Makeover Monday: Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

A few weeks ago I shared my adventures in making the perfect waffle.  And while my blueberry buttermilk waffles were amazing, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as I scarfed down the crispy, fluffy, and fatty circles of breakfast goodness.  Yes, these were going to need a makeover to earn a spot in my Saturday morning breakfast rotation.

Thanks to whole wheat flour, applesauce, and bananas, I can now enjoy delicious waffles with a clear conscience.  And believe it or not, my husband actually said these were BETTER than the regular waffles I made previously.  They weren't quite as fluffy as the originals.  That could be due to the applesauce instead of oil, or it could be that the 2 litter bottle of seltzer water I used had been open for a week and had lost some of its carbonation.  Or maybe a combination of both!  But I think the 400 calorie savings are worth it!

I substituted mashed bananas for the sour cream which gave the waffles good texture and a nice banana flavor.  Since I was adding bananas to the mix, I thought some yummy complementary spices were in order.  So I added some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  They were a great touch!  Of course, I added some whole wheat flour for a fiber bonus.  I used non-fat dried milk powder instead of the buttermilk powder to cut out some of the fat.  And I was back to my usual trick of applesauce instead of oil.  I even used just the white of the egg for even more extreme calorie savings.

Even with the healthy changes I made, these waffles are great!  I was so happy to have a tasty waffle with way less fat.  These are the perfect way to start a Saturday morning!

To get your morning off to a delicious start, mix together egg whites, applesauce, vanilla, and mashed banana.

Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, Splenda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and non-fat milk powder.  I subbed this for the buttermilk powder I used last time.

Add the seltzer water to the wet ingredients and gently stir it up.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until they are blended.

Now spoon that batter onto your waffle iron.  Don't forget your non-stick spray.  I speak from experience!

And cook according to manufacturers instructions.  For my waffle iron it takes about 5 minutes.  And I get this beast:

Eat these babies hot off the press and melt a little margarine or butter and serve with syrup.  I added a little margarine to go with the reduced fat theme and sugar free maple pancake syrup to save a ton of sugar calories.  But I won't tell you what to do!  Personally, I love getting all the taste without the calories.  Now I can eat more the rest of the day.  Go bananas!

Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp Splenda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried non-fat milk powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)

2 large egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/4 cups unflavored seltzer water

Directions:

Whisk flours, Splenda, salt, dried milk powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda in a large bowl to combine.

Whisk banana, eggs whites, vanilla, and applesauce in medium bowl to combine.  Gently stir seltzer water into wet ingredients.

Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients.  Using rubber spatula, gently stir until just combined.

Heat waffle iron and bake waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.  Serve immediately with butter or margarine and light pancake syrup.

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated