Cornmeal Waffles

One big thing I am noticing the difference between what I cook and cookbook recipes, is that usually will make a sauce to accompany the dish. 

This next recipe comes from the Thug Kitchen cookbook. When I first went through the book I notice of course the swearing, but was all the healthy recipes that are filled with fresh produce. Upon second reading of the book I later realized it was a vegan book! 

Some vegan books will use a lot of fake ingredients to replicate non-vegan food (i.e.) cheeseburger, lasagna, key lime pie, etc. Instead, this instead uses good produce and you are just making a version of the recipe without the dairy, egg, or meat. The flavors are bold and very tasty!

The recipe I chose to make was the cornmeal waffles with a homemade strawberry syrup--yum! I am listed the halted portion of the recipe, which was perfect for two people. The waffles tasted a little of corn, great crunch, and the syrup was awesome. We had no problem finishing it! 

Cornmeal Waffles w/ Strawberry Syrup 

Strawberry Syrup Ingredients:

1 lb of strawberries

2 TB of sugar (more if they are tart)

1/2 cup of OJ

1/2 tea vanilla extract

Waffles Ingredients:

1 cup of almond milk

1/2 tea apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

3/4 cup of cornmeal

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

1 TB brown sugar

3/4 tea of baking powder

1/4 tea salt

dash of cinnamon

cooking spray for waffle iron

For the syrup:

- Wash the strawberries, cut of stems, then cut into pea side pieces, put in sauce pan w/ sugar, oj, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

- Bring up to a simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes while stirring periodically.

- Some liquid will evaporate and it will thicken to syrup consistency

For the waffles:

- While Syrup is cooling, preheat waffle iron

- Mix the milk and vinegar together and set aside

- Then in a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together-- cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 

- Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well incorporated 

- Use the cooking spray on the waffle iron and add the batter, removed once golden and serve with the syrup!