Beet Waffles with Goat Cheese and Arugula

Prep 25 min·Cook 25 min·Total 50 min·4 servings (about 8 waffles)·VEGETARIAN·640 kcal

Beet waffles with goat cheese and walnuts on a dark plate, with arugula and a wedge of beet alongside

Ingredients

For the batter

250 gr (8.8 oz.) fresh beets (or precooked)
300 ml (1 1/3 cup) milk
250 gr (8.8 oz.) flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 pinch pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
50 gr (1.8 oz.) melted butter
100 gr (3.5 oz.) soft goat cheese (or cream cheese)

To serve

100 gr (3.5 oz.) goat cheese (crumbled)
1 tsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp honey
2 handfuls arugula
1 handful walnuts (toasted)

Equipment: blender or immersion blender, 3 bowls, whisk or hand mixer, waffle iron, small pan for toasting, wire rack

Instructions

Purée the beets

1.Peel the beets, cut them into pieces and purée them very finely with the milk in a blender.

Make the batter

1.Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl.
2.Separate the eggs. In a second bowl whisk the yolks, add the melted butter and the soft goat cheese and stir until smooth.
3.Add the beet and milk mixture to the yolks and combine. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir into a smooth batter. If the batter seems too runny, add 1 to 2 Tbsp of flour, depending on how juicy the beets are.
4.Beat the egg whites until stiff in a third, clean bowl and fold them gently into the batter.

Bake the waffles

1.Preheat the waffle iron and grease it lightly.
2.Add one portion of batter at a time and bake the waffles for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp outside. Place the finished waffles on a wire rack.
3.Meanwhile toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve

1.Arrange the waffles on plates, scatter with crumbled goat cheese and rosemary and drizzle with honey.
2.Serve with fresh arugula and the toasted walnuts.

Notes

Tip from my kitchen: purée the beets really finely, small pieces burn in the waffle iron and taste bitter. These waffles need a little longer than sweet ones, so leave them in the iron a minute longer and they turn crisp outside. Leftover waffles freeze well and crisp up again in the toaster. For kids I leave out the pepper and serve the pink waffles with cream cheese and cucumber slices, the color alone makes sure the plates come back empty.

Nutrition per serving: 640 kcal · 22 g protein

MY NOTES

Ten more easy vegan dinners, free: frei-style.com/ebook