Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Waffles

I’m no basic (ah hem) *lady*, but I am in the kitchen!

I like to take the same recipe, add to it, serve it in different ways then suddenly it seems like a whole new dish!

That’s the gist of these chocolate chip goodies!

I basically took my Power Packed Chia Pancakes recipe and turned it into a dairy-free, chocolate chip waffle dish.

It’s nothing new as I’ve used the EXACT same recipe to create some Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes with a little pumpkin puree, as well as some Ginger & Spice Waffles with the help of some warm spices.

My thought is: why mess with a good thing? If I can keep coming up with new breakfast dishes based on ONE recipe then why not just keep adding to my pancake/waffle repertoire?!

These waffles are so easy to make and SO delicious.

They’re made with the nutty, gluten free flour “buckwheat flour,” which creates a denser waffle (something I’ve done before), but this time I cut the buckwheat flour with some regular gluten free flour.

(*Picture is from Ginger & Spice Waffle ingredients list. I just wanted to show buckwheat flour and coconut nectar*)

Buckwheat flour is a dark-colored flour. Sometimes I use it and just tell my kids I’ve added chocolate cacao powder to make a chocolate treat, just so they’ll eat it! It doesn’t taste bad at all, it just has a nutty flavor and is brown… totally opposite look of most pancakes and waffles.

You might not have it in your pantry, but you should totally try this flour. It holds together really well (unlike some g-free flours), so it is perfect for waffle and muffin-making. Nutritionally it packs a punch too. It’s known to improve heart health and it’s full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

I also used a little bit of sweetener “coconut nectar” which you also might not have in your pantry. It is a spectacular sweetener to say the least. A little bit goes a long way and it too is highly nutritious.

Coconut nectar comes from the sap of coconut trees. It’s prepared at a low temperature (so, all of its nutrients are preserved) and is low on the glycemic index boasting iron, magnesium and zinc. It has a thick texture like molasses and is sweet in flavor with a hint of coconut.

Coconut nectar is so good for you and an incredible, NATURAL sweetener to give to your kids!

As always, if you don’t have the exact ingredients, just use what you do have!

Regular flour is just fine, dairy chocolate chips work too, even whole or 2% milk… I just try to use the highest quality ingredients, in terms of nutrition, that also digest well.

Here’s what you’ll need for these yummy breakfast waffles!

Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Waffles Ingredients:

1 c. flour (1/2 c. buckwheat flour, 1/2 c. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pink himalayan salt
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp non-alcohol vanilla (optional)
1 c. almond milk (room temperature)
1 Tbsp raw coconut nectar (or sweetener of choice)
1 Tbsp dairy free chocolate chips
1 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

  1. Mix your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  2. Add in your room temperature almond milk (if it’s too cold it will harden the melted coconut oil), coconut oil, vanilla, coconut nectar, stir well.
  3. Add in your chia seeds and chocolate chips and stir.
  4. Warm waffle pan (if you don’t have a waffle pan you can easily turn these into pancakes).
  5. Lightly grease pan with coconut oil (I used a coconut oil spray), drop a generous portion of the batter in the middle of the waffle pan, cook for a few minutes, or until you see steam letting off from the waffle maker.
  6. Serve with chopped banana, walnuts, fresh blueberries or strawberries and grade-b maple syrup which is rich in antioxidants.

*Store and serve these from the refrigerator. Will last a few days in a sealed container.

NOTES:

*These waffles are great without any sweetener added to the batter. Just omit coconut nectar and let the syrup sweeten your waffles.

*These are the dairy free chips I used. They are mini-chips and dairy free. They also come in chocolate chunks.