Meatless Monday: Waffles for Dinner

Meatless Monday: Savory Corn Waffles with Salsa, Guacamole and Feta

The unseasonably warm fall has been a boon to my tomato patch. Most years, tomatoes stop ripening toward the end of September. This year, with daytime temps in the 80s, my tomatoes are still ripening. This means that they’re still wonderful raw.

Yesterday I decided to make fresh salsa and fresh guacamole with my fresh tomatoes. I wanted the salsa and guacamole to be part of a dinner, rather than simply an accompaniment for chips. Of course, I could have made burritos, tostadas or tacos as I have in the past. But this time I wanted to do something different. Thanks to a suggestion that accompanies guacamole recipe in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, I decided to make Savory Corn Waffles, with rave-worthy results.

My partner, Phillip, looked skeptical when he saw the waffle iron out at dinner time. But he quickly converted when he tasted these wonderful, savory treats topped with freshly made salsa and guacamole. Of course, you can add your own touches. An over-easy egg would be a great addition for extra protein, or if you’re vegan, some crumbled tempeh bacon would be delicious, as would some spiced pinto or black beans. Mixed greens dressed with some quality olive oil and lime juice would also lighten things up a bit. The Savory Corn Waffle recipe recommended chile butter, salsa and feta cheese. I ended up adding crumbled goat feta to the guacamole and salsa toppings.

You don’t have to make your own guacamole and salsa. Good store-bought renditions will do if you’re crunched for time.

With all the possible options for toppings, I’ll definitely have to make these waffles again. I cut the recipe below in half. We each had two waffles, and there was enough for me to have one more for breakfast.

Savory Corn Waffles from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1-1/4 cups finely ground cornmeal

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda (if you’re using buttermilk)

1 t salt

2-1/2 cups buttermilk or milk (You can also try yogurt diluted with water. Try 1-1/2 cups yogurt—I used goat yogurt—and 1 cup water for a full recipe. Almond, soy or rice milk would also work if you don’t want to use dairy products.)

3 eggs, separated

6 T safflower oil or melted butter

corn kernels cut from two ears (If you can’t find fresh corn, you can substitute a cup or so of organic, frozen corn.)

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside. Separate the eggs and place them in separate bowls. Mix together the buttermilk, eggs and oil or butter. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together. Fold in the egg whites and add the corn kernels. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook.