Safe to say I have searched far and wide for the healthiest, yummiest and seriously nutritional festive recipe. When I was first given a waffle maker, I thought to myself “Oh no, this really is the end.” We started having waffles every weekend and though we were adding fruit as a topping to try and keep it healthy, the recipes were all very fattening. Finally, I came across a recipe that kept it both delicious and nutritional at the same time. Score! If you have a waffle maker, you just have to try it out. It is the definition of truly scrumptious. Truly, truly scrumptious.
Now, those who may not have a waffle maker might be asking themselves: “Do I really need a waffle maker? “Is it just another gadget I am going to use once and then it will go in the back of the cupboard?” Nope! Not with these healthier oat waffles. We loved this heart shaped waffle maker as it kind of matches the healthy ingredients!
Waffles don’t need to be an indulgence breakfast any longer, but a great staple in your diet which everyone loves. Furthermore, gingerbread is such a classic Christmas flavour, and these make a really nice and simple Christmas morning breakfast. The Greek yoghurt on top adds the creaminess that you would get with whipped cream, but less calories and the pomegranate adds a nice crunch (and lots of vitamins.) Of course, you can use any combination of fruit that you prefer.
Why using oats is so great
Oats boast an impressive nutritional profile. Modest oats hide their impressive virtues inside of those unassuming little hulls. One cup of oats provides 6 g of protein and 4 g of fibre. Fibre is a multitalented nutrient, protecting us from any number of potential health problems. Eat one cup of oats and you’ll rack up nearly 70% of your daily needs for manganese, a mineral that helps enzymes in bone formation. You’ll also get good helpings of vitamin B1 and magnesium.
Oats reduce cholesterol. The soluble fibre they contain called beta glucan, has been shown to lower cholesterol and drastically decrease your risk of heart disease. Many people in the UK and world-wide are not eating enough fibre; the UK government has recently upped the fibre recommendation to 30g a day from the previous 24g following recommendations by SACN.
Oats are diabetes-friendly. For the same reason that the fibre in oats helps to stave off hunger, it also helps to steady the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. People with diabetes especially benefit from this awesome oat trait. Most people need about 26 g to 35 g of fibre per day, but those with diabetes need upwards of 50 g. A fibre-filled bowl of oats can provide some of the much needed nutrient. Just be sure not to tip the balance by adding too much sugar or other blood glucose-spiking toppers to your oats.
Oats support healthy digestion. The insoluble fibre in oats scrubs through the intestines, moving food along and helping to prevent constipation. Also, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who follow a diet higher in fibre and lower in total fat may experience fewer symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn.
Gingerbread oat waffle recipe
This recipe is courtesy of hungryhealthyhappy.com
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 70g/ 3/4 cup (2.5 Quaker Oat So Simple sachets) Quaker Oats
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 banana
- 1 egg
- 60ml/Quarter cup skimmed milk
- 3 tbsp 0% Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp nutmeg
1) Put the oats in to a blender with the spices and blend until a flour consistency. Put in a bowl with the baking powder and salt.
2) Mash the banana and add the whisked egg, milk, yoghurt and vanilla and add to the oats and stir well.
3) Heat and grease your waffle maker and when it is fully heated, add the waffle batter. Depending on the size of your waffle maker, this should be enough to make 4 square waffles.
4) Cook for 4 minutes, or until they are cooked (this will be different depending on your waffle maker).
5) Top with Greek yoghurt and pomegranate (optional) or any other fruit that takes your fancy!
Nutritional Information – Per person (2 waffles each): Calories: 307 Fat: 8.5 Carbs: 43 Protein: 13 Fibre: 5
Sources: http://chealth.canoe.com/ and hungryhealthyhappy.com
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