A healthier waffle

Processed foods often aren't worth the time they save, mostly because many use as inexpensive ingredients as they can get away with, devoid of nutrition and overloaded with sugar, fat and/or salt. That said, I usually don't have the wherewithal to follow a recipe when I get up in the morning. My compromise, besides cold cereal and milk or yogurt, is to have a box of Pioneer No-Fat Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix in the cupboard and real maple syrup.

There's not much in it you can't pronounce, which I like, but I think it has too much salt (540 mg per serving) and sugar (9 g) per serving. To make it a little healthier, I decrease the 2 cups of mix to 1.5 cups and add a cup of rolled oats (regular, not instant), and use the same amount of water. It's like getting a serving of oatmeal along with your treat.

After I put about a quarter cup of the batter on each side of the oil-sprayed waffle iron, I sometimes add some chopped pecans or Craisins before I lower the top to cook the waffles. I don't know why, but they always taste better to me cooked in the waffles rather than sprinkled on top. If I don't have maple syrup, I put some jam in a saucepan and warm it up, adding a little water if it's too thick.

Of course, when I have the time to prepare a big breakfast, I have a good recipe for nutritious waffles, which I'll post tomorrow. What I should do is quadruple the recipe, mix up the dry ingredients and bag it for later use, with the instructions on the bag.

What's your favorite trick to getting a good breakfast on a busy morning?