Level Up Your Breakfast With Protein Waffles

In my household, nutrition is a priority. Getting my kids a healthy breakfast is especially important because my to-do list is longer than any given day. Truth be told, once I sit down at my laptop to work, an on-time lunch doesn’t always happen. 

For most families, life has been anything but normal since the pandemic began. We're no exception. In March, I added "homeschool mom" to my list of titles, and, to up the ante even more, in addition to my two young boys and a senior pit bull, I became mom to a German Shepherd puppy from a local rescue. Needless to say, this busier-than-ever season of life has made meeting my nutrition standards a bigger challenge than it already was with two kids who aren't big eaters. 

As moms do, I’ve adapted to our new normal. Sort of. (Get my take on parenting during a pandemic here.) I can’t say I’ve done it with the utmost grace, as I have a splash of Bridget Jones coursing through my veins, but I get things done. And that’s what counts. If you’re a parent of young kids, you’re nodding enthusiastically in agreement. 

While parenting hacks aren't exactly my thing, I have a few tricks up my sleeve, including cooking in batches and freezing the portions. This goes for healthy baked goods, breakfast foods, pasta, grilled chicken breasts, and more. It checks the box for kid-friendly comfort foods and helps me save time. Win-win. 

As of the past six months, my four-year-old has been on a waffle kick. When "cooking" breakfast consists of tossing a frozen waffle into the toaster and adding a cup of yogurt or organic chicken sausage on the side, that's my kind of start to the day. 

Below is my simple, healthy waffle recipe (adapted from various recipes online) that you can either tweak for kids or use as is for adults who want their breakfast to go the extra mile. That extra mile is added protein from Complete by Juice Plus+ shake mix. (To note: Children generally don't need extra protein, and it can be damaging if you overdo it. If you're cooking for kids, talk to your doctor first. Or you can simply leave out the protein powder and add a couple of Juice Plus+ Chewables on the side.)

As we all know, protein is the building block of muscle. It's also essential for every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. These waffles make for a healthy, filling breakfast that beats anything you'll find in the frozen section. They're also a great way to celebrate Better Breakfast Month!

Protein Waffles with Complete by Juice Plus+ 

• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Complete by Juice Plus+ French Vanilla Shake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1. Preheat your waffle iron. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, almond milk, and vanilla. Then add in flour, Complete, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until combined.
3. Add melted coconut oil and mix again.
4. Once waffle maker is completely heated, lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray on both sides. Then, pour about ½ cup of batter onto waffle maker, close, and flip. Let cook for about 1 minute. Flip waffle maker and open. If it needs a little more time to cook, close and flip, and let cook for about 30-45 seconds more. 

       *You may need to add a splash more of almond milk as your batter sits out because it may thicken.