Super Delicious Vegan Sprouted Grain Waffles

I love waffles.  So much.  I've yet to meet someone who doesn't love a delicious waffle.  I'm not talking about the ones from a box.  Yes, I've tasted them.  My parents used to buy them when I was a teenager and I'd toast them and put a scoop of peach ice cream on top.  Those aren't waffles.  Those are waffle-like-products.  I  mean WAFFLES!

My brother used to live in a different province from the rest of the family, and during one of his visits home I walked into my parents house while he was making up a fresh batch of waffles.  They were green.  He had made them with spelt and spirulina and I thought, eww why bother?  Well, I'm not sure he eats green waffles anymore but I think I've come up to his level of dedication when it comes to eating healthy.  I drink my spirulina like any good hippie - I don't hide it in waffles.

All this to say - after a bad night's sleep, a long morning, and a challenging yoga session - I felt waffles would put some sunshine into my day.  The dilemma - a deep, lust like desire for waffles on a non-treat day.  It just couldn't wait.

I've health-ified a recipe adapted from the Food Network but you are welcome to junk it back up or make any adjustments you need/like/want.  I will warn you (ye be warned) that applesauce waffles need a bit of extra time in the waffle iron so make sure it stops steaming before you open it.   It's not 100% healthy, but it's as close as a waffle is going to get while still tasting delicious.

These waffles are nice and crispy on the outside, soft and muffin like on the inside and delicious the whole way through!

Vegan, (mostly) Sprouted Grain DELICIOUS Waffles
Yields 10 waffles approx.

Before you start, plug in your waffle iron so it's insanely hot when you're done making your batter.  I plug mine in, have a coffee and then get the ingredients together.  There's nothing worse than a luke warm waffle iron.  

2 1/2 cups flour (I used 1c sprouted spelt, 1c sprouted kamut and 1/2 cup all purpose whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.  

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (you can use any milk)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup coconut sugar (you can use brown sugar or sugar alternatives)
3 tbsp oil (I used walnut but you could use melted coconut oil, or vegetable oil)
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk your wet ingredients together, and continue whisking in your dry ingredients.  Make sure most of your lumps are gone but don't go mental - it doesn't need to be perfect.  

I know non stick sprays aren't great.  I actually never really use the two that I have in my cupboard unless I'm making something in the waffle iron - and when you're using a waffle iron you really need a spray.  I have an extra virgin olive oil spray and a coconut oil spray (both found at the marvellous Costco) and I used the coconut oil spray so the waffles wouldn't taste olive oil-y.  

Spray your iron, use a measuring cup to scoop and pour your batter (perfectly sized waffles that way!)  My waffle iron takes 1/2 cup batter per side, but yours could very well be a different size so use some discretion here.  As I mentioned earlier in my extended waffle rant, because these are made with applesauce you will need to wait until the steam is done rising before opening your iron.  If you've used brown sugar - your waffles may stick a little to your iron.  Carefully use a spatula or some tongs to peel them off - don't rush, you don't want to rip your beautiful waffles!

Top with fresh fruit and real maple syrup for the BEST breakfast or brunch.  If these waffles don't add a bit of sunshine to your day, you are a sad sad soul.

Happy Waffling!

Sprouted Grain & Hummus Pizza. (Vegan)

I will admit when I was introduced to cold veggie pizza last year I fell in love.  Absolutely in love.  All the delicious fresh veggies on top are deceiving, however, and they do very little to balance out the junk food underneath.  I’m talking about Pillsbury croissants rolled into a pizza crust and topped with cream cheese.  It’s delicious.  Just not I need to run 10k to balance out this one slice delicious.  So, as with all things delicious - I tried putting a healthier spin on it.  It’s not so healthy you can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day - but it’s pretty derned healthy.  

Sprouted grain crust, hummus as the “sauce” and fresh veg toppings made for a flavourful and DELISH version of…

Cold Veggie Pizza

This recipe is so relaxed and versatile.  I keep my crust separate from the toppings and sauce until I'm ready to sit down and eat.  I'm sure it could be packed in a lunch, but I think the sooner you eat it after put together - the better. 

