Is there anything better than CHOCOLATE WAFFLES for breakfast? Probably not. Well, except for maybe veggie-packed ones! This fluffy, delicious chocolate waffle recipe are Paleo and gluten-free. They look and tastes like dessert, but are the perfect healthy breakfast to dazzle your family.
I woke up with the sun to an empty bed last Sunday morning.
This is a rare occurrence. I’m typically startled awake before the sun has even had a chance to kiss the sky by my 5-year-old calling to me to help her create something or 2 hungry kitties wanting to know where their breakfast is. Or during the week, I’m up before dawn to shower, pack lunches and steal a few minutes with my husband before we both hit the ground running off to work and to life.
Yep. Sleeping in is a rare thing for me. So when I woke up needing sunglasses and had enough room to lay starfish-style in my bed, I was a bit confused. Utterly confused, in fact. And then I heard it…
I heard laughter coming from the living room as my husband played with our daughter. I quietly crept across the room and poked my head around my bedroom door. My eyes were met with the sight of purring kitties as they munched out of their full food bowls. And then the smell of fresh coffee brewing hit me in my nostrils. Everything was moving right along while I slept. I wasn’t being beckoned for or rushing about. I quietly crawled back into bed, pulled the covers over my head and soaked up the moment.
The gift of sleep and relaxation that had been bestowed upon me by my husband may seem small to some…but it meant the utter world to me. The gift of time to myself. To wake up slowly. To not be needed for a bit so I could enjoy a few extra moments of sleep and peace. That simple gesture was more loving then beautiful flowers or fancy jewelry. It was something I’d been craving for days. And now I had it.
But the funny thing about getting what you need is that, sometimes, you find yourself not needing it anymore.
And that’s exactly what happened. As I laid in my sunny, quiet, un-needing, empty bed….I listened to my family. My wonderful amazing family that I worked tirelessly for. The family that is truly the center of my universe. And I missed them.
I probably could have loafed in my bedroom for another hour before anyone came knocking. My husband had gifted me that peace, quiet, and self-care time. But suddenly, I felt refreshed, rested, desperately wanting to find out what had them giggling and to cook up a breakfast that would make them feel as loved as they had made me feel. And so I hopped out of bed, threw on my robe, joined the day and made these waffles…waffles that were met with smiles, hugs and that would fuel our day of fun and togetherness.
Want to make sure you always have spinach on hand for these Paleo Chocolate Waffles? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!
Suggested adaptions for making chocolate waffles (with veggies)
- Make them as pancakes. Just portion out the batter on a hot griddle or pan with a little cooking oil over medium heat and cook 2-3 minutes per side
- Sub banana with 1/2 cup applesauce.
- Skip the chocolate. Leave the cocoa out if you prefer!
- Up the chocolate and toss chocolate chips into the mix for an extra fun veggie-loaded breakfast!
Other veggie-loaded breakfast recipes you are going to love
- Apple Sweet Potato Muffins
- Mini Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Chocolate Sweet Potato Cookies
- Healthy Apple Carrot Pancakes
- Banana-Spinach Pancake Pizza
Paleo Chocolate Waffles (with veggies)
Equipment
- waffle maker
Ingredients
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup almond butter or Organic Sun Butter for a nut free option
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
- 1 large very ripe banana
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil (or another cooking fat with a high smoke point)
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all ingredients except avocado oil.
- Pulse until mixture is smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Heat up waffle iron and brush the avocado oil on both the top and bottom griddle. Pour about 1/3-1/2 cup of batter onto the griddle, just enough to coat the bottom griddle.
- Close and flip waffle iron, cooking for 3-4 minutes.
- Enjoy warm with extra maple syrup, nut butter, honey or chia jam. Let leftovers cool and store in fridge for up to 4 days or in freezer for a month.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
Can’t wait to try these for my kiddos! Thank you and your blog truly plays with my heart strings 😍👌🏽🌷
Oh my gosh, these are smelling delicious!! Thanks, this recipe looks like a winner!
I made pancakes with this recipe! As a chocoholic these were amazing! Like that extra greens in there! Thanks!
I made this as pancakes…. oh my!!! They are delicious. Won’t disappoint, very fluffy, chocolaty, reheat well…. my kids, 2, 4, and 13 love them. My husband too;) thank you for sharing such a great easy recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
How would this work with flax eggs subbed in for conventional? 🤔 might be worth a shot. What do you think?
Have you tried them with flax eggs yet ? I would love to substitute as well.
Not yet, but I’m working on finding an egg-free option for them!
They haven’t worked out for me yet with several egg replacements, but I’m still trying to find a solution!
I finally made these and they are awesome! Great recipe, thanks for coming up with this, and sharing with us.
Can you make these waffles into pancakes instead? I don’t have a waffle maker. Thank you! I appreciated all of these recipes- can’t wait to make them!!
Yes! I do that often!
Like!!