Smoky Beans and Cornmeal Waffles (gf, vegan)

My wife came into the kitchen right before dinner and looked at my food prep. “Beans and waffles?” she said with rising trepidation. “Trust me,” I answered. And indeed, my family had multiple helpings of this vegan, gluten-free, savory dish. The trick here is to use the bean juice from one of the cans of red beans as aquafaba to replace the eggs. Since this is already a savory dish, any additional flavor from the red bean aquafaba only complements the final entrée.

This recipe requires a waffle maker, but alternatively one could also bake the cornbread in a muffin pan at 350°F and serve the beans over a cornbread muffin.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ⅓ cup yellow corn meal
• ⅔ cup gluten free all-purpose baking flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 15-ounce cans red beans
• ¼ cup canola or other vegetable oil, plus extra for sautéing vegetables
• 1½ cups plant milk (preferably almond or soy)
• ¼ to ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• Half a green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup prepared picante
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together corn meal, baking flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Drain red beans, but reserve juice from one of the cans as your red bean aquafaba. In a separate bowl, mix together aquafaba, vegetable oil, and plant milk.
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together until no clumps remain and let mixture sit for 10-15 minutes.
5. Cook waffles in lightly greased waffle iron.
6. In large skillet, sauté onions and bell pepper in a couple teaspoons oil. Mix in tomato sauce, picante, chili powder, liquid smoke, and beans. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken.
7. Serve ¼ to ½ cup beans over each waffle.

Makes 10-12 waffles.