Matcha waffles with red bean paste
Matcha waffles with red bean paste
When I travel, food is always a big part of my experience. On my recent trip to Japan, a favorite treat of mine was a pancake stuffed with red bean paste. I also love anything flavoured with matcha. In my version of the treat I used dates instead of refined sugar and added a little cacao.
Yields: 10 mini waffle sandwiches
Ingredients
Waffles
1¼ cups plant-based milk
1 cup plain plant-based yogurt or ½ to ¾ cup more milk
½ cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas – salt-free)[i]
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups spelt flour
1 to 2 tablespoons matcha powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Red bean paste
2 cups Adzuki beans – cooked
1 cup whole pitted dates
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup raw cacao
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
Steps
Red bean paste
I like to use dry beans. ¾ cup of dried beans will give you about two cups cooked.
Add the cooked beans and all the other ingredients into your food processor or high-speed blender. The blender makes a smoother paste. Add a little water if your paste is a bit dry. Set aside until the waffles are ready.
Plug in waffle maker to preheat.
Pour aquafaba in a bowl, whip with a whisk until it is frothy.
Add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla to the bowl. Stir until it is well combined. Add the matcha powder, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix until smooth.
Follow your waffle maker’s instructions. I brush both sides of the hot waffle iron with a little coconut oiI before pouring the batter.
In my 7-inch Belgian waffle maker, I use about ¾ cup of batter per waffle. The most important thing is not to open the waffle maker too soon. It takes 5-6 minutes to cook until crispy.
Fill the waffles with a thick layer of paste and enjoy. Any extra filling can be made into protein packed energy balls and stored in the fridge or freezer when you want a healthy treat.
[i] Whenever I open a can of chickpeas, I drain the liquid and freeze it in premeasured amounts. Three tablespoons of aquafaba equals 1 egg. There is approximately ⅔ cup of aquafaba in each can of chickpeas.
