Waffles Worth Waking Up For

Jessie Price

Waffles Worth Waking Up For Recipe

I'm pretty savvy when it comes to making healthy food choices. And at the very least, when I do make unhealthy choices, I usually know what I'm getting into. Waffles, however, seem to trip me up. When I selected healthy breakfast recipes for our cookbook "EatingWell for a Healthy Heart" with Dr. Philip Ades, I was surprised when I compared our healthy waffle recipes with traditional versions -- waffles can be really unhealthy!

Many traditional waffle recipes use melted butter in the batter. But for Dr. Ades, a leading cardiac researcher at the University of Vermont, using butter in recipes is an absolute no-no. He's adamant about the importance of limiting saturated fat as part of a heart-healthy diet.

We developed this delicious waffle recipe that even Dr. Ades could approve of. Here's how we made it healthier

Reduce calories and fat and eliminate saturated fat by using canola oil in place of butter.

Use egg whites in place of whole eggs to cut down on calories and saturated fat.

Replace all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour to add fiber.

Top waffles with fresh fruit or yogurt instead of whipped cream or additional butter to keep fat and saturated fat down.

Eating Well Waffles

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Eating Well Waffles Ingredients

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups nonfat buttermilk (see tip)

1 large egg, separated

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons sugar

Eating Well Waffles Recipe Instructions

Stir whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

Whisk buttermilk, the egg yolk, oil and vanilla (if using) in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until moistened.

Beat the 3 egg whites in a grease-free mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Whisk one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula.

Preheat a waffle iron. Brush the surface lightly with oil. Fill the waffle iron two-thirds full of batter.

Cook until the waffles are crisp and golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the surface with oil before cooking each batch.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make "sour milk": the ratio is 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Eating Well Waffles Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 240 calories; 4 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 37 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 3 g fiber; 450 mg sodium; 159 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (17 percent daily value), Folate (16 percent dv).

3 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Here's how our waffles stack up against traditional versions nutritionally:

Traditional Waffles:

Calories: 560

Fat: 27 g

Saturated Fat: 18 g

Sodium: 938 mg

Fiber: 2 g

EatingWell Waffles:

Calories: 241

Fat: 4 g

Saturated Fat: 0 g

Sodium: 450 mg

Fiber: 3 g

Breakfast Waffles, Healthy Breakfast

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Eating Well Waffles Recipe - Waffles Worth Waking Up For