Pistachio-Pomegranate Buttermilk Waffles with Pomegranate Syrup

Waffle Ingredients

• ¾ cup pistachios, chopped (pecans would also work well)
• ⅓ cup pomegranate arils
• 1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons Gluten Free vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening, melted and cooled

Blend the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Thoroughly whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add the egg mixture, melted butter and shortening into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.)

Heat the oven to 200 F. Preheat a waffle iron and brush with melted butter. Ladle about ½ a cup of batter into the iron (or appropriate amount for your waffle iron) and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons pistachios and ½ tablespoon pomegranate arils. Cook until golden brown, then transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve topped with butter & maple syrup or pomegranate syrup & arils.

5 cups pomegranate juice
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons Gluten Free vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4?quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium?low, add vanilla extract and cook until the mixture has reduced to 2 cups, approximately 50 minutes. It should be the consistency of syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.