Happy National Waffle Day!
I celebrated by mixing up a batch of my "everything-free" waffles, and they were delicious! I am always tinkering with my recipes, aiming for the best possible texture and taste. This is a revised and updated version of the waffle recipe I shared before.
These are crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. My husband, who does not live gluten-free, enjoys them. They're not just "okay for gluten-free," but actually good, normal waffles. Enjoy!
"Buttermilk" Waffles (vegan + gluten-free)
free of: dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, almonds, nightshades
Makes about twelve 3-4" waffle sections/ three batches in my waffle baker
*Make egg replacer ~ flax gel:
Combine in a small saucepan~
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon flax seeds
Bring to a boil; keep at a low boil for 1 minute. Strain gel into a bowl and let cool.
(the flax seeds can be saved & added to another meal, such as hot cereal or muffins, to boost nutrition)
*Make "buttermilk"
1 cup alternative milk (I use coconut milk- SoDelicious Unsweet Original coconut milk)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (doesn't need to be fresh- the bottled kind is fine)
Combine and let sit to curdle until needed
Dry ingredients: combine in large bowl and whisk thoroughly
2 cups gluten-free flour mix
~ I use 1 cup each of millet flour and arrowroot starch
3 Tablespoons coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
(You can use another starch, like tapioca, but arrowroot seems to give a lighter texture)
(I'll be doing a post soon on different brands of millet flour and which I prefer)
Wet ingredients: combine in a small bowl
*the "buttermilk" mixture
*3 Tablespoons of the flax gel
1/3 cup neutral-flavored oil (such as canola or grapeseed)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional, but yummy)
Stir or whisk to combine, then add to dry ingredients. Start mixing, then add:
1 teaspooon melted butter-flavored coconut oil
(If you add the coconut oil to the wet ingredients first, the cool milk will cause the oil to harden into little granules. It mixes in better if you add it after the milk is partly combined with the dry mixture.)
Continue whisking or stirring until well combined. You will be able to tell when the xanthan gum has been activated, as the batter will suddenly thicken. Let batter rest while the waffle iron heats.
Gluten-free batters are notorious for sticking, so I spray the waffle iron lightly with baking spray before every batch. Bake for 3-4 minutes, or until a nice golden brown. Remove to cooling rack, to keep them crisp. Store airtight in the refrigerator. I like to reheat mine in the toaster. The microwave doesn't revive the crisp like the toaster does. Use with 3-5 days.
Notes:
-You can certainly use plain coconut oil, rather than butter-flavored. I just like the subtle flavor boost that the buttery kind gives. If you skip the coconut oil altogether, the waffles will tend to be more crunchy and hard, rather than crisp.
-The xanthan gum is important. I know it's expensive to buy, but since you only use a tiny amount per recipe, it lasts a long time. Xanthan gum mimics gluten in baked goods, lending them structure. It is activated by motion and hydration. I whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly, until I see the texture change. It's pretty interesting to see that shift. Once I add the liquid, I make sure to stir or whisk until the xanthan gum is further activated, and the batter thickens. You don't want to overmix, but that's not as big an issue as it would be with gluten-bearing flours. Gluten-free flours are more forgiving.
-I use coconut sugar as part of my over-arching scheme toward lower-glycemic eating and fighting inflammation. Millet flour and arrowroot starch are resistant starches, and are supposed to be lower on the glycemic scale (meaning that they have a lesser impact on blood sugar levels). They are also, according to what I've read, non-inflammatory. Not that these waffles will not impact your blood-sugar at all, but the effect will be less than with standard flour and sugar. I rarely use any topping on them; just a bit of non-dairy butter substitute. They're so tasty that I rarely miss syrup. If I'm wanting that extra touch of sweetness, I'll drizzle them with a little bit of coconut nectar ~ also supposed to be lower on the glycemic scale, from what I've read.
-I use millet flour and arrowroot/tapioca starches...because they're the only ones my body will currently tolerate. Millet flour can be hard to find, but is often available from health food stores, and can be found online through Amazon. It's quite likely that other gluten-free flour blends would work well in this recipe, but I'm not able to test that theory as most of them contain things I can't tolerate. If you try a variation, I'd be interested to hear how it works out.
~ Thanks for stopping by and happy eating!
