Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles with Cranberry Orange Papaya Sauce

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I thought of this recipe with my good friend and colleague in mind.  After learning that Nichole Brown couldn’t enjoy most of my recipes because she suffers from many food allergies, including items containing gluten.

Gluten is a specific type of protein, but one you won’t find in meat or eggs. Instead gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is the glue that holds baked goods together so going gluten-free means bye bye to bread, cakes, muffins, pizza, etc. but no need to panic.  There are many alternatives and supermarkets  now carry gluten-free products.  This is essential to those with gluten allergies or celiac disease, a condition which causes intestinal damage when gluten is eaten.

Believe it or not, gluten free foods is something Latinos are very familiar with. Before the arrival of the Europeans, native Latin American food mainly consisted of corn, beans and manioc and were supplemented with vegetables, and meats, fish and seafood .  Starchy gluten-free foods such as plantains, rice and quinoa were also a staple.

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Makes 4 very filling servings.

Cranberry Orange Papaya Ingredients

• 3 cups papaya, cut up in chunks
• 2 cups water + ½ cup water
• ¼  teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar + 1 cup
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 ½ teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
• ½ cup orange juice

Gluten-Free Waffles Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour mix
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ¾ cup canned or pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup milk (soy milk if you’re lactose intolerant) more or less

 Directions

1. Peel, seed and cut papaya into chunks.  If you cannot find fresh papaya, check the frozen aisle for pre-cut papaya chunks in a bag in the Latin foods sections.
2. Place papaya chunks into a medium pot. Pour 2 cups water, just enough to cover the papaya. Mix in nutmeg, sugars (½ cup brown and ½ cup white) and honey. Add cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cover and bring to boil. Then lower the heat and simmer until the papaya is very tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Discard cloves and cinnamon stick. Strain, separating the papaya from the liquid.
4. Place in a bowl or blender. Add 1 cup of papaya liquid back and blend. Set aside.
5. Wash and pick over cranberries.  (Note:  prepare cranberries while papaya is simmering)
6. In a saucepan bring to a boil ½ cup water and 1 cup sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.  Stir in orange juice. Remove from heat.
7. Add cranberry sauce to papaya compote. Set aside.
8. In a medium bowl, mix the pancake mix and spices together. In another bowl, whisk the egg and the brown sugar together.  Stir in the oil, pumpkin and most of the milk.
9.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined adding more milk to obtain the right consistency.
10. Pour batter covering entire waffle iron and cook on medium for about 3-4 minutes.
11. Divide into 4 portions.  Pour sauce over waffles and top with whip cream.