Good morning! I am up bright and chipper–one hour earlier than normal! I’ve got a proposal due in the afternoon, so I need to start work ASAP…. looks like today is going to be a two cup coffee day! 🙂

I made Waffle Stuffing for breakfast this AM.  I call this dish Waffle Stuffing because it looks like stuffing and has the same consistency of stuffing…  Also, I find it hard to control myself around stuffing at Thanksgiving (and why should I, seriously!?), and I have to fight the same urge to shove this breakfast down my throat! MMMMM It’s delicious!

For those of you who hate the consistency of oatmeal or just need a oatmeal break, this may be a good hot breakfast alternative!

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen WW waffles
• 1 large banana, sliced
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• Toppings:  chopped almonds, drizzle of maple syrup

Directions:

• Toast waffles as your normally would.
• In a saucepan, heat milk + sliced banana.
• While waiting for the milk to boil, dice waffles into small 1-inch pieces.
• When milk boils, add waffle slices and stir rapidly 10 times with a spoon.
• Remove from heat, serve in bowl, add toppings, and enjoy!

I had a nice cup of coffee (#1!) on the side.

The consistency and sweet flavor of this dish is so  amazing.   Sometimes you just have to think outside the frozen waffle box!

Fun Facts of the Day

Oprah was filled with fun exercise and nutritional facts.  Here are some of my favorites from this month’s magazine:

• Question: Should you skip your workout or not?  Answer:  Unless your fatigue is accompanied by a sign of illness or injury, exercise will help you ditch the lack of energy….when women and men work out for 20 minutes a day, three days a week, they reduced their fatigue by half and boasted energy by 20% compared to non-exercising peers.   Exercises releases chemicals that jump-start parts of the brain associated with fatigue and energy. 

• Question: I’ve been straining nonfat yogurt and pouring off the whey to get a thicker consistency.  Am I diminishing the nutritional value of the yogurt?  Answer:  Whey is the white liquid that accumulates at the top of plain yogurt.  Whey contains only a small amount of calcium; however, if you strain the yogurt for several hours using a cheesecloth, about half of the calcium goes down the drain.  Bottom line:  Mix the whey in!

• New research suggests that people who consumed an apple 15 minutes before lunch ate nearly 190 calories fewer during their mid-day meal, compared to individuals who’d taken in the same # of calories (125) in the form of applesauce, fiber-fortified apple juice, and plain apple juice.  Not all calories are created equal — a whole apple feels like more because its packed with fiber and nutrients.