BUTTERNUT SQUASH WAFFLES

These have a delightfully gentle orange hue and sweet flavour, and can be enjoyed with savoury or sweet toppings. You will need a waffle iron, but if you don’t have one, you could make fluffy butternut pancakes with the same batter instead.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS • COOK TIME: 20 MINS

200g (7oz) butternut squash, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces

125g (4 1/2 oz) plain flour

125g (4. 1/2 z) wholemeal flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

115ml (3 3/4 fl oz) olive oil

450ml (16fl oz) semi-skimmed milk,at room temperature

3 medium free-range eggs

oil spray

To serve

2 tablespoons honey

1 orange, cut into thin slices

Put the butternut squash into a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain, return to the pan and mash until smooth. Leave to cool completely.

In a bowl, mix the flours and baking powder, then make a well in the centre with a spoon. Add the oil, milk and eggs and whisk to combine in the well before slowly incorporating all the flour.

Whisk in the butternut squash, then leave the batter to rest for 5 minutes.

Spray the waffle iron well with oil, bring up to a medium-high heat, then pour a ladleful of batter into each hole and close the lid. Exact timings will depend on your waffle iron, but the waffles should take 2–3 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining batter. You will get 8 waffles in all, and, if you wish, you can place the cooked waffles on a wire rack and keep them warm in a preheated oven at 160ЃC (325ЃF), 140ЃC fan, Gas Mark 3.

Serve with a spoonful of honey and slices of orange.

Recipe extracted from Emily Leary’s Get Your Kids To Eat Anything.

If you like this recipe, also try James Wong’s Triple Berry Hot Cakes.