Leftover quinoa finds its way into waffles

Cooked multi-colored quinoa

Multi-grain waffles with quinoa & blueberries

I make quinoa a lot. I use it as a base to savory dishes. Forget pasta I use quinoa. It replaces brown rice even when I make stir-frys. For lunch, I simply treat it like lettuce. I dress it with a homemade vinaigrette and toss it with whatever ingredients I like in salads. Quinoa is filling, nutritious and versatile. Like rice, it soaks up flavor. But unlike rice, it's gluten free and provides all 9 essential amino acids which makes it a complete protein. It's great for all of the vegans and vegetarians out there who need non-animal sources protein. However, I am neither and I still incorporate this superfood into my diet on a regular basis. Full of fiber, this little whole grain looks like a seed but once cooked fluffs up into a hearty, earthy tasting wonder.

I had leftover multi-colored quinoa so I decided to put it into waffles. I don't remember where I found this recipe but I think it's a keeper. These aren't your traditional waffles; they are waffles that provide a little something extra. Maybe it's flavor, cruch or wholesome goodness. To me it's all 3 and more!

Multigrain Quinoa Blueberry Waffles


3 eggs, beaten
1 2/3 cups nonfat milk or lowfat buttermilk
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cooked multi-colored quinoa (see note)
½ cup blueberries (fresh or defrosted frozen blueberries)
Grade A or B pure maple syrup

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine them with a fork. Gently stir in the cooked quinoa and blueberries. Don’t overmix. The batter should be on the thin side or the waffles will be too cakey. If batter is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water or milk to thin.

2. Coat waffle iron with cooking spray, heat up iron and cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions. Serve warm with grade A or B maple syrup.

Note: to cook quinoa, in a small saucepan bring just over ¾ cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, add ¼ cup quinoa. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until water has absorbed.

Makes 8 waffles

Recipe adapted from somewhere unknown ;)