Whole Wheat Waffles

Nothing says a perfect Saturday like making my love a good breakfast and I always know what he'll LOVE!

For his first birthday after we were married I surprised him with these waffles and you'd think he'd died. I owe it all to my sister-in-law who told me about this amazing topping! Thanks Tammy!

Whole Wheat Waffles: adapted from romanceonadime.com
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. granulated sugar
2 T. baking powder
1-1/2 t. salt
4 large eggs, lightly beated
3-1/2 C. milk
3/4 C butter, melted
2 t. vanilla extract

1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
2. Add in beaten eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla extract.
3. Beat until well combined. There shouldn't be any lumps.

Pour pancake mix into your griddle and cook to the specifications for your griddle. Our was just under medium and it beeps when it's done. Easy!

Now, this next part is the reason you're here! The easiest topping ever but it's SOO good.

Vanilla Whipped Topping:
You will need:
1 container of CoolWhip
1 package of vanilla pudding mix

Yep, that's it! 

Mix the two together and you have it! I told you it was easy!

Pick your favorite fruit to top it off. I usually choose sliced strawberries, lightly sugared.

Top your waffles with vanilla CoolWhip and sliced strawberries and dig in!

Healthy Challenge - Day #12 -- Breakfast

Don't cut out breakfast!  

Too many people believe that is the way to lose weight-but it's not!

Here are 10 reasons to eat breakfast:

1- Jump start your day. Breakfast can provide you with the right nutrients to give you fuel for the day.

2- People who eat breakfast usually consume more nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

3- Eating breakfast means you'll snack on bad things less throughout the day! This actually cuts calories!

4- The American Heart Association shows that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be diabetic.

5- A balanced breakfast can help control your weight!

6- Like the Frosted Mini Wheats commercial says - breakfast keeps you "full and focused".
Breakfast jump starts your day and gets your metabolism moving.

7- Eating breakfast gives you more energy which leads to higher fitness levels.

8- Happier You! Nobody is very happy when they're hungry!

9- Eating breakfast can reduce your stress!

10- Eggs, a very popular breakfast food is very good for your skin! 

Like I've been telling you my husband has been meeting with a professional nutritionist and has been given very specific meal plans giving him the optimal nutritional value.

Breakfast consists of eggs and oatmeal. It's great and since I've started eating that I can really tell a difference in the way I feel during my mornings. It beats the groggy feeling I have when I just lay in bed and wait till the last minute to grab a granola bar and race out the door! 

Conference Cake

This week we are attempting a very simple and straight forward 'coffee cake" or as I'm calling it, Conference Cake.

But first, a little bit about what we did this weekend and why I'm calling this "Conference Cake". 

This weekend marked the 182nd Annual General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

General Conference is an opportunity to hear from living prophets and apostles who can provide us with counsel, guidance and inspiration from Jesus Christ, who leads our church today just like he did anciently. This conference happens twice a year and is broadcast to people worldwide. 
To learn more about our church please visit mormon.org

just us, ready to head to SLC. Isn't he the cutest? 

We went to Salt Lake City and attended one of the 4 sessions of conference. They are spread over Saturday and Sunday. It was amazing! We love being there with thousands of other people from all over the world!

Isn't that a beautiful pipe organ? 

Imagine the sound that thing can make!

Between sessions we went back to the truck and had a picnic! I know, cute right? It was fun and we didn't have to spend money at an expensive downtown restaurant!  WIN WIN!

 Look at him in those suspenders and that mustache. 

(Coming off today- end of mustache march!)

It was a great day and we had lots of fun checking out the new city creek center which had a lot of things we will never be able to afford!

So on to Conference Cake.

As Mike and I are just starting out our family we talked about traditions we want to start surrounding conference weekend and the great time that it already is.

So for Sunday I want to have a great breakfast like my mom always did for us on conference morning. She always did omelets with whatever we wanted inside! DELICIOUS!

This year we did breakfast burritos with eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese. YUM!!

Also I tried a coffee cake- I love 'coffee' cake. :) So I decided to do "Conference Cake" as part of our bi-yearly tradition!

This recipe is super easy and can be adapted to fit your family.




Conference Cake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.

Cake:
1 egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup oil
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 TBS Baking Powder
1 tsp. salt

Beat eggs, stir in milk and oil. Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy.

Spread into pan.

Topping:
1.5 cups brown sugar (packed)
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1.5 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margine, soften.

Mix first four ingredients, then cut in butter until well mixed.

Put the topping on the unbaked cake batter.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the topping is crisp.

This was so good! My husband loved the sweet topping with the slightly crunchy texture. I loved the moisture of the cake!!