Vegan waffle taste testing

Last weekend, Kyle and I were invited to brunch.

However.  This was no ordinary Sunday brunch.  This was a gathering in the name of brand management (which for me, just meant vegan taste testing).

With a task like that, how could I refuse!?!

I’m not sure how specific I can get in explaining this…but the main points you need to know are the following:

• Kyle’s in MBA school
• MBA school is all about networking
• Kyle has a classmate who has a vegan girlfriend
• Kyle mentioned that he, too, has a vegan sig-o (FYI sig-o = significant other)
• Kyle’s fellow MBA-er claimed to have mastered the art of vegan waffle making
• Kyle and I were the fortunate recipients of a vegan brunch featuring said waffles (all in the name of business research…it’s a rough job, but someone’s gotta do it)

We arrived on Sunday morning to this scene.

As an aside: not only has he customized his kitchen to meet his breakfast making needs, but he currently owns three different waffle makers.  This man means business.

We had hardly stepped foot in the apartment and I was greeted with the deliciously intoxicating aroma of cinnamon.

As you can see (above), there was quite a bit of prep that went into this meal.  In addition to the apple cinnamon waffle topping, several other courses were already warm and ready.

Tofu scramble.

Green bell peppers, onions, and loads of delicious spices.  You may never want an egg again.

Potato hash.

Mmmm.

There was also some bacon for the meat eaters (the boys).

And of course there was a wide array of waffle toppings, including fresh fruit, cinnamon sautéed apple slices, and fresh whipped cream (non-vegan).

All ready to be served.

Let’s not forget the featured dish though!

Drumroll please…

Waffles!

They were made in bulk and kept warm in the oven.  I brought my big girl appetite and I could still only finish one with all the toppings and other side dishes.  I was really a fan of the fact that they were made with whole grains and free of all the stuff you find in ready-made mixes.  These were actually made using a top secret vegan waffle mix.  The idea behind them is you get the simplicity of a pre-packaged mix, without the icky side-effects of processed food (i.e. enriched grains and additives).  These are about as wholesome as it gets and the batter is ready to go right away without compromising the quality of the ingredients.  What do you think?  Interested?

Taste-wise they certainly passed the test 😉  They reminded me of a bran based cereal.

I kept trying to place the familiar flavor because there was definitely a recognizable taste that added to the nostalgia of the whole brunch.  It was very similar to either Multi-Bran Chex or Wheaties (if the cereals had been ground up and then baked into waffle form).  Unlike the GM cereals, though, the waffles didn’t have any BHT added to “preserve freshness,” nor were there supplemental vitamins and minerals (because you don’t need to put those back in, if they were never removed in the first place…). I’ll stop with that before I launch into a manifesto on the evils of processed food.

Because the waffles had been made that morning and were being kept warm in the oven, they were slightly crispy on the outside – a quality I didn’t know I’d prefer until this brunch.  The inside wasn’t overly fluffy or moist because it wasn’t an especially thick waffle.  That said, they were still relatively airy.  When baking with whole grains (and without eggs or dairy), food can tend to be more dense, but these maintained a light waffle-like texture all by their vegan selves.  I’m not sure how he accomplished that without egg, but the secret remains in the vault.

I topped my waffle with cinnamon apples and fresh fruit (figs!!!) and it was divine.   How these were so hearty and light at the same time is quite the enigma.

They were really big.  The kind that cover your entire plate.  And I felt perfectly full after one.  Not quite bursting at the seams, but definitely held over for hours.

There’s a waffle under there somewhere!

To avoid looking like Miss Piggy having a plate piled to the moon, I used a second plate for the extra stuff.

Hash ‘n ‘fu.

Brunch is served.

I think I’ll just let the photos do the talking from here on out…

Kyle had the same, but with a strip of bacon and whipped cream.

 

 

 

I hardly had room for another bite until dinner time!  I hope there are many more vegan brunches in our future…because this was a perfect way to start the week, and an especially fun way to start off Vegan Mo Fo!!