. For the Batter: In a large bowl, combine flours, oats, cocoa powder (if using), flax, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix by hand until well combined. Add milk, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla and whisk until mostly smooth. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes while the waffle iron preheats.

2. For the Waffles: Set waffle iron to medium-high and preheat until the indicator signals the iron is ready. Ladle in around 1 cup of batter (this will depend on the size of your machine—don’t overfill). Close lid and cook until waffle is golden brown but still steaming, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on the depth and heat of your machine.

3. Serve immediately, with berries, maple syrup, and/or jam, and griddle remaining batter as before. (Waffles can be stored in a zip-top bag in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for a month or so; to reheat toast in a toaster oven or in the waffle iron set to medium-low.)