Banana Butter Pecan Waffles

Breakfast for dinner is on my menu every other week.  We love it!  Some time ago I ditched my pancake/waffle mixes and started making them from scratch.  It doesn't take any longer and tastes ten times better!

I have a few bananas on my counter that are overripe - I like 'em that way because they are great for baking.  But tonight I thought maybe some banana pancakes.  I love the internet - any recipe I could conceivably want at my fingertips.

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com, but needed to clean it up and make it healthier.  I read bunches of the reviews and adapted the recipe so much it barely resembles the original!  Therefore, I claim this one as my own!  A few of the reviewers said this needed to cook low and slow because the banana can make it mushy, so I decided it would be great as waffles - and I was right!

Banana Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk (or less)
2 tablespoons applesauce
1 ripe banana, mashed

Preheat waffle iron.

Combine banana and wet ingredients.  Mix with hand mixer until smooth.  Stir in dry ingredients and whisk together.  (I added only about 1/2 the milk to begin with then more as the batter thicked between waffles.)  Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spray waffle iron with cooking spray.  Pour batter and cook until golden.  Makes 5 7" waffles.

There are TONS possible variations.  Natalie requested hers with chocolate chips (I have switched to mini chocolate chips so that I can throw in a few without adding too much chocolate.)  Zachary wasn't sure, so he asked for chocolate chips in half of his.  I got all inspired and toasted some chopped pecans and sprinkled them in the waffle maker before closing it.  Then I spread a little butter on my hot waffle, topped it with more toasted pecans and just a bit of maple syrup.  HEAVEN on my plate!

I couldn't taste much banana flavor, so I think next time I will add another banana and then adjust the flour and/or milk as I go, but boy oh boy, this was a delicious waffle!  (Ah, I wish I had taken a picture!)