Spelt Waffles with Star Fruit, Kiwi, Bananas & Coconut Whipped Cream

This very low fat, low sugar waffle recipe is about as basic as it gets! You can't find another vegan waffle recipe that is THIS EASY. You just can't! A combination of spelt, applesauce and oat milk makes these pretty dang healthy, which is good because this gives you need a reason to eat more coconut whipped cream.


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Spelt Waffles
makes 2 large waffles
1 cup spelt flour
2 tsp organic cane sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oat or almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the milk and applesauce and stir to combine. There will be lumps! Make sure not to over mix. Pour in your heated waffle iron and serve.

Caramelized Tropical Fruit
1 tbl coconut or canola oil
1 banana, cut into 1/2" slices
1 kiwi, 1/4" slices
1 star fruit, 1/4" slices
1 1/2 tbl organic cane sugar
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Saute the banana, kiwi and star fruit in coconut oil for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and continue to saute until the fruit has caramelized, 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with sea salt and add the walnuts to combine.

 Coconut Whipped Cream
1-15oz can coconut milk (this will not work with light coconut milk), chilled overnight
2 tbl organic powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Once the coconut milk has chilled for at least 6 hours or overnight, gently remove the top without shaking the can. Scoop out the coconut fat that has come to the top, leaving the coconut water in the can.
Combine the fat with the sugar and vanilla and whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until you get medium peaks.

Granola Pancakes, Cinnamon Butter and Bruleed Bananas

Pancakes are a marvelous breakfast food but personally, I like them more for dinner. Tonight I made a big stack of nutty granola to eat throughout the week and added some to my pancakes along with banana slices so not only would they be incredibly moist, but also have some nice texture.
I've discovered in my travels that pancakes can very easily walk the line between good and bad. The trick is to not over work the batter and to have a perfect consistency. Stirring the batter too much will overwork the gluten in the flour, resulting in a rubbery texture. Don't be afraid to leave lumps in the batter, they will cook out. If the batter is too thin, they will cook very flat, too thick and the pancake won't spread. If you run into these consistency problems, just add a touch of milk to thin it out, or a tablespoon of flour to thicken it up. It might sound complicated but as long as you don't over think it, they will come out perfect and moist every time.

A full stack of fluffy pancakes studded with bananas and a homemade granola tossed with almonds, pecans and maple syrup served with warm caramelized bananas and whipped cinnamon butter.

Granola Pancakes
makes 6 pancakes
3/4 cup hemp or almond milk
2 tbl white vinegar
1 cup cake flour*
2 tbl whole wheat flour
2 tbl organic cane sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer
2 tbl water
2 tbl canola oil
1 banana, thinly sliced
1 cup granola
sliced strawberries for garnish
maple syrup to drizzle
canola spray

Combine the milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
In a big bowl combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Use a small blender or whisk the egg replacer and water together until thick and creamy.
Combine the egg replacer mix with the curdled milk and add the oil.
Gently whisk the wet into the dry, there will be clumps but they will cook out. Fold in the banana slices and granola. Make sure not to over mix the batter!
Heat a griddle or saute pan and grease. Ladle 1/4-1/2 cup batter and cook until the edges start to bubble and both sides are golden brown.
Garnish with fresh strawberries, caramelized bananas and maple syrup.
* if you don't have cake flour make your own! 1 cup cake flour = 3/4 cup plus 2 tbl AP flour and 2 tbl cornstarch.

Bruleed Bananas
2 bananas, sliced in 1/4" rounds
2 tbl organic light brown sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt

Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with canola spray. If you don't have a mini torch, preheat the oven to broil.
Line the bananas in an even layer and sprinkle brown sugar on all of them. Torch until melted and golden brown. Alternatively you can place them under the broiler until they have caramelized but keep watch so they don't burn!

Granola
6 tbl maple syrup
6 tbl organic light brown sugar
3 tbl canola oil
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch sea salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup oat bran

Preheat the oven to 300.
Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, cinnamon and salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil so the sugar dissolves and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the sugar mix. Toss thoroughly and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, tossing every 15 so the granola toasts evenly.

Cinnamon Butter
3 tbl earth balance vegan butter, softened
1 tbl organic light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Whip all of the ingredients together and serve!

Graham Cookie Torte with Coconut Whip, Caramelized Bananas and Peanut Butter Mousse

Soft homemade graham cookies, layers of peanut butter mousse and coconut whipped cream, caramelized bananas and salty peanuts.

I developed this graham (cracker) cookie recipe specifically for this dessert. The peanut butter mousse and bananas add a very sweet element to the dessert. With that in mind, these cookies are not as sweet as a normal cookie. Because the torte is layered and left to set up and chill, all the flavors marry together and soak into the cookie, allowing the cookie to develop a sweetness all its own without being overpowering. If you made these grahams with the intention of eating them alone, I would add more sugar, some molasses and probably a cinnamon-sugar crust on top.

Graham Cookies
makes 4 mousse tortes in small mason jars

4 tbl vegetable shortening
1/2 cup organic light brown sugr
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer
2 tbl water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup graham flour
1/4 cup oat milk

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and grease.
Cream together the shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg replacer, water and salt and blend to combine. Alternatively add half of the flour and milk together until all is mixed in.
Roll out the cookie dough to 1/4" thickness and cut into circles to fit whatever container you are assembling the dessert in. Cut at least 12 circles out, lay on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, turning the tray after 5. The cookies should be soft and chewy so make sure not to over bake them.

Coconut Whip and Peanut Butter Mousse

1-15oz can coconut cream (not milk!), chilled
1 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar, divided
1 tbl vanilla extract
1 cup creamy unsweetened natural peanut butter

In a mixing bowl add the chilled coconut cream and whip on high for 5 minutes until thick and creamy. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 3 minutes more. Reserve half of the coconut mixture and chill for the whipped cream.
Add the remaining powdered sugar and peanut butter and whip on high for 5 more minutes until thick. Set aside and chill until ready to assemble.

** both the whipped cream and the peanut butter mousse will seem pretty thin but once it chills in the fridge it will set up perfectly.

Caramelized Bananas

1 tbl earth balance vegan butter
2 bananas, sliced in 1/4" rounds
2 tbl organic light brown sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss in the bananas. Saute over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and salt and continue to cook until the sugar dissolves and caramelizes. Set aside until ready to assemble the torte.

Assembly

First pour in a layer of peanut butter mousse. Then add a cookie. Top with some of the caramelized banana. Layer on some coconut whip then add another cookie on top. The next layer is more banana and then finish with the rest of the peanut butter mousse.
Chill for at least 2 hours to set up then garnish with half of a cookie and a sprinkling of roasted, salted peanuts.