Gingerbread Waffles with Caramelized Squash

Makini Howell's Plum empire in Seattle includes a fine-dining restaurant, salad-bar joint, dessert shop and food truck—to give people plenty of ways to try out plant-based eating. These aromatic waffles are a fall favorite at Plum Bistro.

Gingerbread Waffles with Caramelized Squash
Photo: Brittany Conerly
Active Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter, preferably unsalted, plus 4 tablespoons at room temperature, divided

  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

  • Water as needed

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided

  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

  • 2 ⅛ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour

  • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 ¼ cups unsweetened soymilk

  • ¼ cup canola oil

  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  • 2 teaspoons molasses

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • Maple syrup for serving

Directions

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water 1/4 cup at a time if the pan seems dry, until the squash is tender and lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until it melts, about 2 minutes more. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, mix the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, confectioners' sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside.

  3. Preheat waffle iron.

  4. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk soymilk, oil, ginger, molasses and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

  5. Ladle enough of the batter into the hot waffle iron to cover about three-quarters of the surface (about 1/2 cup for an 8-inch-square waffle iron). Cook until the waffle is golden brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the waffles with the reserved squash, the cinnamon butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Equipment

Waffle iron

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

555 Calories
29g Fat
69g Carbs
9g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 555
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 9g 18%
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Vitamin A 15045IU 301%
Sodium 688mg 30%
Potassium 771mg 16%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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