This simple gluten free, sugar free waffle recipe has been a huge hit in our house. They’re crispy on the outside and light on the inside, just like a waffle should be.
I’m sharing this now because I want you to have something easy to make and memorable to serve on Christmas morning. My mom always served a special Christmas morning breakfast, and I’m carrying on the tradition with these waffles. As healthy as they are delicious, you won’t have to worry about blood sugar crashing or feeling sick and stuffed while you’re cooking Christmas dinner.
My friend Morgan told me about this soaked grain recipe from Sue Gregg and said her kids loved it. There isn’t any flour at all – you start with whole grains and some liquid, whirl them in the blender, and let the batter soak overnight or all day. You can use any two grains that you choose. I’m sharing my favorite variation after trying the following combinations:
- buckwheat groats and gluten free oats
- quinoa and gluten free oats
- brown rice and quinoa flakes with and without berries added to the batter
- brown rice and gluten free oats
If you want a taste most similar to a whole wheat waffle, brown rice and oats is really close. The other combinations do taste like the grains they’re made from. My personal favorite is the quinoa and gluten-free oats. I used my Vita-Mix. Sue Gregg says a 450 watt Osterizer works well. If you don’t have either, try it in your blender and see how it works.
Instead of syrup, I thawed frozen berries from the summer, pureed them in the blender, and sweetened them to taste with agave or stevia, sometimes both. I also used warm applesauce to top them. The picture shows pureed strawberries – isn’t the color fabulous?
You can learn more about cooking with whole grains and read the original recipe here.
What are your Christmas morning breakfast plans?
Update 12/9/10: This is linked to Gluten-Free Holiday Breakfast & Brunch at Ginger Lemon Girl.
Whole Grain Belgian Waffles
makes 3 – 4 waffles
adapted from Sue Gregg1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup gluten free oats
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 tablespoon flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher saltEither the night before you want to make these for breakfast or on the morning before you want to have them for dinner:
Place almond milk, quinoa, oats, olive oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a blender. Cover and blend on high for 3 minutes. You may need to add more liquid to ‘maintain a vortex.’ Let sit overnight or all day at room temperature.
Preheat your waffle iron to medium high AND preheat the oven to 250 degrees F if want to keep them warm and crispy until all waffles are cooked. Right before cooking waffles, add the egg and flax seed. Process until smooth, about 2 – 3 minutes. Combine baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Stir with a fork to remove any lumps. Dump into blender and process until combined.
Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, add batter, and cook until waffles reach desired crispness. Place waffles into a warm oven on a wire cooling rack until you’re ready to serve them. The wire rack keeps them from getting soggy.
Enjoy!
