Food & Drink by Shari McIntyre (formerly Darling) For more information on wine and food, go to www.sharidarling.com To Chaffle or Not to Chaffle, That is the Question! My husband Shawn is a chaffle connoisseur. As an avid weightlifter, basketball player and runner, Shawn eats to live (I live to eat!). He uses food as fuel, so that his body performs at its optimal level. I eat to satisfy my daily cravings! As such, Shawn prefers a low-carb, low-sodium, protein-rich diet. Waffles are high in gluten and carbohydrates. Hence his love of the chaffle. Youmay be asking, “What is a chaffle?” Simply put, the chaffle combines the words “cheese” and “waffle.” Chaffle! The chaffle became popular as a low-carb, keto-diet-friendly treat. Chaffle recipes were one of the most searched recipes on google in 2019. Why its popularity? The chaffle is super easy to make, tastes delicious, replaces flour-based products such as bread, buns and even pizza crust, and is high in protein. The chaffle has become so popular that it now also fits into an array of lifestyles and diets: ▶▶Live-to-Eatdiet uses full-fat shredded cheese, full-fat cream cheese, eggs, baking powder, sea salt. ▶▶Keto, South Beach and Low-Carbdiets use shredded cheese, cream cheese, eggs, coconut or almond flour, gluten-free baking powder, sea salt. ▶▶Carnivore diet uses shredded cheese, cream cheese, eggs, ground pork rinds (instead of almond flour). Don’t add salt, as pork rinds are already salty. ▶▶Paleo, Caveman, Primal and Dairy-Freediets use vegan shredded cheese, vegan cream cheese, eggs, coconut or almond flour, gluten-free baking powder, guar gum, sea salt. ▶▶WeightWatchersdiet uses shredded reduced-fat cheese, reduced-fat cream cheese, egg whites, gluten-free baking powder, sea salt. (Use ¼ cup of egg whites to replace every 2 full eggs). ▶▶Gluten-free/grain-free diets use shredded cheese, cream cheese, eggs, coconut or almond flour, gluten-free baking powder, sea salt. ▶▶The vegan diet uses vegan shredded cheese, vegan cream cheese, ground flaxseed. The density and flavour of your chaffle will depend on the type of cheeses used. You can use shredded cheese without the cream cheese. Cream cheese makes the chaffle more fluffy, like a real waffle. Almond flour makes for more density than coconut flour. Strong cheeses such as Parmigiano, sharp Cheddar or blue cheese can be combined with shredded mozzarella for a more flavourful chaffle. These combinations taste fabulous with a beef burger. If desired, you can add other ingredients to your chaffle besides just cheese and egg. For the savoury chaffle, incorporate fried onions, garlic and real bacon bits or fresh herbs. Sweet versions can include berries, raisins, nuts or seeds. The chaffle is used to replace bread (for sandwiches), buns (for burgers and hotdogs), taco shells, pizza crust and more. For the open-faced chaffle, toppings are endless. Here are some combinations paired with wine: The Shredded Mozzarella and Cream Cheese Chaffle: ▶▶Smoked salmon, cream cheese, chives paired with Sauvignon Blanc ▶▶Avocado, poached egg paired with Brut sparkling wine ▶▶Prosciutto, poached egg, spinach paired with Pinot Gris ▶▶Brie, bacon, fresh rosemary paired with barrel-fermented and/or aged Chardonnay ▶▶Caesar chicken salad paired with barrel-fermented and/or aged Chardonnay ▶▶Tuna salad paired with Pinot Gris ▶▶Salmon salad paired with barrel-fermented and/or aged Chardonnay or Pinot Noir ▶▶Bacon, lettuce, tomato paired with stainless-steel Chardonnay 46 | www.snowbirds.org
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