Banana Vanilla Bean Waffles (GF)

After church today I decided it might be fun to make brunch at home, since Brett and I rarely have Sunday's off together. I came up with this recipe for banana vanilla bean waffles which also happen to be grain free and oil free. The grocery store was having a sale on buckwheat flour so I decided to add a bit of it to the recipe. I recently learned that buckwheat flour is actually not a grain, but a seed. It contains the eight essential amino acids, as well as high proportions of manganese, magnesium and fiber, and has been shown to combat high blood sugar and cholesterol. Why not add it to my diet more often?! The thing with buckwheat is that it has a unique flavor. Some might say it's acquired. However, in this recipe the flavor is not noticeable, at least I think it's not. I used overly ripe banana to aid the flavor and the vanilla bean also adds something special. Paired with a side of bacon and/or fruit, and a dollop of yogurt (or butter), this brunch was delicious.

NOTE: If you are sensitive to gluten and not just avoiding it for the heck of it, make sure to always check the labels for truly gluten free products. Baking soda is normally gluten free, but some companies produce it in a facility that contains wheat products and it could contain traces of gluten (just an example).










Ingredients: (makes 4 medium sized waffles)

1 cup almond meal/flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
2 eggs
1/3 cup yogurt
2 tsp vanilla bean paste (gf)
1/4 cup soy or almond milk

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Whisk banana, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and milk together and add dry ingredients. Using a preheated waffle iron, add batter 1/2 cup at a time, per waffle until your waffle iron displays ready light. Serve with warm syrup.