Vegan Beef Wellington

Jon & I have really been into the show “Master Chef Junior”. The talent of those young kids is ridiculous! Along with being amazed at their skill, some of the challenges have also been inspiring. In one of the early episodes, the contestants had to take on Gordon Ramsey’s specialty, the Beef Wellington. They fared pretty well – their dish looked amazing – and I got to thinking it’d be a fun dish to create at home.

Now, usually there are recipes for Vegan _____ all over the internet. I was pretty surprised when the few recipes I could find just involved sticking a Field Roast into a puff pastry. A Beef Wellington has so many more layers of flavor than that! So I decided to come up with a recipe on my own eek!

I've never had actual Beef Wellington, but the omnivore in the household seems to like my creation. I thought the Wild Mushroom quarter loaf from Field Roast would play well with the rest of the flavors in the dish. I also made mushroom gravy to top off everything, but you could do a simple turkey-style gravy as well. I can’t say that this tastes exactly like Beef Wellington, but I can tell you the leftovers don’t last long at our house!

Ingredients
1 Wild Mushroom Field Roast Quarter Loaf
1 Sheet Aussie Bakery Puff Pastry
4 slices Peppered Tofurkey Slices
1 recipe Mushroom Duxelle (recipe below)
Mustard (for brushing)
Non-dairy milk (for brushing – I used almond)

This is a time-intensive recipe, but there are a few things you can do to cut down on the time, like making the mushroom duxelle ahead of time and leaving the puff pastry out to thaw while you catch up on your episodes of Scandal :)

Pre-heat your oven to 375 & make sure your puff pastry is thawed or is thawing. Pan-sear the quarter loaf in a thin layer of oil. While warm, brush with a layer of mustard and set aside.

Prepare the mushroom duxelle: Sauté 1/2c onions in oil until translucent. Add 1 tsp of minced garlic and 8oz of mushrooms. I prefer a mix of cremini and portabella. After the mushrooms have released their juices (about 5 minutes) add 1/4c red cooking wine. Continue to simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and process until the mixture becomes smooth. You should now have what looks like a mushroom paste. Transfer the past back to your sauté pan and cook the paste for 5-7 minutes until it has reduced. This may seem like a silly step, but it will cook off the extra moisture and prevent your Wellington from getting soggy during baking! Set the duxelle aside to cool.

Roll out the puff pastry into a thin layer. I usually use about 2/3 of the sheet (and make mini cinnamon rolls with the remaining sheet for dessert!). Layer first with the Tofurkey Slices and then the Mushroom Duxelle. Place the quarter loaf in the center and roll up tightly. Use non-dairy milk or water to seal the edges.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown. While the Wellington is baking is a great time to make your gravy.

Slice and serve with your choice of side – we’ve done mash potatoes, cheesy potatoes, as well as a hearty side of greens!

I did my best to explain my method, but I referenced this site a lot while I was making this for the first time. Great explanation of the technique!

Strength Training - Not to be Overlooked!

If any of you were following my goal to complete a half-marathon this year, you most likely know that I injured myself around week 12 of my 16 week training schedule. I had an inflamed patellar tendon ("patellar tendonitis") - a not so  uncommon injury to runners. Unfortunately most runners will experience 'runners knee' or 'jumpers knee' at some point in their career. It can be caused by things such as overuse, increasing mileage too quickly, or like my doctor pointed to - a lack of strength training.

I started with good intentions. I religiously woke up at 4:30 am to hit the gym with my hubby, who at the time was training for a body building competition. It was the middle of a Michigan winter, and too dangerous for me to run outside (hello, icy streets!). I would run 4 times a week, and do strength training 2-3 times a week, focusing on lower body one day and my upper body the next time around. And I would do abs! I would always work my abs. Well, my hubby's competition came and went, and with it so did my motivation to get my butt out of bed. I kept up the running, of course. I knew at some point my legs would have to carry my body 13.1 and then 15.5 miles to a finish line. Then, about a month after I had stopped strength training, my knee pain started. I had to take a full 2 weeks off from running, since I couldn't manage more than a walk without unbearable pain. I was frustrated not being able to run with the races so close & frustrated with myself for ignoring this critical piece of training.

Well, thankfully I was able to finish both races strong. I would be lying though if I told you I wasn't paranoid during the entire length of both races that my knee pain would come back at mile 9 and I would find myself walking to the finish line. My doctor confirmed this all could have been avoided if I just had kept up my simple strength training sessions. I decided I couldn't beat myself up about past decisions, and focused on eating healthy & slowly building my mileage back up. I also incorporated yoga-like stretching sessions to my workout routine - low impact exercises that wouldn't irritate my knee pain but would build up some strength into my muscles.

