Toasted Coconut Waffles with Fruit Salsa

I have an obsession with waffles. It's probably not healthy and I should probably talk to my therapist about it. Or maybe I could just talk to my friends about it over breakfast...

I had some leftover Fruit Salsa that needed to be used so I found a PERFECT match in this Toasted Coconut Waffle. It's quick to throw together and the un-eaten waffles freeze well and re-heat nicely in the toaster.
Toasted Coconut Waffles with Fruit Salsa
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 stevia packets (or other sugar substitute)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fat free milk
1 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp coconut extract
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flake

In a skillet, toast the coconut flake over medium heat until brown. Don't add anything to that mixture, and DON'T WALK AWAY FROM IT. (I believe my stove and oven conspire against me. As soon as I turn my back on this type of thing there is burning. Moral of the story - don't turn your back.) After the coconut is toasted remove it from the pan and allow it to cool in the freezer for a minute or two while you mix dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Then slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix lightly.  Once everything is combined. Add in half of the cooled toasted coconut. Make sure to spray your waffle iron lightly with olive oil. Cook until toasty and delicious and top with Fruit Salsa and a bit of toasted coconut.

I've done a lot of waffle variations and I never get tired of them. Any suggestions for flavors you'd like to see?

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pie Waffles

I've been obsessed with making waffles since I got my waffle iron two years ago. I make them nearly every weekend and I have a steady freezer supply to hold me over during the week.
This obsession has lead to some really great waffle flavors like my Cinnamon Roll Waffles, Gingerbread Waffles, Apple Pie Waffles and the popular Mango Waffles with Raspberry Sauce.
The version I began making since my diet modifications is egg free and made with whole wheat. Sounds like cardboard I know, but trust me they are moist and full of flavor.

This flavor is perfect for the holidays and will tide all your guests over until your big holiday meal.

Whole Wheat
Pumpkin Pie Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 stevia packets
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp pumpkin pie seasoning
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Then slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix lightly. (Warning: Over mixing the batter will lead to coasters and doorstops.) Pour this delicious batter into your preheated waffle iron. I feel like I don't need to tell you this, but you should take the waffle out of the waffle iron when it is done...this ranges based on your particular waffle iron. Just don't forget about them or you'll have wasted deliciousness and that, dear friends, is a holiday crime.

Top each waffle with sugar-free fat-free whipped topping and sugar-free syrup or 100% pure maple syrup. I love this waffle so much that I make it on a weekly basis. Even though we only make it through one or 2 of the 4 waffles, I use up all the batter and freeze any uneaten waffles. This makes having a quick breakfast in the morning a breeze because I just toss a frozen waffle in the toaster.

Banana Bread Makeover

Around my house there is always a poor pathetic banana that doesn't get eaten when it should. Those bruised and neglected bananas get peeled and put into the banana bag in the freezer. Once the banana bag has grown to contain 3 discarded bananas I get excited for bread, but not just any bread, my mom's super moist and flavorful banana bread. Her recipe is so good that I've given loaves out for Christmas many years in a row.  Now that I write this I realize how sad it was that it took 6 bananas (6!?) for me to realize I could revamp her recipe into something I could enjoy without guilt.

Now I just need to name it...

Butter Free Bread
Nearly Fat Free Banana Bread
Best Most Healthiest Banana Bread
Better Than Mom's Banana Bread
Banana Bread so good you could cry
I dream of Banana Bread


I've got nothing...how about we stick with
Banana Bread
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
4 egg whites
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
3 overly ripe, then frozen, then thawed bananas
1 extra ripe mashed banana
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter extract
Preheat oven to 350. Using an electric mixer, blend the sugar and pumpkin together. Then add in the flours, salt, and baking soda. Don't over mix. Next add in the remaining ingredients and beat until just combined. Prepare your loaf pans or muffin tins by spraying with olive oil and dusting with flour. Pour mixture into loaf pans or muffin tins and bake until a toothpick comes back clean. Depending on what you are making (loaf, mini loaves or muffins) this can take anywhere from 20-50 minutes.

So here is the comparison:

When I first calculated all of this I was pretty disappointed. The calorie count wasn't that greatly reduced, and the amount of sugar actually went up! How could I tell other people about this amazing recipe and honestly endorse it?!?! Well I'll tell you how:
1) Do you see what happened to the fat content? One serving lost 5 grams of fat, 3 of which were saturated.
2) Heeeelllloooo added nutrients!
3) The makeover dropped 32.1 grams of cholesterol.
4) 4 WW+ points before. Now only  3 WW+ points.
And lastly 5) Because it is really really really good!

