Every time I make polenta, I make way too much.  Polenta is a common standby in my household for a creamy starch option that can be topped with anything from roasted mushrooms (see latest post!) to any protein in a tomato base.  Its versatility means I always have a bulk bin bag of polenta in my pantry. 

I have found over the years that polenta is essentially impossible to make for a serving of one (or even two).  Conveniently, it’s one of those foods that is just as easy to make a lot of as it is to make a small amount, so it’s a great option for meal prepping!  Polenta can keep for up to a week in the fridge, and can be easily re-heated in the microwave as leftovers.  By meal-prepping a huge batch of the chosen topping as well, polenta and topping can be portioned out into containers and the full meal can be re-heated throughout the week.  There’s nothing better than a truly grab-and-go meal prep option!

But let’s say you’re tired of eating the same meal more than three times (definitely me) and you still have polenta to spare.  Polenta waffles (could also be pancakes!) are here to save you from left-over drudgery!  By adding polenta to the waffle batter, you will achieve a base that is full of fully-hydrated corn meal with a slightly savory hint from the cheese and butter in the polenta.  The resulting waffles are not overly sweet, and are perfect for dunking into maple syrup or served along with fruit. 

Polenta Waffles:

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ½ cup of Whole Milk (can be substituted with any milk of choice, including plant-based)
• 1 cup Whole Milk Yogurt (lower fat or plant based substitutions should work)
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3 tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 cup Polenta

Instructions:

1. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl.  Whisk or stir to combine.
2. In a separate large bowl, add the milk, yogurt, eggs, butter, and honey.  Whisk well to combine.
3. Add the polenta to the bowl of wet ingredients.  Whisk to combine into the wet ingredients. 
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Using a spatula or spoon, mix until the dry ingredients are just mixed into the wet ingredients.  Batter should look slightly clumpy.  Try to mix just enough to combine to keep the resulting waffles tender.
5. Pre-heat waffle iron.  When waffle-iron is up to temperature, brush with melted butter to prevent from sticking.
6. Fill waffle iron with enough batter to create a waffle.  Allow the waffles to cook according to the waffle iron’s cooking instructions.
7. After cooking, remove waffle from waffle iron and serve immediately.  Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, jam, or a fruit compote (or anything, really!).  Sweet and savory combinations really work here!
8. Enjoy!

Makes enough for 4-6 waffles.