Cinnamon Bun Waffles

here’s a back to school recipe that your kiddos are sure to love!

i wanted to make some sort of fun breakfast for my kids to celebrate the First Day of school, but knew that it had to be a make ahead kind of thing, since mornings around here are always rushed. i found this recipe here, and whipped them up yesterday then stuck them in the freezer so that we can pop them in the toaster to enjoy on Monday morning.

i feel the need to tell you that its not a quick and easy recipe. its a little involved, and a little time consuming, but i doubled the batch to make extra, and they freeze well, so i’d still say its worth it!

you could also skip the involved waffle making process and go for the cinnamon bun pancakes instead, if you prefer!

i did alter the recipe some, which i’ll tell you about as we go along.

the first change i made was to substitute freshly ground whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. i wanted the crazies to get some sort of nutritional value from this recipe, so i figured that was a good way to do it!

you could use store bought whole wheat flour too, of course. but FYI in case you grind your own: i used Soft White Wheat Berries cause i had some on hand, but i’m pretty sure Hard Red or White would work well too.

here’s the next change i made. the original recipe calls for buttermilk. i substituted plain non-fat greek yogurt instead, eliminating fat and adding in extra protein.

(mind you…the entire stick of melted butter might just negate all the healthy changes i made! oh well…you gotta live, right? i might, however, try using less the next time i make this!)

if your fam is similar to our’s, then there is a good possibility that this will be the only breakfast of this kind all school year! we are typically quick cereal and oatmeal kind of peeps. but i think the crazies will enjoy this quite a bit!

hope your’s enjoy as well!

and since we’re talking back to school food, i figured that i’d include this just for kicks…

i LOVE looking in other people’s fridges. i know…weird. but it gives me inspiration! i tend to get massively stuck in food ruts. so in case you need inspiration too (not that there is anything special or unique about our fridge, but you never know what might inspire someone!), here’s the outcome of my back to school shopping trip.

let me know if you have any good school lunch ideas that i need to know about!

happy last day and a half of summer (SO SAD!!)