Kids love pancakes and waffles; they just do! My 5 year old is trying to help out in the kitchen to make his own breakfast (super sweet) and really likes to whisk. His favorite color is also green, so he was thrilled when I offered the "special" ingredients to make green waffles with chocolate chips. Ha! He doesn't even know that these waffles have "good for you" components while he gobbles them down crisp and pillowy.
Sustainability Spotlight: Matcha (green tea leaves pulverized into a fine grained powder) is often touted for its health benefits (largely unsubstantiated through clinical trials) for anti-oxidants, and as an appetite suppressant. However healthy it may (or may not be), it is an unsung hero of sustainability.
Did you know that the typical tea plant used to make matcha powder can live for 50 years or more? That is a longevity scale that can support many harvests and proves the plant is resilient enough to withstand weather events and drought. Additionally, matcha production utilizes the entire tea leaf resulting in limited (to no waste) and is grown in the shade so tree cover is essential to production (reducing deforestation for production of these tea plants).
Great in smoothies, baked goods (obviously, waffles!), soups, pasta sauces, coatings for tofu, and (most certainly!) as a latte. Purchase in bulk (not individual servings), and lean on organic offerings to ensure as a consumer you are also doing your part to aid in the sustainable impact of using matcha on the environment.
Ingredients:
Dry:
1.5 cups all purpose four
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1.5 tbsp matcha powder
1/2 tsp salt
Wet:
1.75 cups oat milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla paste
6 tbsp avocado oil
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini semi-sweet)
Directions:
Add all dry ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until incorporated
Add all wet ingredients to a large measuring cup (or small bowl) and whisk briskly till slightly foamy and completely incorporated.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the medium bowl and stir with a spoon until just moist (do not over mix; it will make your waffles dense and chewy). Fold in 1/4 cup mini vegan chocolate chips
Set aside while you pre-heat your waffle maker.
Once the waffle maker is up to temperature, spray lightly with cooking spray and add ~1/2 - 3/4 cup of batter to your maker. Close and cook for 4 minutes on one side; cook for another 3 minutes on the other.
Remove and set angled on a plate so that the underside does not "steam" - waffle will crisp as it cools (~2 minutes).
Serve hot with more maple syrup as desired.
I hope you enjoy these waffles for your next breakfast (or snack!) - I'd love to hear from you.
With love & hope for a better future for all of us - Jamie