Last Sunday I attended the NFCA's annual Appetite for Awareness event in Philadelphia. Many families and kids who are gluten-free or who have celiac disease filled the room, and the event was a huge success. I was honored to give a Pantry Makeover presentation to the crowd and present my favorite quick n' easy ways to prepare some tasty gluten-free meals and snacks. I set up a mock food store with a cash register, shelving and shopping baskets filled with gluten-free goodies.
One thing I had to share was my idea of adding Van's waffles in your daily eats. Who said waffles were just for breakfast? Not me. Not only are Van’s waffles wheat and gluten-free, they are also made with whole grain - something your body could always use, no matter the time. My clients enjoy these tasty waffles any time of the day. Here are a few of my fun n' tasty ideas for bringing a little Van's yummy goodness onto your plate. Feel free to pick up a box in your freezer section and get creative.
- Toast then tear your favorite Van's waffles and use in place of gluten-free sandwich bread in bread pudding recipes.
- Toast your favorite Van's waffles, add a sunny side up egg and a slice of bacon for a breakfast egg sandwich.
- Dip toasted Van's Waffles into plain or flavored Greek yogurt instead of topping with maple syrup.
- Create a chicken 'n waffles dish using toasted Van's waffles, black pepper maple syrup sauce and some gluten-free baked chicken (can sprinkle with ground flax seeds for extra crunch).
- Top your favorite warm and toasty Van's waffle with ice cream, slivered almonds, dark chocolate chips and coconut flakes.
- Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over a toasted Van's waffle, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and top with your favorite pizza topping such as mushrooms, olives or spinach. Broil in the oven until cheese melts.
- Make a waffle sandwich by layering your favorite ham and cheese between two toasted Van's waffles and broil in oven until cheese melted. For an added bonus, drizzle a little maple syrup on top.
- Smear chocolate hazelnut nut butter in between two toasted Van's waffles, top with sliced bananas and serve warm.
- Try a different way to eat lox by swapping a bagel for a Van's waffle, toast your waffle, smear with plain cream cheese and top with capers, red onions and smoked salmon.
- Create a fun bruschetta snack or appetizer with your toasted Van's waffle and top with ricotta cheese, salsa and chia seeds.
How do you serve your Van's Waffles? Whether it's for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, I'd love to hear your tips for incorporating a bit of Van's into your gluten-free day.
Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP, Editor-in-Chief of TheHealthyApple.comheHealthyAppleTheHealthyApple.comis a Manhattan-based Culinary Nutritionist, Personal Chef, Professional Recipe Developer and Food Writer specializing in simple Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free ‘Clean’ recipes for the home cook.