dish Head Chef Carrie Rau has put together this recipe for a heart healthy brunch using quinoa, a seed that is grown in South America. Quinoa grains have been hailed as a superfood, since they contain essential amino acids and are high in fiber and protein. The UN has even designated 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa! By topping a crispy, quinoa waffle with a not-too-sweet rhubarb and strawberry compote you’ll be using seasonal produce, too! You can follow the recipe below, or download the PDF here.

Chef Carrie’s Quinoa Waffles with Rhubarb + Strawberry Compote
Serves 2

Ingredients

Waffles:
¼ cup quinoa flour
¼ cup quinoa flakes
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar or honey
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp melted butter or coconut oil
1 large egg or 2 egg whites, beaten
1 very ripe banana, mashed
¼ cup milk (almond, soy, 2% or skim)
canola spray for machine 

Rhubarb Strawberry Compote:
4 stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced
¼ cup brown sugar
1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
splash of water

Method

Waffles:

  1. Preheat waffle iron until hot.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl with a whisk to combine well.
  3. In a separate smaller bowl, mix all wet ingredients until well incorporated and then add into the dry ingredients.  Stir a couple of times to combine but do not overwork. This will result in lighter, fluffier waffles.
  4. Grease waffle iron with canola spray and pour in some batter. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions or until golden brown and cooked through. 

Compote:

  1. In a small pot combine all ingredients with a splash of water, bring to a vigorous simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the rhubarb has softened and thickened.

To serve: Place hot quinoa waffles onto a plate and top with warm strawberry compote. Enjoy!