Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

Weekend mornings just beg for a special breakfast.  Something tasty to serve with a good cup of coffee while listening to NPR radio shows (or is this just us?)  I had a few bananas past their prime, and although I love making the always amazing Banana-Blueberry Muffins, I wanted to try something new. 

Also, we'd only used our snazzy, wedding-gift waffle-maker once.  I wasn't overly impressed with the first recipe we had tried, so I wanted to give it another go with a new recipe.  This one came together very quickly.  And I had some berries in the fridge, so I had a ready-made topping for them.

A tip to avoid the waffles losing their crispiness by sitting piled up on a plate: put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet and preheat your oven to 250 degrees.  After a pair of waffles is done, place them on the cooling rack-cookie sheet in the oven to keep them warm and crispy while you finish up with the rest of the batter.

While I was plating up the waffles with fresh fruit I noticed the husband was making French press coffee (a departure from his typical Keurig cup) and I commented that he was going fancy.  "A fancy breakfast requires a fancy drink!"  I'm not sure this is ready for the Queen, but it sure is tasty and will make your breakfast companions happy!

The verdict: A yummy indulgent breakfast! The whole wheat lends a subtle nutty flavor that goes well with the sweetness of the bananas and fresh fruit.
The husband's thoughts: They were exceptional.
Changes for next time: I'd like to try applesauce in place of the oil, to lighten them a bit. Maybe even some blueberries in the batter?
Difficulty: Easy

Whole Wheat Banana Waffles
(adapted from Lauren's Latest)
Makes 6-8 waffles

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tbsp flax seeds, ground
1 cup skim milk
1 egg, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
1 very ripe banana, mashed

Strawberries, blueberries, and maple syrup (optional)

In large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in milk, egg yolk, vanilla, oil and mashed banana. Stir together until just combined. Whip egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whites into batter.

Pour a heaping 1/3 cup into hot, greased waffle maker and cook by your wafflemaker's instructions.  Keep warm and crispy on a cooling rack-cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven until ready to eat.  Serve with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and maple syrup (or your topping of choice).

Enjoy!