Tell the picky eaters that these Green Applesauce Waffles are made from green apples. You’ll be happy knowing you snuck in some spinach. Cue the evil-veggie-sneaking-parent laugh! Bwwooo-hahahahahaha!
The one kitchen tool needed for this recipe besides a waffle iron is a good blender. I’m partial to my Vitamix. The price is high, but the quality and ease of use are worth it. I’ve seen them posted here and there on Craigslist and on sale around the holidays. Costco carries them, too.
But I digress. For this recipe, blend the spinach with the milk on high until it’s liquified. Add the apple sauce, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and blend on low to incorporate. From there, either switch to a bowl to add the dry ingredients or blend very carefully on low to incorporate the flours, etc.
In an effort to not cancel out the healthy effects of spinach, serve these waffles with apple butter, almond butter and honey, cream cheese and jam or just a drizzle of melted butter with some pure maple syrup.
Break them into quarters and put into a freezer bag to increase variety at breakfast time or to have for snacks.
Evil Veggie Sneaking Parents, also try Pumpkin Carrot Waffles.
Green Applesauce Waffles
Ingredients
- 1-2 c baby spinach leaves
- 1 1/4 c milk
- 1 c applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 6 T melted butter divided
- 1/2 c brown sugar, or 1/3 c to cut down on sugar
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 3/4 c white whole wheat or whole wheat flour
- 1 3/4 c all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t nutmeg
Directions
- Step 1 In a Vitamix or other strong blender, blend the spinach and milk until the spinach is liquified.
- Step 2 Add the milk, applesauce, eggs, 4 T of melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract and blend on low to incorporate well.
- Step 3 Either pour the mixture into a medium bowl to add the remaining ingredients and stir well to incorporate, or leave in the blender to process on low until incorporated.
- Step 4 Heat the waffle maker.
- Step 5 Melt the remaining 2T butter in a small dish and using a silicone or other basting brush, carefully brush a small amount onto the hot waffle iron.
- Step 6 Add about 3/4 cup of waffle batter, depending on the size of your waffle maker, close and rotate.
- Step 7 Cook for about 3 minutes, depending on your waffle maker’s heat and settings.
- Step 8 Place finished waffles on a cooling rack.
- Step 9 Repeat the process of brushing butter, adding batter and cooking until all batter is used up.
- Step 10 Serve while quite warm.
- Step 11 OR: Once waffles have cooled completely, carefully cut into quarters and place in freezer bags between sheets of parchment paper and freeze.
- Step 12 To thaw, use a toaster.
