Quick Cook: Banana Coffee Waffles start the weekend with flavorful style

Banana bread lovers will rejoice in this waffle-ized classic. This hearty (healthy… shhhhh!) breakfast is packed with  banana flavor and the nutty undertones one expects, but with a crisp texture and a little hint of coffee to ring in the morning.

I’m reluctant to call out that this recipe is gluten-free and vegan for fear it will drop the bar thirty percent, as people tend to do for baked treats that fall into those two categories. But rest assured, you can keep that bar right where it is.

The batter whips up in just a couple of minutes, and you can either eat these hot off the press or freeze them for popping into the toaster on rushed mornings. A pat of butter and warm maple syrup usually does the trick, or top them with yogurt or peanut butter and honey for an even more filling breakfast. Kids will go nuts for mini chocolate chips sprinkled over hot waffles.

If you don’t have almond meal on hand, simply throw blanched almonds in the blender instead. You can use frozen bananas you’ve stashed away for a rainy day, or the nearly black ones you forgot about on the counter. For caffeine-free folk, simply use decaf coffee or substitute more milk. And for the record, I use soy milk in my version.

Banana Coffee Waffles

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large or 3 small)

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup almond meal

3/4 cup milk of choice

1/2 cup strong coffee

¼ cup flax meal

2 tablespoons neutral oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds until very smooth. Allow the batter to sit for 5 to 10 minutes while the waffle iron preheats.

Pour batter onto greased, preheated waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately topped with your favorite toppings, or place waffles directly onto wire rack of oven set to 200 degrees  to keep warm until serving. Freeze any leftovers, then warm in a toaster for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.