These festive Gluten Free Waffles with Cinnamon, Pomegranate Orange Syrup and Toasted Almonds are part of the #JuiceCentral campaign with the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I was compensated for my time, but, as always, my opinions are 100 % my own. Dig on in and enjoy!
Black and white nutrition isn’t my thing. Never has been. Never will be.
Which is why messages like these…
“Drink your way to vibrant health with a total body juice cleanse.”
OR
“Never drink juice again. You might as well be drinking soda!”
BOTH drive me crazy.
Because, the truth is, unlike soda, 100% juices contain potassium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, antioxidants, and other valuable plant compounds to nourish our bodies.
On the flip side, unlike whole fruit, juice doesn’t contain fiber which helps prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, contributes to feelings of fullness, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.
Which leads me to these words of wisdom…
Juice is nourishing and delicious, so by all means, enjoy a glass ALONG WITH your balanced diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Cheers!
You can also swaddle up to that fancy juice bar that just popped up in your neighborhood {Are they popping up everywhere in your neck of the woods like they are in mine???}, but opt for 1 serving of juice instead of a 3 day juice cleanse. It’ll save you lots of $$$ too!
Oh, and one more thought, before I share these scrumptious Cinnamon Toast Gluten Free Waffles with Spiced Pomegranate Orange Syrup with you…
As a mom, it’s important to me that my kids eat whole fruits and vegetables, but we also always have orange juice, or other juices in our house {passion fruit*orange*guava is a particularly popular 100% fruit juice blend at the moment} to help fill in the gaps when needed. And, yes, even though I’m a dietitian, my kids are far from *perfect* eaters, so those gaps need fillin’ in!
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggested daily serving sizes for 100 % juice are 4-oz for younger kids ages 1-6 and 8 ounces for older children ages 7 and up, so all of you who are parents should feel good about including up to 1 serving of fruit juice per day in your children’s diets.
As for me, now that my orange tree FINALLY has oranges on it, after having none for 3 years {boo hoo!}, I’m totally digging drinking a glass of fresh squeezed OJ in the mornings, straight from my tree! #purebliss
Now for these Cinnamon Toast Gluten Free Waffles …
Besides drinking juice straight up, or mixed with sparkling water, did you know you can cook with juice too?
One of my favorite things to make on the weekend for my family, is a big ol’ stack of pancakes, french toast, or waffles, like these Cinnamon Toast Gluten Free Waffles.
Usually I’ll heat up some fruit {fresh or frozen} in a sauce pan, and splash in some fruit juice, along with a drizzle of maple syrup to make a yummy, and nutritious fruit syrup.
But, for this recipe, I decided to get all festive-y and razzle-dazzle-y and created this yummy no-sugar added spiced pomegranate orange syrup with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom just for you.
I tell you. You’re in for a delicious treat!
Tip for Making these Cinnamon Toast Gluten Free Waffles with Pomegranate Orange Syrup
Save time on busy mornings by making the syrup ahead of time. Store it in a sealed container in your refrigerator, and heat it up on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Feel free to substitute the almonds with other nuts like pecans, walnuts, or even pine nuts would be delicious!
I have a sneaking suspicion this spiced pomegranate orange syrup would be delicious on top of Greek yogurt, or mixed with vodka and sparkling water in to a festive holiday cocktail. #justsayin
Make the syrup: Pour orange and pomegranate juices into a medium size sauce pan, and heat on high, ~ 4 minutes, until boiling. Reduce heat to medium, to allow a gentle boil, and cook until juices are reduced and slightly thickened, ~20 minutes. {You may make the syrup ahead of time, or begin making the waffle batter while heating the juice mixture.} Reduce heat to low, and stir in coconut oil, spices, and salt. Bring heat back up to medium to continue cooking, allowing syrup to continue thickening, ~5 minutes more. Remove pan from heat, and allow to cool for 5 or more minutes before serving.
Make the waffles: Heat waffle iron. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir with a fork to combine ingredients well. Add eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla to dry ingredients, and stir well with a fork or whisk until ingredients are well combined. Pour batter into hot waffle iron, and cook according to manufacturers instructions.
Assemble the waffles: Toast the almonds in a small pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, for ~ 5 minutes until a light golden brown color. Remove almonds from pan immediately to prevent further cooking. Split into 4 portions, and top two waffles with 1/4 of the pomegranate syrup plus 2 tablespoons of the toasted almonds and 1/4 cup of the pomegranate arils. Enjoy while warm.
Notes
If syrup get TOO thick, simply thin it out with a little extra orange juice and/or pomegranate juice. You should end up with ~2/3 of a cup of syrup.
Did you make this recipe?I’d love a 5-star review and rating if you liked this recipe! Any questions about the recipe or ingredients? Please let me know! Your rating and comments are so appreciated as they help me understand how I can serve you best. Thank you!
What’s your favorite type of juice? Do you cook with juice? Have you made gluten free waffles before? Pancakes, French Toast, or Waffles???
P.S. Here are a few more festive gluten free breakfast ideas you’ll love!
