Happy International Waffle Day, We Guess?!

Today, we bow our heads, maple syrup in hand, and celebrate the beauty that is the waffle. Whether you're a chicken 'n gravy on waffles person or prefer to smother 'em in a hearty coating of Mrs. Butterworth's, waffles hold a special place in the hearts of Americans, despite their roots in Ancient Greece.

Athenians cooked the waffle between two metal plates over a fire and the savory cakes were seasoned with spices and cheese. The patterns came later, when Catholics in the Middle Ages began printing communion wafers with religious symbols. Bakeries and street vendors adapted the style with interlocking crosses (the waffle design we know and love,) and served them up as sweet treats. The waffle trend spread throughout Northwestern Europe, but it was the Dutch who brought it to America in 1620, and for that we epically thank them.

Waffle House and IHOP may be calling your names, and while we heart them at 3am on any given weekend, today calls for a homemade ode to the fluffy, cratered breakfast staple we hold so dear.

Whole Grain Waffles with Strawberries and Almonds: Packed with filling fiber from oats, whole-wheat flour and flaxseed, these griddlecakes will become your new standby for indulgent Sunday brunches. Feeling salty? Nix the strawberries, almonds, and yogurt and top with an egg!Chocolate Cornmeal Waffles: Topped with nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt, these make a super-amazing dessert, but we won't tell if you want to have them for breakfast. Permission to top with chocolate (dark, of course!) granted.

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Image Credit: Jim Scherer Photography/Stockfood

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