It’s May so it’s a given that I’m in the kitchen with rhubarb.
Serena (my blogging partner over at Teaspoon of Spice) and I have professed our love for this vegetable (yup, it’s a veggie) over the years with several recipe creations including:
Strawberry Rhubarb Slump
Rhubarb Shakes
Serena’s Easy 1-2-3-4-5 Rhubarb Sauce (I can’t wait to make her Rhubarbecue BBQ sauce this summer.)
Strawberry Rhubarb Waffle Shortcakes – a breakfast and dessert mashup for #strawberry + #rhubarb season! @tspbasil Click To Tweet
This past Christmas, my parents got me one of those stovetop Belgian waffle irons and I’ve been on a waffle kick ever since (the Meal Makeover Moms’ Banana Brownie Waffles are a current fav.)
So, while brainstorming for a Mother’s Day recipe, I figured why not mash up the classic Strawberry Shortcake with some rhubarb and waffles while giving it a few dietitian tweaks along the way.
Description
A twist on strawberry shortcake featuring whole-grain waffles, rhubarb sauce and a mascarpone yogurt topping.
For Waffles:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Zest from half of a lemon or orange
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce:
- 3 cups chopped rhubarb
- 3 cups sliced strawberries, divided
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest from half of a lemon or orange
- For Mascarpone Yogurt Topping:
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the waffles, in a large bowl whisk together flours, ground flaxseed, oil, sugar, vanilla extract, salt and zest. Whisk in buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and baking soda. Mix into flour mixture with wooden spoon until everything is incorporated. Bake in waffle iron according to instructions.
- For sauce, add rhubarb, 2 cups strawberries, sugar and water to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 – 15 minutes or until the sauce is smooth (stir frequently.) Remove from stove and mix in remaining strawberries, vanilla extract and zest.
- For topping, beat together yogurt, mascarpone and vanilla extract.
- To assemble, cut each waffle in half diagonally. Place one half on dish, spoon sauce over top. Cover with other waffle half and spoon over more sauce. Top with dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of yogurt topping. Repeat with remaining servings. Serve with fresh mint if desired.
This waffle batter gets a fiber and whole-grain boost with the addition of whole wheat flour and ground flaxseed. And while I usually indulge in real whipped cream for desserts like this, I also like the healthier alternative of whipping together plain Greek yogurt with mascarpone cheese. It’s another way to cut back on some calories but still get a creamy, dreamy topping to boot.
If your mama is a rhubarb fan, now you have something to whip up for her. Happy rhubarb eating!
