Dairy Free, Gluten Free, possibly Vegan Waffles

I have had multiple requests for these waffles, so I'm going to post them here for anyone who would like the recipe. 

These are, hands down, the best waffles I have eaten.  The fact that they are dairy and gluten free is a bonus since those things make my tummy ache.  If you don't want to use eggs, you can make them vegan, too.  The original recipe that I adapted these from was vegan.  I threw in an egg because I think that whipped egg whites in waffles and pancakes makes them light and delicious, and I'm not vegan.  But if you are vegan, or don't have eggs on hand, or just have something against eggs, this recipe will be just as delicious, but slightly less crisp and airy, without the eggs.

The original recipe also used different flours - mainly brown rice flour, I believe, so feel free to play around with that portion of the recipe as well.  If you don't have any gluten issues, and don't want to mess around with three different, difficult to find flours (if you don't have your own personal grain mill, like I do) I bet that whole wheat pastry flour would be almost as nice.  If you'd like me to whip you up a batch of the flours used in this recipe, I'm happy to do that for you, too, just let me know.  I weigh my flour, so that I have an equal weight of each flour equaling 8 ounces total, but I know most people around here use cup measures, so I've used that in the recipe.

I always put a pureed vegetable, usually winter or summer squash, in any baked good I can.  I know this doesn't make them healthy, but it does make them delicious, and it never hurts to eat delicious vegetables.  The butternut squash in these waffles makes them extra moist and sweet (so I don't put any added sugar in).  I use any winter squash I have on hand, but butternut is the most reliably tasty in my experience (I have had some disappointing run ins with watery not terribly sweet pumpkin on occasion, although I've also been delightfully surprised as well).  How do you roast and puree winter squash?  Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, stick it in the toaster oven or oven at 350 cut side down until it is soft.  Scoop the flesh out of the shell and mash with a fork.  Voila!  All of that said, if you haven't got any winter squash on hand, these waffles will be almost as tasty without.

Finally, I ALWAYS double this recipe, sometimes quadruple.  Because really, who can eat just one of these waffles?  If I have leftovers I put them in the freezer in a plastic bag.  Take them out and put them in the toaster whenever I need a snack.  Samuel loves them in his lunch too.

Without any more ado:

Waffles

--1/4 cup buckwheat flour
--1/4 cup teff flour
--1/4 cup millet flour
--2 teaspoons baking powder
--1/4 teaspoon salt
--3 tablespoons melted coconut oil cooled (it can impart a weird flavor when mixed in hot)
--1/2-1 cup roasted pureed butternut squash
--3/4 cup coconut milk (or other milk of your choice)
--2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
--1 tablespoon lemon juice
--1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
--1 egg separated, whip the egg whites

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg - makes them pumpkin spice waffles.  Grated lemon rind sprinkled over the top of each waffle before you close the iron, also yummy.  Sliced bananas added the same way, are heavenly, in my opinion, but other family members prefer apples or strawberries.  You can see where that line of thought can get you.  You can also add molasses, maple syrup or sugar (gasp!) if you would like a sweeter waffle.  You can also whip these up the night before (leaving out the eggs, and adding them in the next day).

1.  Preheat your waffle iron
2.  Combine dry ingredients (except for the flax).
3.  Whisk together the wet ingredients (this includes the butternut squash puree) and the flax.
4.  Mix wet and dry ingredients together.  Fold in egg whites.  Pour into waffle iron. Note: I find that I need to leave my waffles in past when my iron says they are done, I wait until most of the steaming has dissipated.