Crust

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp sugar (you can use any kind - honey, agave, something to feed the yeast)

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Mix water and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle yeast on top.  Let sit for five minutes to make sure yeast isn’t “dead”.  It will look bubbly.  

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp seasoning (I used Costco’s organic no-salt seasoning) 

2 tbsp oil (olive oil works best, but you can use anything)

1 1/2 cups sprouted grain kamut flour

1 1/2 cups sprouted grain spelt flour

Up to 1 1/2 cups additional flour

Add salt, seasoning and oil to water and yeast mixture.  Add flour and use a large wooden spoon to mix.  You will quickly see how much more flour you need.  Depending on what climate you live in and what flour you use will greatly vary how much you need.  Regular all purpose flour is about 4 cups.  Spelt is only 3.  Don’t use a gluten free all purpose mix in this recipe, I’ve tried - it was terrible.  If you want to go the GF route, use Bob's Redmill Pizza dough mix.  It's badass.  

Knead your dough in the bowl a few times until it’s well blended and begins to spring back once you knead it.  You want your dough to be a little sticky but not cling to the sides of your bowl.  You may have read my tip in a previous post, but with breads the rule is “the wetter the better” so don’t add too much flour.  Cover the bowl with a wet dishcloth or saran wrap and leave for 30 minutes to an hour, until it’s doubled in size.  This depends on the temperature of your house of course. 

Preheat oven to 425.  This recipe will make two large 12-14 inch pizzas (depending on how thick you want your crust).  I like a very thin crust. I pressed mine down into a square shape because I wanted to cut the pieces into squares and not triangles.  If you don't use parchment paper - you should.  I just plop mine out of the bowl onto parchment paper and I'm ready to go.  If you refuse to use parchment, go ahead and grease & flour the cookie sheet.   When dough is ready bake for 10-12 minutes.  You can tell the bread is done as it will brown slightly and the edges will crisp up.  

Store bread in a large dishtowel once it's cool.  If you put it in a bag or tupperware it will lose some of its crunch.  

Toppings

I washed and cut romaine nice and small (you could also use a cheese grater).  I chopped up some green onions and cucumber and sliced tomatoes.  If it wasn’t the end of the week I would have liked to put on fresh mushrooms and peppers - but my little 3 year old is obsessed with both and eats them like they’re candy.  Anyways - put on whatever you have!  

Suggestions: baby kale, sprouts, broccoli, roasted garlic.....  

If you want to make your own hummus, it’s SUPER easy.   Super-duper easy.  

Hummus

1 can chickpeas, rinsed

1-2 lemons, juiced

Tahini (sesame seeds ground into a paste)

Optional add ins

- roasted garlic (the more the better)

- roasted red pepper

- salsa (oooh la la)

- cumin

- roasted jalepeno peppers (when I do this I sub lime juice for lemon juice)

Simply place your chickpeas, and roughly 1/4 cup Tahini in a food processor with the juice from one lemon.  Pulse for a while.  You are the boss of your own hummus so if you like it chunky so be it - but I like it smooth.  If you find you need more lemon juice, add as much as you’d like.  You can also add olive oil to get it smooth and keep the food processor from getting gunked up - I just prefer to keep mine oil free.  That’s it - definitely not worth paying $6.00 at the grocery store!  Ok, when I get store bought hummus I pay way less than that and buy what seems like an uneatable amount at Costco - but we eat it.  Every time.  No such thing as an uneatable amount of hummus at this house.

I'm not sure why I insist on embarrassing myself publicly ALL THE TIME but something about it makes me think it's endearing?  You'll like me because you KNOW you're better than me.  My lovely husband took these of me enjoying the pizza, and I kid you not - they are the best shots.  

Bonus Story:  I sat down with my second slice of pizza and said to my husband - "hey, we should get a pic of me eating them since I have a bra on and your'e home."  Those are real reasons.  He said "yeah".  So, I got the camera - sat down and handed it to him and got my pizza ready.  I sat and waited for a minute (or more) and then said, "Ron!"  He looked at me, dumbfounded, with the camera in his hands and said - "what do you want me to do with this thing?"
Yes, he really had no idea why he was holding a camera and why I was facing him holding (and not eating) my pizza.  Husbands!