Giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Rachel Wang on winning!
September is “Better Breakfast Month,” and although it seems that somehow the month is almost over, I think celebrating breakfast is something worth doing. When the California Almond Board asked if I’d like to help them celebrate, I said yes – I love breakfast, and I think it’s important to make time to eat a filling and healthy meal first thing in the morning. So they sent me some almonds and almond butter (and they’ll do the same for one of you, see the giveaway details at the end of this post!), and I whipped up some almondy waffles to keep me full and happy.
Weekend breakfasts are a time when I can find myself over-indulging. I just love breakfast foods – eggs and bacon, fruit smoothies, waffles, french toast, cheesy grits, bagel sandwiches, stuffed crepes, leftover apple pie (does that count as a breakfast food?) – and sometimes it can be tempting to eat a little bit of everything. I decided to make one of my favorite indulgent breakfasts, waffles and maple syrup, a little bit healthier by replacing half of the flour with ground almonds, and swapping out the maple syrup for some lightly sweetened stewed apples (disregard the ice cream in the photo, that didn’t make anyone any healthier… but oh man was it good). The waffles turned out great – airy and slightly almondy with crispy edges. They were a little drier than my usual recipe, but I felt good about the extra protein and fiber I was getting from a meal that is typically an excuse to gorge on empty calories. And the flavor of the cinnamon, almonds, and apples were so autumnal – the perfect thing to eat on your porch on a sunny Saturday morning.
The Almond Board also shared some other ideas for quick and filling breakfasts. Some of them I’d heard before, but some were brand new – and really good – ideas. Some of my favorites?
- Satisfy your sweet tooth with a second breakfast “sundae” treat. Swirl a tablespoon of almond butter and a teaspoon of sweetened cocoa into oatmeal; top with fresh fruit and some warm skim milk and you’ll have a breakfast that will surely keep you company till lunch.
- Weekday french toast: Beat an egg along with a dash of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Dip a slice of 100% whole grain toast bread into the egg mixture and cook on the stovetop in a nonstick pan. Top with sliced almonds, warm berries or sliced banana for an easy way to enjoy a hot, well-rounded breakfast.
- Raise a glass to a refreshing way to start the day with this unique, really tasty smoothie: in a blender combine 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 baked sweet potato, 1/2 banana, 1 tablespoon of almond butter and 3 ice cubes. Blend together and you’ll be off to a smooth start with the natural sweetness of the banana and sweet potato, both potassium powerhouses!
Giveaway details: The California Almond Board has offered to send one of you a Better Breakfast Starter Kit, with one pound of whole almonds, one pound of sliced almonds, one jar of almond butter, a reusable insulated travel pouch for breakfasts on-the-go, and one $20 Visa gift card to buy anything else that makes your breakfast better. To enter, leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite way to make your breakfast a little bit healthier is. By entering, you are agreeing to the official rules as listed here:
No purchase necessaryVoid where prohibitedOne entry per household, and only entries answering the question above will be considered!The sponsor of this giveaway is the California Almond Board
The estimated retail value of the Better Breakfast Starter Kit is $50The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries receivedThis contest is only open to U.S. Citizens over the age of 18The contest will open today, September 29th at posting time, and will close at 11PM EST on Friday, October 4th, 2013One winner will be selected randomly and contacted via email (so please leave an accurate email address!). If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, the winner forfeits their prize and an alternate winner will be chosen.I will post the winner here by Friday, October 11th.
Disclaimer: California Almond Board sent me a Better Breakfast Starter Kit to create this recipe, and is the host of this giveaway. I was not otherwise compensated.
Cinnamon-Almond Waffles
Serves 4.
- 1 c. sliced almonds
- 1 c. AP flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 c. milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/3 c. vegetable oil
- pinch cream of tartar
- Place the sliced almonds in a food processor or blender. Pulse for 2-3 seconds at a time until the almonds have a consistency finer than cornmeal (if you blend for too long, the almonds will eventually turn into almond butter, which is way pulsing them is better). Sift the almond flour through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium mixing bowl, placing any almond pieces that are too large to go through the sieve back into the food processor to be re-processed. Continue until you have 3/4 cup of almond flour.
- Add the AP flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, and salt to the almond flour, and whisk until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until pale yellow and thick. Add the milk and the almond extract and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to this batter, and stir until fully mixed, then whisk in the vegetable oil.
- In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are frothy, then sprinkle with a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to beat until they form stiff, shiny peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, stirring as few times as possible to incorporate the egg whites without deflating them. Preheat and prepare your waffle iron, then cook the waffles on it according to manufacturer instructions. Serve hot with apple pie topping (recipe below) and ice cream if you’re feeling indulgent.
Apple Pie Topping
Makes about 2 cups.
- 2 large apples, such as Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 1 TBS cinnamon
- 2 TBS water
- 1/3 c. sliced almonds
- Add the apple pieces, sugar, cinnamon, and water to a small saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples have started to soften and the sugar has thickened into a loose caramel. Add the almonds and cook 1 minute longer, then remove from heat and serve over waffles or ice cream.
Such an awesome giveaway! I still eat an over easy egg with toast each morning, boring perhaps, but my great grandmother did so and lived to the age of 98.
