Veggie Waffles Are Here To Win Weeknight Dinners

Do you remember those old "Will It Blend?" infomercials, where a man in a lab jacket (so much gravitas!) would attempt to add everything from glow sticks to an iPad to a high-powered blender?

I've been playing my own version of this game at home, except instead of demolishing expensive electronics, I'm asking: Will it waffle? I often find myself eyeing my leftovers, wondering if they, too, are destined for the crispy-edged abyss that is my waffle iron. And surprisingly, most things waffle pretty damn nicely. Mashed potatoes? Crispy, latke-like heaven. Spaghetti? A carb-y delight. Falafel? I'm not saying I've improved on the centuries-old snack...but if the Egyptians had waffle irons in the 1600s, I know they would've preferred it this way.

A waffle iron (and if you don't have one, get one! They're shockingly cheap!) offers the opportunity for instant crispy edges, a texture game-changer. Because it cooks all of those nooks and crannies, you also get a higher amount of what's called the Maillard reaction, a sciencey term for the caramelization of sugars that makes vegetables go from boring to totally cravable (Brussels sprouts, I'm looking at you).

This recipe uses basically any vegetables you have on hand—it's a great way to do a fridge clean-out. Just don't skip the onion, since it really gets on board with the whole Maillard thing and is responsible for the awesome flavor of everything else in the waffle. Arrowroot, a powder made from tubers, is a gluten-free binding flour alternative that adds extra-crispifying (is that a word? It needs to be) starch. Once you make the waffles, top 'em with an egg, serve 'em on a bed of greens, or just eat 'em plain.

Serves 2