French Toast is Good for You

It is! It really is! I feel like French Toast is always placed in the “heavy” breakfast category along with stacks of pancakes, big Belgium waffles, and other sweet breakfast classics.

Sure, I mean if you’re using super thick brioche slices cooked on a skillet coated in butter, and then proceed to top it with more butter and a river of maple syrup…then yes, probably should save that for special occasions only.

However, for me, all I need is that egg-soaked bread and a drizzle of 100% pure maple syrup and I am in breakfast heaven! I have a slight obsession with real maple syrup….sooooooooo good!

Think about it. Say I use this recipe:

• 2 slices fresh whole grain bread** (I love a nice soft honey whole wheat…Natures Pride makes an awesome one!)


• 1 egg + 1 egg white


• 2 T skim milk


• 1/4 tsp vanilla


• few shakes of cinnamon (or more if you want!)


• pinch of salt

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat

Using a fork or whisk, beat egg together with milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

Spray pan with a canola oil cooking spray

Dip each slice of bread into batter, turning to coat both sides. Fresh bread should not need to soak for any length of time in the batter.

Cook for 2-4 min on each side, keep an eye on it…you just want it nice and golden brown.

serve with your favorite toppings such as: maple syrup (!!), sliced banana, peanut butter, almond butter, jam…you name it!

**NOTE: Some classic French Toast recipes call for stale bread, which will soak for longer and absorb more egg batter. While this can be very tasty, it will obviously increase the calorie count and take a little longer…this is assuming you happen to have stale bread around.

The reason I like this version of French Toast is that it is SUPER FAST, convenient, and healthy!

It’s basically like having 2 slices of whole grain toast and 1 egg scrambled with a little milk. Instead your egg and milk are in your toast :)

A quick nutritional data calculation gave me:

For 2 slices French Toast + 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup = approximately 335 calories, 9 grams fat, and 15 grams protein!! (this was based off using Pepperidge Farm whole grain Oatmeal bread, which is what I used this particular time…just think if you used a higher protein bread!)

I’d say that’s a great amount of protein for a “carb” breakfast, plus a nice balance of carbs, fat, and protein to keep you fuller longer.

If I have one around, I love adding sliced banana with this meal as well…tastes delicious with the French Toast and maple syrup.

Even better with a foamy cappuccino!

My next favorite way to serve this breakfast classic is the “stuffed” variety.

For a change, I may take one of my slices…

• cut it in half


• spread half with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese


• spread the other half with an all-fruit Jam (such as Trader Joe’s Raspberry fruit spread…LOVE!)


• Sandwich back together


• continue devouring your breakfast


• don’t forget the syrup ;)

This combination tastes so much more decadent than it actually is! Delicious.

Of course you could just do both slices in delicious sandwich form, but sometimes I just need the classic with my beloved maple syrup.

I enjoyed both of those beautiful breakfasts while on my holiday break from work last week! Now if only we had a stove in the office ;)

To balance things out, I’d also like to mention a particularly simple yet fantastic lunch I made myself one day after a particularly sweaty hot power yoga class!

Tuna.

Sometimes I just crave some tuna. Such an easy way to add some protein to a salad or sandwich.

I didn’t want the usual mayo this day though. I wanted something a bit more exciting, and I love how this came out.

Tuna with Shredded Carrots on Arugula

• 1 – 5oz. can of tuna in water, drained (I used solid white albacore)


• 2-4 tsp light mayo – to taste (I personally have never liked a lot of mayo.)


• **optional, use half mayo, half non-fat Greek yogurt! (I didn’t have any on hand at the time or I would of done this)


• 1 tsp Dijon mustard


• 1 carrot, shredded


• 1 T chopped bread and butter pickles (I didn’t measure but I used about a heaping forkful of pickles)


• Combine all ingredients above


• season with salt and pepper to taste


• serve over a bed of baby arugula


• squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon juice over greens and tuna!


• Enjoy.

I rounded out this lunch with a microwave-baked sweet potato!

with approx. 1 tsp butter and a tiny drizzle of maple syrup (obviously)

I just made myself SO hungry…

I still need to cover some of the dinners made on break as well. I really did love having all that extra time in the kitchen!

Fitness Check In

I get so wrapped up in the food, I forget to blog about my workouts?!

So lets just start off with the new year!

• Saturday – Jan 1 – it was SO nice out here, so Brian and I took the dog out for a run/walk. I left the boys at some point to get some solid running in, but we covered about 5.8 miles in total (I probably ran for 3.5-4 of them).


• Monday – Kick Boxing. This is the one class I am always determined to make it to every week. It kicks my butt!! Lots of punches, kicks, squats, intervals…best class at my gym in my opinion.


• Tonight – Tonight I had a Small Group Training class at my gym. These are small classes you pay extra for. I am not usually keen on paying extra but this one is worth it…it’s more of a boot camp style class. We do cardio on a step with a medicine ball for a portion, and then various stations around the room working ALL the muscles. I am dead afterwards :)


• Tomorrow – Hoping to make it to Body Pump, haven’t been in over a month!

Happy Wednesday…we’re over the hump!