Recipe shared with permission from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook
What You Need
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch flour
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons rice bran oil, plus extra for the waffle iron
- 3 cups buttermilk, or more if needed
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 pound (about 8 to 10 spears) asparagus, chopped and roasted (see note)
How To Make It
- In a small skillet set over medium heat, toast 1/4 cup of the quinoa, shaking the pan occasionally, until it is light brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Steep the other 1/4 cup of quinoa in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then drain it.
- In a large bowl, stir together the rice flour, quinoa flour, potato starch, arrowroot, xanthan gum, toasted quinoa, salt, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until smooth. The batter will be thick. Stir in the steeped quinoa, cheese, and asparagus. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Heat up the waffle iron and lightly brush the cooking surfaces with oil. When the waffle iron is ready, pour in 1 cup of batter. Cook until the waffle is lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep it warm, uncovered, in the oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve the waffles with a dollop of Birchwood Cafe’s Lemon Pepita Butter and Rhubarb Jalapeño Marmalade. These recipes are also in the Birchwood Cafe Cookbook.
- *Roasted Asparagus: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the asparagus into quarter-inch pieces, and toss it with just enough rice bran oil to coat. Spread out the asparagus on a baking sheet. and roast until it is nicely browned and crisp around the edges, about 5 to 10 minutes.
