Breakfast is deemed as the most important meal of the day and should never be skipped, as it equips the body with energy that helps keep one active and motivated throughout the day. Be it the Indian chapati and some vegetable, idli and sambar, poha, whole-wheat sandwiches, scrambled egg whites with vegetables, whole-grain pancakes with a smear of peanut butter or waffles with some sliced fruits, a healthy breakfast can come in all different shapes, sizes and flavours.
Also Read: Try These Protein Packed Desi Breakfast Ideas
But there is a common notion, where people consider some breakfast options especially, the English breakfast including pancakes or waffles as an unhealthier choice as it is loaded with calories and may disturb weight loss plans or a particular diet regimen.
But what if we tell you, that you can easily consider waffles as a breakfast option without worrying about the added calories by giving it a healthier twist. Yes, even waffles can make for a wholesome breakfast option when you cook them up with high quality nutritious ingredients, pair them up with the right accompaniments to enhance overall nourishment and deliciousness.
Health Benefits Of Waffles:
Well, a typical waffle recipe consists of milk, eggs, salt and oil. If you think about the nutritive parts, both milk and egg are rich in protein, calcium and essential minerals. Egg specially is an excellent source of vitamins like vitamin A, D, E, K, B5, B6, B12 and minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, selenium, and copper. Being a high-protein food, they are quite filling and help one eat less while contributing towards weight loss. Now, coming to the unhealthier ingredient which is refined flour, you can easily tweak your recipe by using rolled oats, whole-wheat flour or even uncommon options like sweet potato or pumpkin. Enriched with fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, these whole-some ingredients are bound to make the waffles even more appetizing and nutritious.
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Nutritive Pair-Ups For Waffles:
Unlike other food options, waffles are not eaten as a stand-alone food item, rather teamed up with add-ons which if not selected properly can adversely affect your health and diet regimen. Mostly people, add ingredients like ice creams, whipped cream, syrups, etc. as toppings, over the warm waffles. But, if you are conscious about what you take in, you can opt for healthier alternatives like honey, diced fruits, sauteed veggies, or curd to add-on the nutritional value sans any extra calories.
Well, most of you have eaten flour-made waffles, be it white flour or maida, coconut flour or almond flour. If you are a true foodie, try these two delectable alternatives, one sweet and one savory that literally gives you a heavenly foodgasm.
Healthy Waffles Recipes:
Banana-Oats Waffles
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 medium ripe banana
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tbsp honey
½ cup butter
Pinch of salt
Optional toppings: almond/peanut butter, honey, maple syrup and/or fresh fruits
Method:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until it becomes a smooth batter.
Ensure that there are no lumps.
Preheat the waffle iron and brush some butter onto it.
Pour about 3/4 cup batter using a ladle onto the waffle iron.
Allow the waffle to cook for about 4-5 minutes.
Keep the waffles warm and crispy till you finish cooking the rest of the batter.
Pair it with some maple syrup or honey as per your choice, add some nuts and fruits as a topping and relish them warm and crispy.
Nutrition:
Enriched with antioxidants, oats are extremely nutritious and helps in shedding weight. While banana promotes digestion and wards off constipation, honey prevents heart disease and regulates blood sugar. The addition of cinnamon powder not only enhances the taste of the waffles but also prevents stomach infection and reduces inflammation within the body.
Also Read: Oats: Are You Choosing The Right Variety?
Spicy Sweet-Potato Waffles
Ingredients:
4 cups grated sweet potato
¼ cup chopped spring onions
3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
½ tsp black pepper powder
4 egg whites whisked
4tbsp butter
Pinch of salt
Optional toppings: Diced cucumber, onions, coriander leaves, or hung curd
Method:
Squeeze out any juice from the mashed potato and put it in a bowl.
In a frying pan, add 2 tbsp butter and lightly saute the spring onions and spices together.
Now, put the sauteed onions and spices in the bowl of potato.
Add flour, and egg whites to it.
Mash everything together until you get a smooth batter.
Grease the waffle iron using butter and preheat it for a minute.
Scoop out some batter and pour it in the waffle iron and cook it for 4-5 minutes.
Finish cooking all the waffles and serve it hot with some freshly sliced salad and some hung curd.
Nutrition:
This spicy waffle recipe is sure to tingle the tastebuds for people who are not a fan of sweets. Deemed healthier than white potatoes, sweet potato being a low-glycemic food option is incredible for people on a diabetic or a weight loss diet. While spring onions gives a boost of vitamin C and effectively bolsters immunity, both ginger and garlic powder promote digestion and is good for the heart.
