Almond Flour Yogurt Waffles (Low Carb and Gluten Free)

Let me ask you a question: how do you bring good living to your life? In the chaos that is modern day existence, it can be so easy to forget to enjoy what life has to offer. I am often guilty of this. With three small kids and a chronic disease like diabetes, all of which require a lot of managing, I can lose sight of what matters to me. That's when I have to take step back and remind myself to take the time for good living. And by "good living", I don't mean anything that requires a lot of money. Good living, to me, means taking enjoyment in what I do, who I am, and the people, places and things around me. It can be as simple as stopping to take in the scent of woodsmoke and the colour of the autumnn leaves. It can mean leaving the dishes sitting in the sink so I can play with my children. And it often means food, lots and lots of good, healthy, flavourful food shared with family and friends.

After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it didn't take long for me to discover Greek yogurt. With a lot more protein and a lot less carbs than regular yogurt, it quickly became a staple in my diet. I learned that the plain variety, with the addition of some chopped nuts or berries, makes an incredibly satisfying, healthy snack. And as I started to experiment with low carb, gluten free baking, I discovered that Greek yogurt was a godsend in that department as well. In the absence of gluten, Greek yogurt helps provide protein to give my baked goods structure, while also making them incredibly moist. Since it's in so many of my recipes, I think it's safe to say that Greek yogurt is a part of good living, for me.



FAGE Total Yogurt is among the best known brands of Greek yogurt here in the US, and it just so happens that they are giving away three trips to Greece for legal US residents. The trips are all in the name of the Greek tradition of "good living". I encourage you to enter HERE. I've always wanted to go to Greece, so I think it's an opportunity not to be missed.

When a reader requested that I come up with a waffle recipe, I knew from the get go that they would contain Greek yogurt. Some of the best homemade waffles I've ever had contained yogurt, and it was automatic fit for my attempt at making a low carb, gluten free version. I had to give this one a lot of thought though. I've had some low carb pancake recipes fall pretty flat on me, and getting the waffles to hold together was going to be the real challenge. I waffled back and forth (ha, ha, get it?) on how many eggs to add, how much almond flour, and I had one batch that tasted great but came apart when I pulled up the top of the waffle iron. With a little tinkering, I think I may have worked it out.




The Results: I am pretty excited about these because they really taste like regular waffles. And they made my whole house smell like waffles all day. Even after coming back from running errands all morning, I could smell that wonderful, rich breakfasty smell of waffles. My kids didn't know the difference, they gobbled them up happily. I topped them with butter and maple syrup (in my case, sugar free), but they'd be great with any number of toppings. I am thinking of whipped cream and berries for them next.

Now, I will confess that they aren't as crispy as I would like, but I suspect that this is more due to my waffle iron than to the recipe. My waffle iron is a cheapy, and has a tendency to steam the waffles. It did the same thing with some conventional waffles made with flour that I made for my kids this summer. I don't think almond flour waffles will ever get as light and crisp as they can be when made with flour, but when made with a better waffle iron, I think they'd turn out a bit crispier. Perhaps a reader with a good waffle iron can give it a go and let me know? The leftovers did crisp up a bit more when I put them in the toaster the next day. But the flavour was so good, I really didn't care too much about the crispiness.



Almond Flour Yogurt Waffles

1 1/3 cups almond flour
2 tbsp granulated erythritol
2 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
6 oz FAGE Total Greek Yogurt
3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup almond milk

Preheat waffle maker and grease well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, erythritol, whey protein, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. Set aside.

Separate the whites and yolks of two of the eggs. In a clean dry bowl, beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.

In another medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg yolks and remaining eggs until combined. Stir in almond flour mixture, then add melted butter and almond milk, and stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.

Spread approximately 1/4 cup of batter on each 4-inch section of the prepared waffle iron (my waffle iron is two 4-inch square sections. For round waffle irons, use your best judgement on the amount of batter needed). Close iron and let cook 4-5 minutes, or until waffles are golden brown. Remove waffles and repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 10 4-inch square waffles. Each waffle has 4.2 g of carbs and 1.3 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS per waffle = 2.9 g.

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway