A Very (Vegan) Autumn Breakfast!

My main source of income is a fun one: I walk dogs.  I'm pretty much a mailman: I work 365 days a year through rain, sleet, and snow.  I've learned to enjoy every type of weather because of this, which is truly a wonderful thing.  This morning was a beautiful one for walking dogs.  It was a cool 48 degrees with a light breeze quiet enough to allow me to hear the fall leaves crunching under my bike tires.  The sun was warm but not overpowering, and the roads were strangely desolate.

I stopped for a Green Tea Soy Latte, and while waiting for my drink I overheard about 5 people order Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  Mmmm.. I decided to grab some pumpkin puree from Whole Foods before heading to my next few walks, and decided to have a late breakfast for lunch today.  My boyfriend was pretty thrilled about it, too.

(Vegan) Pumpkin Spice Waffles with Whipped Pumpkin Butter and Baked Apples & Pears!

 

Ingredients: 

For the waffles:

-1 1/2 cups flour (I used about 3/4 cup AP and Whole Wheat Pastry)

- 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp baking powder

- A few shakes of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and ginger

- 3/4 can pumpkin puree

- 1 cup almond milk

- 2 tablespoons cinnamon applesauce 

- 2 tablespoons canola oil 

For the pumpkin butter:

- 1/4 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)

- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree 

- 2 tablespoons of the leftover spice blend for the baked apples and pears (or simply throw in some sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and ginger)

For the baked apples & pears: 

- 1 Honeycrisp apple

- 1 Bosc pear

- 1/4 cup almond milk 

-  1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 2 tablespoons AP flour 

- 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

- A few shakes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and ginger

Method: 

- Start with the baked apples and pears, as these take the longest.  Preheat your oven to  350°F.

- Wash your fruit and slice it.  Toss the slices in a wide, shallow bowl.

- In a small bowl, make your spice blend.  When combined, dump it over the slices and hand toss to coat evenly.

- Place the coated slices in a casserole dish or other oven-safe bowl.  Pour the almond milk over the slices, and toss to coat.  

- Bake for 50 minutes.

- Onto the waffles!  Preheat your waffle maker and grab two medium sized bowls.  

- Combine all of the dry ingredients in one, and all of the wet in another.  Be sure to beat or wisk the wet ones well to combine. 

- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix well.  Pour into your waffle maker!  Be sure not to put too much, unless you had planned on inviting Ivan Ooze to brunch.

- While your waffles are cooking, you can make your pumpkin butter.  This was simply a way for me to add more pumpkin flavor and to use up the rest of the pumpkin puree and spice blend.

-  Grab a small bowl and add the vegan butter, pumpkin puree, and spice blend.  Wisk!  It's that easy.

- Throw it all together!  I also opted to use some pure maple syrup!  Yum!:)