Toaster Waffle Recipes

There's a whole new world of frozen toaster waffles out there, folks, and they aren't your mother's frozen waffles. No, today's frozen waffles are made of high-quality, often natural and/or organic ingredients, are full of protein and fiber and come in a wide variety of flavors.

Of course, you can always enjoy toaster waffles the old-fashioned way with syrup and butter, but they are so much more versatile than that. In fact, they're so tasty and easy to make, I find myself trying to develop recipes, just so I can enjoy them in new and different ways.

Here are some of the toaster waffle recipes my kids declared their favorites:

• Blueberry Cream Cheese Waffle Sandwiches - These open-faced waffle sandwiches are topped with a sweetened cream cheese and fresh blueberries. Want to add more blueberry flavor to these waffle sandwiches? Use blueberry frozen waffles.


• Nutella Waffle Sandwiches - Whole grain frozen waffles are toasted, then topped with a smear of chocolate hazelnut spread (you can make your own with this easy homemade nutella recipe) and fresh raspberries. If raspberries aren't in season, try this recipe with sliced strawberries.


• Peaches and Cream Waffle Sandwiches - Whole grain or blueberry waffles are topped with a creamy peach yogurt mixture, fresh sliced peaches and maple syrup in this recipe that works as well for lunch as it does for breakfast.


• Ham and Cheese Waffle Sandwiches - Place two plain frozen waffles side by side on a toaster oven baking tray or a cookie sheet. Top one with about 1/2 cup of shredded Swiss, cheddar or gruyere cheese. Top the other with a thin slice of Canadian bacon or ham. Toast until the cheese is melted. Place the two halves together, and eat as a sandwich.


• Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles - Toast two frozen plain or whole grain waffles. Smear 1 Tbsp. peanut butter on one and 1 Tbsp. jelly on the other. Sandwich together and enjoy.


• Banana Chocolate Chip Waffle Sandwiches - Toast two whole grain frozen waffles. Spread 1 Tbsp. cream cheese on each waffle. Top one waffle with sliced bananas and chocolate chips. Cover with the other waffle to make a sandwich. Press down, so that the chocolate chips melt slightly from the warmth of the toasted waffles.


• Thanksgiving Waffle Sandwiches - Place a slice of Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese on one waffle. Toast, alongside another waffle (plain or cranberry-flavored). Top the plain waffle with sliced turkey and about 1 Tbsp. of prepared cranberry sauce.


• Apples and Honey Waffles - Toast two cinnamon or plain frozen waffles. Mix 1-2 Tbsp. whipped cream cheese (you can use regular cream cheese, but the whipped cream cheese is easier to mix) with 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1 Tbsp. raisins. Smear on the waffles. Divide 1 sliced Granny Smith apple between the waffles. Drizzle with 1 tsp. of honey.