FitSugar

Kashi Go Lean: Blueberry Waffles

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day - it helps fire up your metabolism! There are so many healthy and quick options to choose from, you really have no excuse not to eat a little somethin'-somethin' in the morning.

I love toaster waffles and while hanging out in the frozen food section recently (it was HOT outside), I discovered Kashi GOLEAN Waffles with Blueberries. I have been eating Van's Waffles for years, I thought I would push my personal boundaries and try a new waffle.

The Kashi waffle is loaded with goodness and low in the calorie department. My major problem is the waffles, no matter how long I toasted them, never became crispy. The texture is just lacking and a little sponge like. I found the Kashi waffle wasn't as sweet as the Van's, which is fine with me. Curiously enough, the Kashi waffles contain a bit more sugar and a lot more protein! Two waffles with some plain yogurt and sliced banana kept me full from breakfast until lunch - no morning snack needed.

Here's a nutritional comparison:

Brand	Serving Size	Calories	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)
Kashi Go Lean Blueberry	2 waffles - 84 g	170	3	6	8	4
Van's Organic Blueberry	2 waffles - 80 g	240	10	4	5	2

Try some for yourself - here is the Kashi store locator so you can find a grocery that sells them near you.

Healthy and Quick: Van's Waffles for Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no lie. And it is the most important meal of the day too. It jump starts your metabolism and eating breakfast regularly is one habit of healthy people (there are 6 others, but this one is easy). Now on those rushed mornings when the toaster is your only option, don't stick any old toaster pastry in there. Go with Van's waffles.

Van's waffles are a hit at my house even my little girls love them. We buy only the ones with the whole grain stamp on the box, since not all Van's varieties are created equal when it comes to fiber and it is the fiber that keeps you full. I go for the Flax variety since it contains 6 grams of fiber as well as 1600 mg of omega-3s. Eating 2 of these waffles in the morning is a great non-fishy way to get more of that good fat in your diet. The MultiGrain waffle is also popular at my house. While it only has 5 grams of fiber per serving, it has 4 grams sugar (1 less than the flax) and only 190 calories, that is 70 calories less than the flax variety. When shopping for the Van's waffles read the labels since some of them are not as healthy as my faves.

I top them with Fage non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit. There is no need to add syrup since the waffles are sweet on their own.

If you'd like to try some, just enter your zip code on Van's home page and they will find the store closest to you that sells them. Look for them at Trader Joe's, since they have the best price.

5 Ways With Mochi

Susannah Chen — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:21:10 PDT

You may have heard of mochi, the Japanese cake made with sweet, glutinous rice. You may have even enjoyed it as the shell of mochi ice cream, a frozen dessert popular at Japanese restaurants. But do you know that mochi can be a sweet or savory component in just about any meal?

I recently discovered this when I spotted bake-and-serve packs of mochi next to tofu in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods. I did a little research and some experimentation in the kitchen with what I found and quickly learned that mochi lends a totally different textural component to a meal than, say, bread, potatoes, or even rice. There are a ton of simple ways to start out experimenting with this lesser-known product. Here are five of my favorite ways to do it.

Mural Meals: Turn Pancakes Into Edible Works of Art

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PST

Feel free to play with your food! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but active tots aren't always willing to spend time eating it. Before lobbing another round pancake on their plate, take a look at these flapjacks created by a dad of two over at Jim's Pancakes. Using a pancake recipe, food coloring, and a squeeze bottle, he's managed to turn the traditional breakfast favorite into works of art. The picturesque meals may take a lil more effort than a waffle thrown in the toaster or a granola bar on the run, but for a special occasion or a lazy weekend, this may be all your tyke needs to stay seated at the table.

Photos courtesy of Jim's Pancakes