SUPER Hulk Waffles!!

I started making waffles for my kiddos as a way to get some protein into my daughter’s diet. She LOVES oatmeal, which is great, but she is not a fan of eggs (a wonderful source of protein). So I combined the 2: oats and eggs, plus some other ingredients to make a slightly higher protein breakfast or lunch. Both my kiddos request waffles for lunch whenever we don’t have leftovers (our usual lunch); however, there are not many veggies that go well with waffles… carrots maybe?  If I’m going to make waffles, making a side of veggies is just more work. It is my goal to incorporate vegetables into each meal.  Kale chips were often my go-to because the kids love them, but waffles and kale chips are not a quick lunch. There had to be a better way!! And there was.

Introducing…

SUPER Hulk Waffles!

These bad boys were originally named just pain old “Hulk Waffles”. I made them one day by blending up some spinach in my food processor and then adding all my standard waffle ingredients. My kids aren’t TOO picky about veggies, so I decided to make this treat fun by giving them a silly name and I thought they would be all about it.

Here is how it went down:

Me: “Look kids! Hulk Waffles!”

Son: (excited laughter) “Look! The waffles are green like the Hulk!”

Daughter: (Not amused-stares at food processor filled with green goopy batter.)

Me: “Can you guess what the secret ingredient is?” (trying to invoke some enthusiasm out of my stone cold faced daughter.)

Daughter: “I saw you put in the spinach mom!” (surprised spoiled)

Daughter: “I am not eating those! They are going to be gross!”

Me: “You can’t knock them till you try them. I bet you will like them.” (At this point I am putting on my best fake smile but losing all hope. If my kids decide they don’t like something there usually is no turning back.)

Jericho: (still excited as I put a waffle on his plate) “Yippee”

(I also made some strawberry “syrup” – which consisted of frozen strawberries and water- mashed up and cooked down on the stove till they take on a syrupy consistency. I thought this extra sweet treat would help introduce the new green waffles. I then dished up my daughter’s plate as well.)

Daughter: (Reluctantly takes mini mouse sized bite) “YUUUUUM!!!! These are better than your other waffles. I love them! You should put these on your blog and call them SUPER Hulk Waffles!”

Son: “YUM!”  (Yep, he will eat almost anything if I give it a fun name.)

Daughter: ‘These are so good, I’m not putting strawberry syrup on them.” (She ate the syrup separate- kids are so weird.) “But for Christmas can we have these with strawberry syrup because they are Christmas colors.” (green and red) “And can we have these tomorrow too?!” Me: “Of course!

SUCESSS! I win another vegetable victory. And now I will share how I make SUPER Hulk Waffles:

Ingredients: (makes 2 waffles)

• 4 cups loosely packed spinach (yep, this gives my kids each 2 cups of spinach-win!)
• 1 cup of oat flour firmly packed (I make my own by putting gluten free organic oats in my food processor but you can buy it here on amazon)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (preferably aluminum free. I make my own: see notes below. **)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt. We buy out Redmonds Real Sea Salt at Thrive Market.
• 2 (preferably farm fresh) eggs
• 1 TBS coconut oil (plus more for greasing your waffle iron) 
• 2 or more TBS filtered water (you have to add water in the end until it’s waffle batter consistency. Between 2 and 3 TBS usually works for me, sometimes I need a little more)
• 1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries

Directions:

1.  Grease your waffle iron with coconut oil then turn it on.

2. Blend your spinach in a food processor until it’s in itty bitty pieces.

3. Add oat flour, baking powder and salt to your spinach and blend until thoroughly blended.

4. Add eggs, and melted coconut oil and blend.

5. Before you add the blueberries, you want to add filtered water until you get the batter the right consistency (not too watery but not too thick). 2TBS usually works for me but it my eggs were smaller I might need a little more.

6. Add 1/2 cup blueberries to the food processor. If using frozen you can quickly blend these in. If using fresh you will want to mix them in by hand so not to destroy them or make bluish green waffles-disaster!

7. Now pour your patter in the waffle iron (this makes 2 waffles).

8. Allow it to cook (according to your waffle make instructions). Then remove your waffles, allow to cool enough to eat, then enjoy!

You can pour some organic grade-A maple syrup on them as a special treat, or add some “strawberry syrup” (see how I made that above). But my kiddos thought they were plenty sweet with the blueberries.

Hopefully you and your children will love these veggie-packed waffles as much as my kids did.

UPDATE:

I recently made this recipe into bagels! My kiddos loved them even more. I used this “donut pan” I bought on amazon. I greased it with coconut oil and cooked in the oven for 350 degrees for about 12-13 minutes. Be sure to allow them to cool a little or warn your littles before serving as the insides of the bagels will be very hot until it cools. My kids named these “Slime Donuts”.

*Some of the above links are affiliate links.  Click here to learn more about affiliate links.

**I make my own baking powder, and it’s super easy. Just mix 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda (for example 2 TBS cream of tartar with 1 TBS baking soda). I usually make a cup of it and store for later.