Skinny Bitch_ Ultimate Everyday Cookbook - Kim Barnouin [40]
Srv: 1 Biscuit | Cal: 230 | Fat: 12 g | Sat Fat: 4.5 g | Col: 0 mg | Carb: 26 g | Fib: 1 g | Pro: 3 g
BITCHWORTHY: WHEN YOU ARE BAKING, COLD INGREDIENTS WILL AFFECT THE OVERALL TEMPERATURE, LEAVING PARTS OF THE BATTER TO BAKE FASTER THAN OTHERS. SO SET OUT THE REFRIGERATED ITEMS AHEAD OF TIME AND ALLOW THEM TO REACH ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO BAKE. WORKS LIKE A CHARM.
Maple and Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
I make these a few times a week with my son sitting on the counter stirring the batter in a bowl between his legs. Together, we make the most heavenly and fluffy batch that you would never imagine they are dairy-free. The maple and apple topping is the perfect touch to jazz up regular pancakes for a family brunch or morning tea with girlfriends.
MAKES 8 PANCAKES
1 cup (130 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 cup (240 ml) almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons Earth Balance, divided
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
⅓ cup (75 ml) pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla extract, and oil. Combine the milk mixture and the flour mixture, and whisk until smooth. If the batter is too thick, add more of the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Heat 1 tablespoon of the Earth Balance in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the batter into the hot pan and cook until the batter starts to bubble. Flip with a spatula and cook until the other side is golden brown.
In a medium sauté pan, melt the remaining Earth Balance. Add the apples and sauté about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup, the remaining cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Stir and cook 2 minutes. Place the maple apples on top of the pancakes.
Srv: 1 Pancake | Cal: 110 g | Fat: 4 g | Sat Fat: 0 g | Col: 0 mg | Carb: 17 g | Fib: 1 g | Pro: 2 g
Maple-Apple Topping: Srv: 54 g | Cal: 60 | Fat: 1.5 g | Sat Fat: 0 g | Col: 0 mg | Carb: 12 g | Fib: 1 g | Pro: 0 g
Brain Boosters
Morning Foods That Boost Your IQ
Everyone seems to have an excuse for missing breakfast. I can’t, I’ll be late for work. I’m not hungry. That damn Lucky Charms leprechaun still haunts my dreams at night. Yada, yada, yada.
Grow the hell up. Studies have found that breakfast is needed more for the brain than the stomach. The decision to eat a meal before kicking off your day has a radical impact on your mood, memory, concentration, and learning capabilities. This is even more important for children. Kids who eat breakfast have proven to score higher on standardized tests, exude better behavior and focus in the classroom.91 Give it up for the most important meal of the day.
BREAKFAST IMPROVES YOUR MEMORY: Food supplies your body with a steady supply of glucose. When you neglect to feed your body, it has to dig into its energy and protein sources to get it. This is a much slower process than converting food directly into fuel, and results in your brain working about as well as a car running on fumes. Fill ‘er up! Remember the last meal you had prior to breakfast was dinner. It’s been a whopping eight to twelve hours, genius.
BREAKFAST IMPROVES YOUR CONCENTRATION: Having food in your system in the morning affects your level of alertness and ability to focus on one thing. You also think faster on your feet to process and solve problems.
BREAKFAST PUTS YOU IN A BETTER MOOD: Your body needs a sufficient amount of vitamin B, such as niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and folic acid to maintain serotonin levels. Serotonin is what makes you all happy and bushy-tailed. If you are hungry and crabby, you’re more likely to head for the vending machine at lunch. Dumb move, grouchy ass.92