Summer’s just around the corner and soon we will embrace the fresh blueberries we buy from the valley below Adytum. The apple compote served on the Pumpkin Nut Belgian Waffles will be relegated to just another summer memory, until autumn comes again. Lately there have been many requests for recipes from the Adytum table and even requests for entire cookbooks as guests try modified favorites and feel great after eating them.
One guest from North Carolina, the wife of a nuclear engineer here on a business trip, said, “When I came to the table for breakfast and saw waffles I thought ‘well, I’ll just eat it but I know how it’s going to make me feel afterwards’. We love the old favorites, but with the new gluten free, dairy free modifications and using honey or maple syrup in place of the white sugar we can feel energized and ready for the day after enjoying a great, gourmet breakfast!
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| Our Guests From North Carolina, Ernie and Nancy |
The main thing I hear from those who have given up gluten (most common in wheat, rye, barley and non-gluten free oats, soy sauce and fillers) is, “I can’t believe how much my energy came up!” Second: “My stomach doesn’t bloat out like I’m three months pregnant and I don’t have that ‘brick in my stomach’ feeling”. We’ve been choosing gluten free more and more and it’s a choice that is totally working for us- not against us – so we continue to experiment with modifying recipes. The following is a modified recipe that came with my new Belgian Waffle maker, which guests are really appreciating.
Like one visitor to Adytum said, “If you hadn’t told me it was gluten free, I’d never have known by the taste. But I can tell you that I can sure tell the difference after I’ve eaten it – I feel great!” Welcome to healthy cuisine…old favorites become new.
Pumpkin Nut Belgian Waffles ~ Gluten & Dairy Free, Cane Sugar Free
Makes 6 waffles
1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1 ounce finely chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts toasted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cardamom
¾ cup pumpkin puree, canned solid pack pumpkin (not pie spiced)
2 large, organic eggs, separated
1 cup soy milk or other nondairy milk
¼ cup real maple syrup (not pancake syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
In a large bowl, combine the flour, chopped nuts, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Stir to blend and reserve.
In a second bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, milk, maple syrup, melted butter/oil and vanilla extract and whisk smooth. Meantime, whip the three egg whites until stiff.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to blend until smooth with a whisk. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites into the batter and let sit for 5-7 minutes before putting on oiled waffle griddle.
Topping options: apple, golden raisin compote with Marsala; Honeyed Greek yogurt topping, chopped nut topping, homemade caramel topping if you’re feeling celebratory/naughty (: and of course, maple syrup.