Smoothies are a great way to get nutrition when mornings are busy!
Being a personal trainer is no easy job. Demanding schedules and clients can make eating a good breakfast a challenge. Although you may not be a trainer, your busy schedule and desire for results in the gym align you with their needs in the morning.
I reached out to a variety of trainers to ask them about their go-to morning meal. Their answers revealed a unique look at the foods they find worthy of fueling their mornings. Here’s what they had to say along with some easy ways to add nutrition to your breakfast regimen. Click here to read more about it on Stack.com!
When did a sandwich become a wrap and who had that brilliant idea? More importantly, why didn’t I come up with it? Joking aside, I love the idea of wraps. How many times have you picked up a sandwich only to have all the ingredients fall out of it? Or the mustard or pickle juice ends up all over your hands? With a wrap, you never have to worry about those things.
I love when Recipe Redux time rolls around each month. It gives me inspiration for creative time in the kitchen, which I love. This month’s theme is “stop being wasteful and use the stuff that’s been sitting in your pantry!” Ok, that’s just my summation of the theme. It was put more eloquently of course, but that’s basically it. Pick something that’s been in the pantry for awhile and put it to good use. Great idea!
So off I went to my pantry, on the hunt for something inspiring. I opened the door and immediately (and embarrassingly) noted its “fullness.” Ugh, there was plenty of food in there that was simply begging to be used. So I acknowledged my pantry with a quick “noted” comment and promised to cook and use that food before it went to waste. Then it was back to my original task…finding the one thing that’s been in there for far too long. After a quick inventory, it came down to three things: brown rice, canned diced chiles and light coconut milk. A glance at the packages revealed that the light coconut milk would be heading to the trash can soon if I didn’t use it, so the light coconut milk was the winner. Now, just what was I going to do with it?
I immediately thought of Thai food. So many delicious dishes use coconut milk and I had a million (ok, maybe just two or three) ideas running through my head. But then something struck me. Maybe it was the delicious scent coming from the apartment next door, but I swear I smelled waffles. It smelled so amazing, that my thoughts of Thai food were immediately replaced with thoughts of waffles. Then, the light bulb went off and my Vanilla Coconut Whole Wheat Waffles were born.
I adore waffles which made this recipe even more fun to create! They are a great breakfast option, especially when all-purpose white flour gets replaced with whole wheat flour and when a simple topping of fresh fruit is the perfect finishing touch. Coconut milk and a little toasted coconut add a fun tropical twist and the vanilla bean paste add just the right of balance and “sweetness.” These are a perfect treat for breakfast or a handy snack. Try these waffles and I promise you’ll fall in love.
Ok, so my part is done…now it’s time to take a look at what’s in your pantry!
Yields about 10 Belgian-style waffles, 4-inches by 4 1/2-inches
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ground flax seed
2 large eggs
1 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons melted butter (or canola oil)
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted
1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
Instructions
Preheat the waffle iron.
In a mixing bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and flax seed.
In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milks, butter, vanilla and brown sugar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Note that the batter will be slightly lumpy. Gently stir in the coconut.
Cook waffles following waffle iron manufacturer’s instructions.
Serve garnished with freshly chopped mango and toasted coconut.
Notes
These waffles freeze well. Place them in a freezer bag, separated by pieces of parchment and freeze until ready to eat!
What’s that you say? You need a Meatless Monday recipe for tonight? Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered. Head on over to The Cutting Board Blog and check out my latest, completely vegetarian, Thai Salad Bowl recipe. It’s so satisfying you won’t even miss the meat!
