If you know me, you know I love eating local and one of my favorite local North Carolina products is Carolina Gold Rice from Tidewater Grain Company in Oriental NC. Today, we’re cooking with Tidewater’s GMO Free and Gluten Free Brown Rice – delicious and nutritious!
Tidewater grows a classic brown Carolina Gold Rice and a long grain version called Santee Gold.
White Rice or Brown Rice – Did You Know it’s all the Same?
Did you know that white rice and brown rice come from the exact same plant? After the rice is harvested, and dried, the hulls are removed to expose the bran. This is brown rice. Then the grains of brown rice are milled and polished to remove the bran layer and the result is white rice.
While all varieties of this locally grown heirloom rice are GMO Free, and of coruse gluten free , the brown rice delivers slightly more nutrients due to the addition of the bran.
This recipe for toasted rice waffles works with both of Tidewater’s white and brown rices equally as well.
Just in case you think I’ve make a mistake here when you look at the photos, unlike commodity brown rices, Tidewater’s heirloom brown rice is lighter in color and in texture. And, it cooks in the same amount of time as their heirloom Carolina Gold White Rice.
Rice Waffles for the Win
Today, as we cookwith Tidewater’s Carolina Gold Brown Rice and make waffles for breakfast and for dessert, I’m also celebrating strawberry season.
The topping this quick and easy batch of brown rice waffles this day is my favorite yogurt and fresh-picked sliced strawberries!
Just had to throw in this photo of my niece Emory. We cooked together to make another great dessert from local strawberries – follow the link for my no churn roasted strawberry ice cream recipe at the bottom of this post.
But I digress.
My favorite yogurt is from Zack Gadberry at Uno Alla Volta and is available at the Matthews Community Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. And this time of year, you’ll find fresh local strawberries at nearly every Saturday morning farmers market – so make plans to enjoy these brown rice waffles topped with strawberries and yogurt this weekend. Or circle back to the ice cream recipe and make your own waffle ice cream sandwiches!
Here’s what you’ll need:
To start your waffles, you’ll need 1 cup of cooked leftover Tidewater Grain Company brown rice.
Add 1 local egg to your cup of cooked brown rice.
Then, season to taste with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon or so of sugar. Blend well. Preheat your favorite waffle iron. Then pat about a quarter of the rice mixture onto the hot waffle iron. Close the lid and allow to cook.
I love these little individual waffle irons, they cook each waffle quickly and they turn out the perfect size. They also take out all the guess work – when the blue light goes out, the waffle is perfectly done. One cup of leftover rice will make four of these individual waffles.
For breakfast or brunch, or a snack any time of the day, top each waffle with plain or vanilla yogurt. For dessert use whipped cream or ice cream – and then layer with sliced strawberries a sprinkling of powdered sugar and enjoy.
Serve as Singles or Stack ‘Em Up
Serve individual waffles, each topped with yogurt and strawberries or make a stack and served them in several layers of deliciousness.
Next, make a batch of my No Churn Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream
Here’s another fun recipe to make for or with the family. Store this no churn strawberry ice cream in the freezer in jars and its ready when you are. Look for the recipe, here, on the digital pages of Charlotte Parent online.
After you make the ice cream, make more rice waffles. And then, layer the ice cream between two rice waffles. Wrap each waffle sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze for the most delicious ice cream sammy ever!
One comment