Multi-Grain Blender Waffles

I think I've mentioned before that I have a love/hate relationship with waffles. I love to eat them, but I hate that they take longer to make than pancakes (I can cook more pancakes at a time), so I don't make them very often. That might change now, though, now that I found this recipe from Desi at Unconventional Kitchen. I picked this recipe this morning because most of the other recipes that came up in my quick search involved whole wheat berries instead of already ground whole wheat flour. I know this method works for some people, but I have tried it a few times and it has been a bust every. single. time. I also liked that the recipe uses a bit of rolled oats--any time I can sneak some oatmeal into my kids food...

I followed her recipe almost exactly, only increasing the sweet factor a bit. My 2 little girls don't like syrup (I know, how is it even possible?) and eat their pancakes and waffles plain most of the time, so I increased the sugar (changed from her use of honey) from 2 tablespoons to 4 tablespoons. Not a huge increase, but enough. Desi also suggests that you can also use this recipe for pancakes. I didn't try it, but I totally believe her.

Crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside. Yum!

I was so, so, so happy with how the waffles turned out. Before I cooked a single waffle I could tell they were going to be great just by how the batter looked: thick, but not too thick, and nice and smooth. We ate some for breakfast (OK, for the sake of the pictures for this post, I was forced to eat a few more for the photo shoot.) and then froze the rest. I froze them just like I do my extra pancakes: single layers on a cutting board with waxed paper in-between each layer (I started using the waxed paper after 1 too many pancakes stuck together while freezing). When they are frozen through, just peel them off the waxed paper, toss them into a big zip-top bag and stash them in your freezer. When you need a few waffles, simply pop them in the toaster and they are just as crisp as when they first came off the waffle iron.

Desi has a fantastic blog with loads of recipes, free meal plans, and a subscription you can buy to her Real Foods Program, which is aimed at helping busy families cook meals with real food quickly and economically. You should definitely stop by her blog and look around. Thanks for the great recipe, Desi!

Multi-Grain Blender Waffles (ever-so-slightly adapted from here.)
printable recipe

1/4 cup oil or melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups whole wheat flour

1. Combine all ingredients in the canister of a blender. Pulse a few times to start to combine, then blend on high for 20-30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the canister if needed. Blend on high another 30-45 seconds or until the batter is thick and smooth.

2. Cook on your waffle iron according to the manufacture's directions. Serve immediately and freeze any left-overs for best quality waffles later.

Makes about 20 4-inch waffles.