Vegan Banana Almond Waffle Goodness con Bangin' Blueberry Topping

Saturday mornings are the best.  Just me, Jordan, good jams, and breakfast preparation.  Last week, it was tofu scramble, biscuits and "bacon" (fakon) gravy.  This week, it was waffles with blueberry topping, bananas and pineapple.  Oh, and a cup of Shenandoah Joe's Sumatra Blue Batak.  (I picked up some whole beans from Whole Foods yesterday.  Maybe Jordan will give you a description in his coffee blog. ;-) )

These waffles were delicious -- definitely the best I've made.  I still want to tweak the recipe a bit as they were a bit chewy.  As I made them, these are hearty.  If you're a fan of super light and fluffy waffles, these may not be for you.  The chewiness and heartiness could probably be reduced by reducing the amount of wheat flour used as well as by using half of a banana rather than a whole.  Nonetheless, they were scrumptious.

Vegan Banana Almond Waffle Goodness

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unbleached white flour  (Or, preferably, 1 cup whole wheat pastry four, 1/3 cup white flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/8-1/4 cup softened vegan margarine (I found that 1/8 cup was plenty, but if your waffle maker has a problem with sticking, add a bit more)
1-2 tablespoon sugar
1 (or 1/2) very ripe banana
3/4 - 1 cup almond/soy/rice milk
splash of pure almond extract
splash of pure vanilla extract (both of these to taste.  I'm big on taste, so I added about 1/8 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp almond)

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.  Cut butter into dry ingredients.

In a smaller bowl, mash banana and sugar together thoroughly.  Add milk.  (Begin with 3/4 cup.  If you feel the batter is too thick, add more milk.  This depends a lot on the ripeness of the banana -- if the banana is very soft/mushy, less milk will be needed.)  Add vanilla and almond extract and mix together.  Having some small remaining lumps of banana is fine.

Add banana mixture to dry ingredients.  The batter will be quite thick, but don't be afraid of adding that extra milk if you think its too thick.

Cook according to your waffle maker's directions.

(This batter would allow for a number of additions including chocolate chips, walnuts, figs, blueberries, strawberries, or almost anything your imagination can think up.  Just adjust the almond and vanilla flavoring accordingly.)

Bangin' Blueberry (No White Sugar-Poison) Topping
1-2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4-1/2 cup blueberry-pomegranate juice (this adds tartness and emphasizes the blueberry-ness.  Apple juice would work well too.)
1 tablespoon light agave nectar
cornstarch as needed (probably about 1 tsp or so.  I just added a little bit at a time until it was thickened)


In a small sauce pan, heat blueberries, juice, and agave over medium-low heat until blueberries have softened and the mixture is slightly bubbly.  Slowly add small amounts of cornstarch, whisking until well incorporated, until topping is thick enough for ya.

A note on the agave nectar --  I am trying to learn how to use this in place of sugar.  It has 1.3x the sweetening capability of sugar, and is significantly better for the body.  Check out this website to learn a little more about it.  Obviously, it will be biased and might suggest it is better than it is, but it is good for basic information.