Gluten Free Cinnamon Banana Waffles

Get nice and cozy with these flavorful Gluten Free Cinnamon Banana Waffles. Top them with caramelized bananas and chocolate hazelnut spread for a real treat!

ME BEFORE THE RECIPE…

Oh how I love fundraising! It has to be one of my favorite activities on the planet…right next to cleaning out post marathon porta potties with my bare hands and no mask to block the fumes. Or almost as enjoyable as sifting through my gunky garbage can attempting to retrieve “special” papers/projects/crafts/creations (basically anything my children come home from school with) that I “accidentally” threw away when said children weren’t looking, but then they all the sudden NEED those items.

I hope you know I’m joking. I despise porta potties, garbage…AND fundraisers.

Now here’s the deal; I take full responsibility for loathing fundraising. I could choose to have a good attitude about it and actually teach my children the value of working hard to achieve goals. However, I feel like I’m constantly nagging and pushing them to develop this core value, and I’m not about to nag them in yet another area of their lives that is supposed to be fun. FUNdraising is anything but fun.

The girls recently participated in a Run-A-Thon to earn money for their school. Here’s how it’s supposed to work:

Girls are encouraged by the school to reach out to friends and family for pledges.
Girls come home excited and happy to help the school.
Girls call/message friends and family to politely ask for donations.
Girls run their hearts out in a valiant effort to complete as many laps as they can for the benefit of their school.
Girls are proud of their hard work and recognize the importance of the service they have contributed.

Well wouldn’t that be a perfect scenario?! Let me give you a run down of how this fundraising gig actually pans out:

Girls are hyped up with team huddles, pep rallies, and prizes that motivate them to ask only their parents for donations.
Girls come home and beg mom for money.
Girls do homework, dance, and gymnastics while mom sends a mass email to friends and family begging for donations.
Girls ask mom how many donations they have received so they know what prizes they will get.
Girls ask mom for more money because they haven’t yet reached the prizes they really want.
Girls moan and groan when mom makes them call their family members and thank them for their donations.
Emry runs her heart out because she is a rule follower and that’s what you’re supposed to do. Braelyn gets so distracted socializing with her friends that she barely completes her target laps.
Girls are cranky the rest of the day because they are hungry, tired, and have headaches.

Go fundraising!!!! Forget about an annual fun run. Let’s do this every month. Who’s with me?!

In all reality, I love the idea of a run-a-thon. Being a runner, and a huge health advocate, I think it is a positive way for kids to earn money for their schools. I love that they gain ownership in the success of their school. I just wish the run-a-thon was more focused around motivating the kids with their running accomplishments the day of the race, rather than throwing out prizes to them for raising money they haven’t really worked hard to earn. Let’s be honest; most of these kids’ parents did the same thing I did: sit at their computer and send out a mass email.

There you go. There’s my soapbox. Ben thinks I’m callous and have no empathy/sympathy for anyone because of my tough love mentality. But c’mon, don’t you think kids are getting weak and whiney nowadays since they’re all winners and us parents seem to do everything for them???

Not my kids! They’re gonna be tough nuggets, that’s for dang sure! They may despise their mama, but at least they’ll be able to do laundry, cook a meal, and clean a toilet by the time they reach adulthood. Aim high people.

I will say, the cutest thing about the entire Fun Run was waking Emry up that morning. The first words out of her mouth were, “Today’s the Fun Run!!!” which was actually just a transition for her next statement, “What are you going to make for breakfast? My tummy needs to be good and full!” Yep, all that kid cares about is food. She would run 500 miles if it meant an excuse for good food.

HERE COMES THE RECIPE…

Emry is my savory girl, so I whipped up a fried egg sandwich that made all her morning dreams come true. But Braelyn…give that girl ALL the sugar and she is a happy camper. I definitely limit sugar in the mornings (no sugary cereals, self-sweetened yogurt/granola, and only pure maple syrup or honey for toppings), but some days, like the Fun Run, call for an extra special breakfast treat. And let me tell you, these Gluten Free Cinnamon Banana Waffles are a very special treat indeed!

Think of a thick, fluffy gluten free banana belgian waffle spiced with extra cinnamon. Now top that glorious-ness with a slather of chocolate hazelnut spread, a dollop of honey Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of walnuts and figs, and an arrangement of caramelized bananas. Do you see where I’m going here??? Yeah, heaven.

These gluten free cinnamon banana waffles really were heaven on a plate. And you know what doesn’t exist in heaven? Guilt. That’s what.

Here’s the thing; yes, these waffles are indulgent. They are flavorful, sweet, rich, gooey, and just plain good. But, each individual ingredient element on these waffles are healthier options, so I refuse to feel guilty. Let me lay it out for you:

The waffle batter is sweetened mostly with banana and is also made using coconut oil.
The hazelnut spread I used, Nutiva, contains 40% less sugar than other popular brands, and I actually prefer the taste of it.
The honey yogurt and crunchy toppings I used came from Siggi’s line of Simple Sides yogurt which are low in sugar and high in protein.
The caramelized bananas…well…yeah, uhhh…at least it’s real fruit, right?!
And if you need an extra touch of sweetness, go ahead and drizzle a bit of pure maple syrup on top. It’s natural.

I’m telling you, these gluten free cinnamon banana waffles are just that good. They’re also filling because of all the toppings, which means that your two large waffles will really feed about 4 people. It’s a positive lesson in sharing. Remember, I’m all about teaching uplifting values.