I make breakfast healthier by actually having breakfast. I’ve learned it is the most important meal of the day. After a breakfast of granola made of organic products, fruits, nuts, and almond milk, I’m ready to take on the day!
I make by breakfast a little bit healthier by adding greens to my morning smoothie
My family makes our own oatmeal out of the big container and sweeten it with fruit.
Breakfast is my favorite meal, so I was super excited to see this blog post about waffles (one of my favorite real fast foods) and I can’t wait to make it!! I love to add vanilla protein powder or flaxseed to my oatmeal in the morning to give it a bit more nutritional protein and sweetness. I also love almond butter instead of peanut on whole grain toast with fresh strawberries!
What a great giveaway! I love to add nuts to my cold cereal and steel-cut oats … so satisfying!
I love egg white omelettes for a protein-packed brunch. Filled with veggies and topped with salsa – very filling and healthy!
I enjoy a Wasa toast with a thick layer of almond butter and a bit of honey each morning.
I have whole wheat toast with almond butter on top, and a smoothie which includes plain nonfat greek yogurt, mixed berries and a touch of honey!
I try to use whole wheat flour rather than AP or half and half. It makes me feel a little healthier at least.
During the workweek, I love a protein drink with fresh fruit and homemade almond milk. On the weekends, it’s steel-cut oatmeal with a bit of butter, cinnamon, sliced almonds, fresh fruit and homemade almond milk.
Instead of instant oatmeal in the packets, I’ll use oatmeal from the can, mixed with yogurt.
I add fruit and make sure to eat less protein
I like to use egg whites.
Hi, Katie – it was great to meet you in Seattle.
I love fresh fruit for breakfast!
I like oatmeal with fresh berries and sliced almonds.
I like to add fruitt and spices.
I love adding hemp seeds or crushed nuts to my morning cereal!
I mix greek yogurt, fresh fruit, chopped nuts and chia seeds into my oatmeal
Lately, I’ve been making my own granola for cereal in the morning. I also made a nectarine compote to give it more flavor and some sweetness.
I always start the day with organic coffee and fresh fruit, and sometimes some whole grain pancakes.
I like to add oats and fruit to make my day healthier right from the start.
I buy unsweetened chocolate almond milk and sweeten it with stevia instead! Stick it in the microwave and it’s like hot chocolate :)
Nuts and Greek yogurt after my workout. And if it’s a coffee morning, which it more than likely is (ha!), I use a splash of light cream and one packet of raw sugar. No more over-processed breakfast bars and empty carbs for me!
mt
I use bananas to sweeten, instead of sugar!
I eat greek yogurt with fruit and granola in the morning. Weekends it’s waffles with fruit and honey.
Nice giveaway. I know it’s no much, but my family likes to drink a cup of milk with a mix of grounded flax seeds and a walnut-sesame powder/mix. Small healthy drink to start the day.
I like to substitute whole grain flour and add flaxseed to any receipt that I can.
I love adding nut butters to make my breakfast more filling!
i have started making my own trail mix and granola to ensure that I am controlling the amounts of sugar that go into them.
I love to add fresh fruit (i.e. to oatmeal)!
When the weather is warm, I’m all about green smoothies or greek yogurt with berries. But now that the weather is cooling down a bit, I love steel cut oats and waffles made with whole grain flour.
I love using fresh ingredients, gluten-free flours, and nut butters!
Cinnamon and apples really go hand in hand. I plan on making this for breakfast and having these desserts at night. http://celebritychef.tv/2013/09/25/hedy-goldsmith-the-doyenne-of-dessert/
I make a crustless quiche with spinach and mushrooms to add more veggies in my day!
I always eat fresh fruit for breakfast.
Those waffles look amazing! My favorite way to make breakfast healthier is to boost the protein, by incorporating eggs, flax and chia seeds, hummus, or nut butters. It also keeps me full until lunchtime!
I make my breakfast healthier by adding a little flax seed to my cereal, or in my pancake and waffle batter.
I like to add an avocado to my breakfast. I cook it in an omelette, or I’ll top the omelette with the avocado. i also cream it and mix with Greek yogurt and honey – it gives a nutty taste and is surprisingly good.
My favorite breakfast is wheat toast topped with avocado and a fried egg- very filling, and the avocado gives you a nice energy boost!
I like to make my breakfast a little healthier by serving real, whole foods… eggs made into delicious omelets filled with veggies fresh from the garden, homemade Greek yogurt with fruit and honey – no icky preservatives, or overnight oats made with organic gluten free oats and chia seeds. I always feel so much better when I start my day off right!
I have switched to only eating egg whites in my omelet and cutting out — yikes — bacon! :(
Oatmeal with added protein powder, bananas, and frozen fruit!
katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com
I normally just have a yogurt and an apple for breakfast, but on weekends I like to blend some gluten-free pancake mix with an egg and a cup of cottage cheese. It tastes like the fluffiest cheesecake ever and has 30 g of protein per serving!
add fresh fruit to my cereal
I make breakfast a little bit healthier by making sure we ate a good breakfast we make at home. We know what we are eating. We control the ingredients.