Recipe For Zucchini Waffles

Chelsea, my summer intern, returns to her real life as a student at Brown University in a couple of weeks. At the beginning of June, we put waffles on our must-do list, and it seemed we had all the time in the world to get around to making them. Last week, almost at the end of Chelsea’s internship, Wafflepalooza finally came to town. These waffles, the first of five recipes we made (and ate) in one day, bring together zucchini, cinnamon and sugar. There’s plenty of vegetable here, if you know what you’re looking for, but if your kids aren’t into green healthy things, you might forget to mention zucchini, and they’ll probably never guess. When the zucchini glut hits, make a big batch of these waffles; freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan, then pack them in a ziplock bag or container. Reheat by popping the waffles in the toaster.

Zucchini waffles

From the pantry, you’ll need: all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, granulated sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, cooking spray.

Adapted from this recipe on Mixingbowl.com. Makes 8 waffles.

2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
1-1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups skim (nonfat) milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place in a strainer, and sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of kosher salt. Place the strainer over a bowl, and let the zucchini drain for 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water, shake off excess liquid, and transfer the zucchini to a clean dish towel. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the zucchini, and set aside.

Preheat waffle maker to 400°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Stir together.

In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients (the flour mixture), and beat until smooth. Stir in the zucchini and mix well.

Spray the waffle maker with cooking spray (top and bottom plates). Spread half of the batter evenly over the bottom of the waffle maker, and close the top. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the waffles are as crisp as you like them. (Different waffle making equipment will cook at different rates, so please follow the instructions that come with your machine.) Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve hot, topped with sweet butter and maple syrup.