Savory Brown Rice Waffles

As the holiday season starts to wind down, I think one thing we can probably all agree on is that it’s time to put down the sweets.

Holiday treats are something to look forward to, for sure, but I always long for the normalcy of the rest of the year, to be perfectly honest!

So, with that in mind, today I have a super simple, super fast, and super savory waffle recipe for you. This comes from The Kind Diet. by Alicia Silverstone. A client gave me this book for Christmas, and it was an absolutely perfect gift. The book is well written, and the recipes are really unique, though a lot of them rely on ingredients that aren’t all that easy to find unless you live in a major metro area with good access to Asian food markets. I read it cover to cover in one sitting (on a road trip) and came away with lots of ideas for new recipes and a list of things to try that I had never heard of or tried before.

This recipe, however, is easy and delicious, and you don’t need anything all that special. You can find miso paste at Trader Joes or any normal grocery store (look next to the tofu), and Whole Foods has a large selection of types.

In the book, Alicia has a vegetable mélange recipe that goes along with these waffles, but they are completely delicious on their own. You could make them a little on the sweeter side by adding dried cranberries and chopped walnuts, or any variety of add-ins to suit your tastes.

Make the rice ahead of time, and this is really a fast brunch recipe that you could serve with a fruit salad. For what it’s worth, I usually make rice in big batches and freeze in 1-quart ziptop bags, then, I always have it on hand when I need it.

These waffles are really filling, so half will probably plenty for most people. If you are really hungry, you won’t be after this! Drizzle with a bit of pure maple syrup for a really unique treat!

Savory Brown Rice Waffles

Makes: Two large Belgian waffles

Time required: 10-15 minutes (assuming rice is pre-made)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all purpose)
1 tablespoon mild white miso paste dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Method:

Cook rice according to package instructions
In a large bowl, combine rice and flour
In a small bowl, dissolve miso paste in warm water (not boiling)
Mix miso liquid into rice and flour mixture until completely combined; You may have to add a splash more water to bring the mixture together; It will not be runny like traditional batter, but will be a thick consistency
Spoon some of the mixture into the middle of your waffle iron, and cook as normal until done (For my belgian waffler, about 1/2 of the mixture makes 1 waffle)

Nutritional Breakdown

Per waffle, based on 2 waffles per recipe.