Jessica's Healthy Homemade Waffles

Waffles are my kids second favorite breakfast (pancakes are #1).  I used to buy frozen waffles and pancakes week after week. That gets expensive, and I knew I could make my own and save money.  At first I started using "box mix," then I decided try to save even more money by making the mix from scratch.  Plus they are a lot healthier without preservatives and I can use whole wheat flour and add flax seed to the mix.

You will need a waffle iron.  They vary in price. I went with a model that was about $20.  The investment I made in purchasing the waffle iron 2 years ago has more than paid for itself by saving me at least $4 per week on frozen waffles.  I make this batch (makes about 12 waffles) and then freeze the leftover waffles for easy breakfasts.  My kids will eat one waffle with some scrambled eggs on the side.

This recipe is pretty easy, and you can add 1-2 scoops of whey protein powder for extra protein.  I don't do this because my 4 year old can pick up on that extra ingredient and he doesn't like it.

So here is the recipe for my healthy, homemade, economical waffles (if you want my pancake recipe, go to July 2010).

1 and 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of ground flax seed
2 TBS sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of canola or veg.oil
1 and 3/4 cups of milk

Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Heat waffle iron. While that is heating,mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Batter should be lumpy.

Use a ladle to pour 1/4 - 1/3 cup (may be slightly more or less depending on size of waffle iron) of batter onto waffle iron.

Close the lid of waffle maker and cook for about 4 minutes. Waffles will be golden brown and crisp. They will soften once they cool.  Repeat this step until batter is gone.

You can let the waffles cool and then place leftovers in a freezer bag or container. Frozen waffles can be reheated in toaster.

Foods to stock up on

I wish I had copied the link when I first saw it, because I can't find it now:(

There was an article on MSN's Delish Channel about what foods you should keep on hand with a long shelf life.

I think they were:

Rice
Canned Beans
Chocolate Chips and Baking Chocolate
and I totally forget the rest

But here are some items I also think you should keep on hand:

Vanilla Whey Protein Powder - You can make fruit protein smoothies, or mix it into oatmeal, or pancake batter.  Whey protein is a great way to add extra protein to your nutrition, without being too heavy on you digestive system.  Makes for easy breakfast, snacks or light dinners.

Jarred Tomato Sauce - I read somewhere that canned tomato products pick up the harmful stuff in the cans because of their acidity. But jarred tomato products are better for you.  Tomato sauce is always better homemade, but who has time for that.  Find a brand you like and stock up on it when it goes on sale.  You can get creative with it by adding it to pasta, using it in your meatloaf or meat ball mixture, using it for homemade pizza.  You get the point.

Frozen Raspberries or Blueberries - Frozen is usually cheaper than fresh in the off season and you don't have to worry about spoiling.  I picked these over strawberries because the blend up smoother in the blender.  I hate finding chucks of fruit in my smoothie.  I also add these to Greek yogurt, or defrost and add on top of pancakes or waffles.  You can put them in salads too.

Frozen veggies - Again, frozen can be cheaper than fresh, and since they're flash frozen, the veggies don't lose their nutrients as quickly as fresh can.  You can get the steam in the bag variety.  Just opt for no sauce variety.  You can stir-fry, or add to pasta, use as a side dish, etc.

Ground Flax Seed - I like to use Bob's Red Mill.  Its cheaper than buying wheat germ and is high in Omega 3s.  I like to add mine to smoothies, pancake, waffle and muffin batter, meatball mixture, on top of yogurt.

Walnuts - You need to keep these int he fridge if you buy a very large package like I did a few weeks ago.  Walnuts are very high in Omega 3s and yummy on salad, yogurt or with a piece of fruit.

Chicken Breasts - You can freeze these to stock up.  Chicken breast is low in fat and high in protein.  I don't think I need to explain what you can do with chicken, but you can grill a few pounds at a time and use for quick meals during the week.  Like a pasta toss or on top of salad.

Protein Bars - Let's face it, we're all in a hurry at one time or another.  While I don't recommend eating them more than once a day, I do like to keep one in my purse for a quick snack or lunch.  Better than getting a donut:)

Peanut Butter - While high in fat, peanut butter in  moderation is a good way to get a quick shot of protein.  Have it with an apple or a banana.  Spread it on a rice cake or a piece of whole wheat bread.

Greek Style Yogurt - My favorite brands are Chobani and Fage.  I tried the Yoplait brand and it was just okay.  Try buying plain.  You can use it in place of sour cream or mayo. I like to mix mine with honey and frozen berries, topped with walnuts.  Greek yogurt is a lot higher in protein than regular too.  Chobani has 22 grams per serving and Fage has 19 grams.

Honey - This is a great way to sweeten in stead of sugar, and its pretty affordable compared to stevia.  A little goes a long way in oatmeal, yogurt, tea, or on top of pancakes.

Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese - Yes, you heard me, whole milk.  Whole milk mozzarella cheese is really not that high in fat when it comes to cheese.  Plus its a lot more satisfying that the low-fat varieties.  Use it for homemade pizza and pasta dishes, also add to salads, or have a slice with an apple or fresh blueberries.

Eggs - I like Eggland's Best.  They are lower in fat, and higher in Omega 3s than regular eggs.  I'm not a fan of egg whites, and since these are expensive, use the whole egg.  A whole egg isn't bad for you.  The yolk is full of more nutrients than just the whites. 

Butter - Yes, real butter.  In moderation its not going to harm your diet.  Plus its more satisfying than low fat spreads.  And its all natural.

If you are stocked up on some healthy, satisfying foods, chances are you'll stick to your nutrition plan instead of being tempted to go out and grab some fast food.  If you need more ideas on what to stock up on, you can join Team Beachbody's Club Membership program. For less than the price of a daily latte ($2.99 per week), you can get custom meal plans, recipes and shopping lists.  Nutrition is 70% - 80% of the equation of getting healthy or losing weight.  And sometimes we're lost when it comes to what to eat.  So I think its money well spent:)

A single guy's (or gal's) guide to fast & easy eating

The other day, a 23 year old, young man that I'm coaching asked me about what he can eat doing Insanity as far as fast food goes.  I'm not a big fan of fast food although I will indulge my kids with it once in a great while.  But I try to make good choices for them when they do have it on the rare occasion.

But for this young guy, he was looking to eat it daily.  I cringed a little, but he's young.  But he's old enough to know how to cook and plan his time wisely.  He also has the Insanity Nutrition guide, but he said it looked to hard to follow and too expensive.

When my I met my husband he was a little older than 23. He lived with a bunch of guys in the ultimate bachelor pad.  They were all into working out and they did try to eat right.  So my husband would grill up big batches of chicken breasts for the week.  He's also stock up on baking potatoes and frozen veggies.  And he had a nice line up of spices and seasonings.  On Sundays he would grill up the chicken and put it in a plastic container into the fridge.  There he had instant lunches and dinners.  All he had to do was nuke some veggies and a potato, add some hot sauce and voila, meal ready.

So, it really doesn't take a lot of planning or time management skills to do this.  And in the long run its a lot cheaper than going out for fast food everyday and healthier too.

I really hope the 23 year old takes my advice.  I don't want to see him do a program like Insanity and not see the results because of bad eating habits.

You too, don't let bad eating habits spoil your workouts.

Recession Proof Ingredients

Times are still tough for a lot of families.  Its tempting to stop eating healthy in order to save money.  But there are still some very affordable options that can keep you and your family eating right.