Red Velvet Waffles

Red Velvet Gluten-free Waffles

We love waffles in our house. They are a treat we use to celebrate weekends and holidays. With Valentine’s Day approaching I created this red waffle recipe as a fun way for my kids to start their day. I love all red velvet baked goods, but I work very hard to make sure that all the ingredients in my kitchen come from real foods rather than artificially produced colors made in a lab. Cue the beets!

Lucky for us, the brilliant deep red color of beets makes a beautiful food coloring. It has the added benefit of boosting the heart-healthy antioxidants in our waffles as well. The red color of beets comes from the presence of pH-sensitive betalain pigments. While you can use roasted beets or beet powder in this recipe, the raw beets give the best red color. If you use cooked or processed beets your waffle will still be delicious and nutritious, but may end up more brown in color.

These waffles are also grain-free. The mixture of almond flour and cassava flour keeps the waffles light and fluffy. Both of these ingredients can be found easily at places like Whole Foods, Thrive Market or Amazon.

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Red Velvet Waffles (Grain and Dairy Free)

Author: Erica Leazenby
Time: 20 Minutes
Makes 4 square waffles:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup cassava flour

• 1 medium raw beet, peeled and quartered

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1-3 Tablespoons nut milk (the amount will vary depending on the size of your eggs and beet)

• 1 Tablespoon coco powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the waffle iron to medium-high heat per the manufacturer’s instructions. Grease the iron if needed.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend the mixture until the batter is smooth. Add the nut milk slowly until the batter is a pourable consistency,

3. Pour the batter into the heated waffle iron using enough batter to cover the surface of the iron. Bake the waffles for several minutes or until the waffles release easily from the iron and are at desired crispness.

For extra decadence, try this vegan cream cheese frosting:

• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (I like Kite Hill brand.)

• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.