Banana Nut Waffles

Let’s go back to this year’s January. The ground is covered in snow. I’m in Salt Lake City to attend the Alt Summit blog conference. Heidi has a magnificent mountain home where Melissa and I are staying. We have talked downstairs way too late into the night. I’ve had a few glasses of wine, and Melissa may have had a few as well.

I keep on about how I am quite certain that one of my close friends is pregnant. For the past eight weeks, I’ve been a quiet observer as she hasn’t made the knowledge public. The first indication came when my companion pretended to have a headache at a girls’ night out in order to decline drinks. I had doubts about it. She then changed to using natural deodorant. Interesting. Even hosting a festive celebration, she provided virgin punch as a mixer. I wanted to give her a high five for that decision, but I refrained since I didn’t want to reveal the secret.

You can’t deceive me! I’m telling Melissa how smart I am since I know that my friend is expecting a baby while Melissa is keeping a very exciting secret of her own. You really got me, Melissa. I really get mushy when friends have babies, so I’ll stop writing before I start using gushy terms like blessing and precious. Having met Melissa and Kevin, though, I can confidently state that they are expecting a sweet, imaginative, and adorable little girl. Bravo to you two!

Also read: Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze

Waffles are the perfect way to honor Melissa today! Melissa’s coworker and my friend Erin of Naturally Ella planned a surprise online baby shower for Melissa. Our recipes are based on one of Melissa’s most well-known whole grain waffle recipes. Additionally, it’s timely because I recently spent a gift card on this posh waffle maker. Now I want to throw a waffle party in real life!

I used mashed bananas in place of half of the milk in the original recipe for my banana-nut waffles, along with walnuts and a dash of spice. More than merely tasty, I included the walnuts since they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for expecting and nursing mothers. Because I figured some wholesome and delectable waffles could be something to look forward to after a hard night with the baby, I gave my leftover waffles to my friends who have a newborn.

You could certainly add walnuts to my banana oat pancakes or banana bread if you have a hankering for the banana-nut combination but don’t have a waffle maker.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups of either regular or white whole wheat flour
• two teaspoons of sugar (cane sugar or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons baking powder without aluminum
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• melted coconut oil, 1/3 cup
• 34 cup lukewarm milk of your choice
• 2 tiny bananas, or 3/4 cup of overripe bananas, mashed, plus additional bananas for topping
• One big egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Waffle iron should be heated on high heat, roughly one setting down from the highest. Set oven temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the chopped walnuts and stir.
3. Mix the milk and melted coconut oil in a bowl that can go in the microwave. 30 seconds in the microwave will do it, or until the mixture is lukewarm. Egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana are all whisked in.
4. Mix only till incorporated after adding the wet components to the dry ones. Don’t overmix, please. There can still be very small lumps. Pour enough batter onto the waffle iron so that it covers the majority of the center and the center surface area. Transfer the waffle to a cooling rack or baking sheet once the iron has stopped steaming and it has turned a deep golden color. Your waffles will lose crispness if you stack them on top of one another. Put in oven to maintain warmth. Repeat.
5. Serve with sliced bananas and only the purest maple syrup on top. Reheat leftovers by putting the waffle back on the griddle or in the toaster on the light setting. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.