'Lovers’ Beet Waffles' from Chef Mel

Chef and Owner Mel Boudens of Kanata's Grow Your Roots vegan eatery shares her recipe with Lynda for a red velvet waffle that is out of this world! Make it for Valentine's Day brunch for a special sweet treat or even for your loved one's birthday breakfast!

Waffle Ingredients:

2 cups of gluten free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour

2 tsp of baking powder

1 ½ tsp of baking soda

3 Tbsp of organic cane sugar

¼ tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 medium sized cooked beets

2 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups of soy or almond milk + ½ Tbsp of apple cider vinegar

¼ cup of canola oil or melted non-dairy butter

3-4 drops of vegan red food colouring (optional)

Dreamy Drizzle Ingredients:

¼ cup of Fauxmagerie Zengarry Double Crème cashew cheese

4 Tbsp of plant milk

1 -2 Tbsp of icing sugar

A few drops of beet juice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour apple cider vinegar into plant milk and let sit to curdle. Meanwhile, whisk all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, sea salt & cinnamon) in a medium size bowl.

2. In a blender, place your beets, vanilla, oil & curdled plant milk and blend on high until completely smooth.

3. Pour your wet mixture into your dry and mix until everything is combined and no large lumps remain – then fold in your food colouring.

4. Let batter rest for five minutes while your waffle iron is heating up ! Cook waffles according to your own waffle maker.

For the Dreamy Drizzle:

1. In a small saucepan, place all ingredients but the icing sugar on medium low and whisk every minute or so until a nice creamy consistency.

2. Whisk in icing sugar and remove from heat and set side until ready to serve your waffle!

Mel Boudens began Grow Your Roots café at the age of 25, after running a successful vegan food stand at the Carp Farmers Market. At the farmers market, her stand became well-known for its doughnuts, vegan burgers & sausages, as well as deep-fried avocados. Now Grow Your Roots is a thriving Ottawa fixture serving a great variety of delicious plant-based dishes. Mel loves sharing her recipes, cooking with fresh herbs and ingredients and showing others a more compassionate way to eat. She believes that we can all live a sustainable life on our planet without negative consequences on the Earth.

To find out more about Grow Your Roots vegan cafe, visit: https://www.growyourrootscafe.com/our-vision