Giving up gluten doesn’t mean giving up waffles! If you haven’t tried green banana flour yet, this is a great way to introduce yourself to this nutritious food. Made from unripened bananas, it is low-carb, gluten-free and high in “resistant starch,” a starch that is slow to digest and promotes gut health (1). Pears, poached in apple juice, are just sweet enough to feel like a breakfast splurge.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Banana Flour Waffles With Poached Pears

Ingredients

For the poached pears

• 2 medium (180g each) pears
• 1 cup (250g) apple juice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the waffles

• 1 cup (120g) banana flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (122g) unsweetened almond milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Cooking spray

Directions

For the poached pears: Quarter and core the pears, then place them in a small pot with the apple juice, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7–10 minutes, until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pears to a bowl. Drain any juice that pools in the bowl back into the pot. Raise the heat under the apple juice mixture to medium-high, and boil for about 4 minutes, to reduce to a syrup. It will reduce to about 2 tbsp. Pour over the pears and turn to coat.

For the waffles: Preheat the oven to 200ºF (93ºC) to hold the finished waffles. In a large bowl, combine the banana flour, baking powder and salt. In a blender, combine the almond milk, eggs, egg whites, maple syrup and vanilla, secure the lid and blend for a few seconds until well-mixed. Add the flour mixture, secure the lid and blend for a minute, until smooth. Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions and spray the waffle iron plates with cooking spray. Use a scant 1/2 cup measure of batter for each waffle, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the waffle maker indicates the waffle is ready. Spray the waffle iron plates with cooking spray each time you make a waffle. Place each waffle on an oven-safe plate and keep warm in the oven as you make the remaining waffles.

Serve each waffle with two pieces of pear and 2 tsp of the juice.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 waffle with 2 pieces pear and 2 tsp juice

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 230; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 93mg; Sodium: 361mg; Carbohydrate: 47g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 30g; Protein: 7g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 606mg; Iron: 6%; Vitamin A: 6%; Vitamin C: 42%; Calcium: 16%

Originally published November 7, 2020; Updated June 2026