Plantain Waffles

I love cooking in general, but baking definitely my favorite! Almond flour is definitely the easiest and most versatile alternative flour to work with, cassava (tapioca) flour being a close second. But, since my mom and I can’t tolerate almond flour or starches such as arrowroot or tapioca, I have to be a bit more creative with my baking.  

Gluten gives a lovely elasticity to baked goods that contain it and this elasticity can be hard to duplicate in grain-free baking.

As I said, almond flour is definitely the easiest and most versatile alternative flour to work with; it delivers a lovely texture and is also very neutral in flavor. However, almonds contain lectins and other anti-nutrients. So while eating a handful of sprouted almonds (sprouting helps break down these anti-nutrients) here and there is fine, using 2 ½ cups of almond flour in a recipe isn’t necessarily the healthiest if you bake at all frequently.

Starches such as tapioca starch or arrowroot can be good grain-free substitutes for gluten’s elasticity, but these flours are comprised almost completely of starch which turns directly into sugar during digestion. Coconut flour gives baked goods a lovely crumb (not gummy, which can happen if you use all starch), but since it is almost all fiber and no starch, when it is used alone things don’t tend to stick together very well - the baked goods turn out a bit too crumbly! Also, since it is 3X more absorbent than regular wheat flour, using only coconut flour cuts down the volume of a recipe considerably.

I’m always on the lookout for new ingredients to try, especially when it comes it baking. A while ago I discovered chestnut flour - this helps increase the volume and is naturally a bit higher in starch, but things still don’t tend to stick together very well when used alone or in combination with coconut flour.

Then I discovered plantain bananas and their flour form! While I have known about them in regards to their us in latin american cuisine, I had never thought to use them in my baking. They are like grain-free baking magic! They are high in starch, while not being completely starch like tapioca. And, depending on their ripeness, they are either neutral in flavor (completely green) or add a subtle sweetness (completely yellow, turning black) to whatever you are making. Also, something to keep in mind is that the less ripe they are, the higher their starch content. They are also high in potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Plantain bananas and plantain flour have now become a staple in my kitchen! I have been coming up with many new recipes taking advantage of their wonderful properties and I can’t wait to share them with you! For now, here’s one of my favorites to get you started!

Plantain Waffles

Ingredients:

300 grams ripe plantain

4 eggs

2 tsp butter

½ c yogurt

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 TBSP + 1 tsp coconut flour

2 TBSP chestnut flour

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Cook in a waffle iron just like normal waffles - make sure to liberally grease your waffle iron (I use coconut oil).

Serve with butter and powdered coconut sugar (or you favorite waffle toppings!) as a breakfast item, or use as bread for sandwiches!