Lessons on Making Waffles
A Journey of Trial, Error, and Sweet Success in the Kitchen and Beyond
Big dinners and fancy desserts are usually the center of attention during the holidays, but I enjoy the breakfast on the day after Christmas even more.
As we create our little family holiday traditions, we eat my “famous” lasagna on the 24th. Then, on the morning of the 25th, my daughter wakes up early to open gifts, while I head to the kitchen to prepare a brunch-style mini-feast.
Eggs, bacon, fruits, orange juice, cheese, coffee, toast… you name it, are on the menu. This year, I decided to introduce a new item: homemade waffles.
I’m not a baker by any means—let’s start with that. However, I’ve developed an interest in knowing what’s in my food and understanding how ingredients work together.
During a yoga class, instead of being present in the moment, my mind began to wander... “What if I mix oats, walnuts, flaxseed, an egg…?”
When I got home, I washed my hands and went straight to mixing the ingredients to test it out.
I probably should have paused to look up at least the basics of waffle recipes, but I took the long way instead.
Using my trusty NutriBullet, I ground 1 cup of oats (10 seconds or less). In a bowl, I combined the freshly made oat flour, 1/4 cup of flaxseed, 1/4 cup of ground walnuts (also prepared in the NutriBullet), 1 tablespoon of 100% cacao, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of agave.
The result: straight-up cardboard taste. 👏🏾
Lesson learned: a good amount of sweetener is essential for waffles to taste good.
Enter my second attempt, tested and approved by two other people. This recipe makes two medium-sized, thick waffles. While it’s not as quick and easy as grabbing waffles from the store, it’s still simple to prepare. This recipe is just enough to share if you’re serving a (very) small group.
Oat Waffles Take 2:
1 cup of oats (ground into flour) or oat flour
1/4 cup of Jocko Vanilla Whey Protein (for sweetness and a protein boost)
1/4 cup of ground walnuts
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 egg
1/3+ cup of water (adjust as needed)
2 teaspoons of agave
Mix the dry ingredients first, then add the egg. Stir and gradually add water until the batter reaches a consistency that drips slowly from the spoon. Don’t forget the agave. Cook in a waffle maker until done to your liking.
This attempt was much more successful. The waffles were sweet enough and hearty, with crunchy spots from the walnuts. They were tasty on their own and delicious with Nutella.
Only at this point, I thought of looking up a regular waffle recipe.
Traditional recipes often call for milk—about 1/3 of the amount of flour. Regular flour probably behaves differently from oat flour, it likely absorbs liquids differently, so adjustments should be necessary.
I don’t want to make too many waffles, but making more than two would be ideal, and the added milk should increase the batter enough.
On the 25th, I’ll add some milk to the recipe and return here to leave a comment with the results.
Lessons learned throughout this journey that are helpful in making waffles and also applicable to life in general:
What you’re trying to make probably already exists, start with research.
Give your own spin to it.
Try once, try again, try another time.
Enjoy the process.
Delight in the results.
My friends, this is it! Adapt my recipe above, find a better one online, or buy your favorite waffle at the store. In any case, I wish you a great holiday season, with plenty of time to relax and indulge.
✨ COMING UP NEXT YEAR ✨
I’m shaking things up with Easy & Breezy. I want it to be shorter, easy to consume, and, more importantly, action-based. Our focus will still be on food and overall relaxed healthy living. Stay tuned! 😉
Until next time,