Try it, you won't be disappointed, and if you are I will totally take the stuff you don't want. Actually, could you make it and just send me one or 2 samples please?

Shared at: Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Fat Free Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

Nothing says fall like pumpkin. I love the smell, the taste and the anticipation of all the pumpkin flavored foods. This year I resolved to make a healthier version, and I nailed it!

It took me awhile to make sure I could call these fat free. With only 70 calories and .2 grams of total fat I was certain it had to count as something. So I looked it up, and according to the FDA a food may be considered fat-free, if it has 0.5 g of fat or less per serving. A saturated-fat-free food must contain less than 0.5 g of saturated fat and less than 0.5 g of trans fats.You can read more about that here. But basically it means that 2 cookies still count as fat free!

These cookies are really more of a muffin texture. If you decide you'd prefer muffins just pour the batter in the muffin tin. Personally I hate cleaning out the muffin pans, so I went the cookie route on rounds 2 and 3 of this recipe. You also have to admit that eating a cookie for breakfast is much more fun than eating a muffin. Enjoy!

Fat Free Pumpkin  Raisin Cookies
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
3/4 cup raisins
6 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup apple juice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add in the remaining ingredients. Stir until no traces of dry ingredients remain. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Store in an airtight container or pop into the freezer for later.

Calories    70.4
Total Fat   0.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg,
Sodium     105.0 mg
Potassium     99.4 mg
Total Carbs     16.1 g
Dietary Fiber     1.3 g
Sugars         5.1 g
Protein     2.0 g

Whole Wheat Mango Waffles with Raspberry Sauce

When I first considered making waffles for my friend who was visiting from Kansas, I didn't think I could pull off an egg-free, sugar-free, whole wheat waffle. I was also convinced we'd have to break out the syrup to combat the dry whole wheat texture. I was so very, very wrong. These waffles were amazing!

 Whole Wheat Mango Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stevia packet
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup vanilla flavored almond milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter extract
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large mango, chopped
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another.   Then slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix lightly. (Over mixing the batter leads to tough waffles that can be used to defend against home invaders.) Once everything is combined. Add in half of the chopped mango. Before you pour this delicious batter into your preheated waffle iron, make sure your raspberry sauce is ready and waiting.

Raspberry Sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter extract
2 tbsp water
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil. Stir frequently to break apart berries. Remove from heat when it's hot and looks saucy.

Top each waffle with raspberry sauce and the remaining mango. This same recipe also tastes great with Strawberry Sauce (same ingredients as above, only change the berry). Not to brag or anything, but they are my new favorite waffle. For those of you who love sugar and don't need to part with it...try this recipe served with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

This recipe makes 4 large waffles with toppings. If you eat the whole thing you'll take in 394 calories, 8.8 grams of fat (of that, only 1.2 are saturated), 253.6mg of Potassium, 7.9g Fiber, 10g Protein and more vitamins than I have time to re-type.

I just want really good waffles

Modifying Recipes for the Hypoglycemic
It seems like it should be an easy thing to do... remove oil and sugar, use whole grain flour instead...substitute egg whites if possible. A recent attempt at waffles was proof that it isn't that easy. Oh, they were bad, very dense and they had that overwhelming healthy taste. (You know the one... where it has the strong flavor of cardboard, grass or dirt. No one should eat those things.)

The problem is that I love waffles, and I look forward to them all week. I couldn't give up on finding a better version. I made it about a month without any waffles at all, before I caved and had the classic white delicious kind. I understand that they aren't good for me, but they sure hit the spot.
After that first amazing bite I knew I needed to find a way to enjoy waffles, without the guilt, without the crash.

I was determined to find a homemade recipe that was light, fluffy, and 100% whole grain. Then on a quick lunch trip to my local Grocery Outlet Bargain Market I stumbled upon an Oatmeal Pancake Mix from Quaker Oats. It wasn't hard to take that $1.99 price tag as a sign. After all, if a company can package and sell this mix, it can't be that bad... right?

Right! It's good, and very filling. Other than the weird sensation of eating a bowl of oatmeal that is shaped like a waffle, it made me very happy. The texture part still confuses my mouth, but it'll get past that. The best part is that there was no crash and I was full well past my regular feeding time. I have enough left of the batter for at least 3 more waffles, so I plan to make and freeze them for use during the week. I'd love to top off a piece of the waffle with peanut butter and some strawberries as I run off to work. 

Anyway, for now I've put off modifying the waffle recipe. I'd still like to find or create a 100% sugar free version, but until then I'm counting this as a step in the right direction.