As my races were nearing, I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. I knew I had to put on some muscle (see my wake-up call post), but I also wanted to maintain my cardio level developed by all the running I had been doing. Talking to my fitfam online, a few people mentioned either Les Mills Pump or Combat as a supplement to my running. I settled on Les Mills Combat because it seemed to have the perfect cross-training mix. The 'cardio' days are a mixture of different martial arts style that take me back to my favorite kickboxing gyms I've worked out in the past. And the days focused on improving upper & lower body strength are perfect for runners, in my opinion. Lots of lunges &  lots of squats to scuplt sexy strong legs. Upper body strength is improved by focusing on simple moves using body weight, like pushups and burpees, or doing moves like overhead presses & tricep extensions with 5 to 10 pound weights.

Do not skip these workouts! Press Play!

I'm only 2 weeks into this program, but I can already feel an improvement in my strength. I stink at doing pushups. I hate them! Hate. Them. However, I can get through a set of 16 now without needing a break. And I feel more powerful during my runs, thanks to the hundreds of squats and lunges I've done by now.

I know it can be easy to overlook strength training. It's easy to pass it up for a cardio workout that will give you a higher calorie burn. In the wise words of Chalene Johnson though, let's remember that "Muscle Burns Fat!!" build up some lean muscle and your metabolism & body will both be thanking you! LM Combat can be a perfect fit to your workout regimen, especially if you are a runner. The 30-60 minute cardio routines are great for cross training days, and focus on pylometic training, and will help you in those last stages of your races. The 25-30 minute strength training DVDs I talked about above are a great second workout to do on days you have a run scheduled.

If you're a runner, please don't overlook strength or cross training. Whatever your fitness journey, I want you to be successful! I'm sharing these tips so you don't suffer the same setbacks I have. If you have any questions, or need any help, use me as a resource! I'd love to help!

I want YOU to make it across the finish line!

♥L

LM Combat: Day 6 Update

The past few days have been a bit busy for me between work & school, but I have been keeping up with my LM workouts! I can't stress enough how important it is to schedule your workouts at least a day in advanced. Otherwise, you'll keep pushing them back in the day until you're at a point you just want to sleep! I'm totally guilty of doing this in the past! For me what works best is dragging my butt out of bed earlier than normal and getting my workout done in the AM. Otherwise I just end up making too many excuses during the day & they don't get done!

Ok, I'm done with my speech. You came here to read how LM Combat is going, not to be lectured :)

On Thursday (day 4) a friend of mine came over and we busted our butt through HIIT: Plyo & Inner Warrior together. It's always more fun to workout with friends! I'm hoping a few more join us next time. Friday (day 5) was Combat 45, which was 45 minutes of punches & kicks. Pretty straight forward & simple to pick up on. Today (day 6) was Lower Body Lean Out. 30 minutes of lower body focus & my legs felt like jelly after! It's been awhile since I can remember doing so many lunges & squats in a week as I have this week! I am positive that all this leg work will be helpful for running & for sculpting some sexy legs! Wohoo!

I will admit that I have felt quite hungry during this 1st week. Of course, I'm only consuming around ~1200 calories as opposed to ~1800 that I will be eating the rest of the 60 days. The guidebook says you shouldn't feel uncomfortable hunger or cravings in the first week, but that you might feel a little "off". Well, I will admit that I've had to add in an extra snack these past few days because I have been starving! And I get cranky when I'm hungry, just ask my hubby :)

That being said, I'm definitely looking forward to bumping up my eating plan to 1800 calories. I'm taking time tomorrow while Jon is at work to plan out my meals for the next week. This program focuses on whole foods, eliminating sugary beverages, trans fats & refined carbs. I've got some great cookbooks I'm going to leaf through tomorrow (Karma Chow, Raw Food Real World, & Thrive) in order to build up my meal plan. Also, I hope I've kickstarted my metabolism enough to see some results on the scale this week! I'm normally not one to fixate on a number, but my 'number' has been stuck for over a year! My goal is positive change in my body composition, and to do that I need to lose some body fat.

Something that I've taken away from the workouts this week is that pain is temporary. These workouts aren't easy, but they ARE doable. It's funny what you can accomplish when you push yourself past your comfort zone. There are sometimes I want to quit. But I remind my self this is just 30, 45 or 60 minutes of my day and then I can have a break. The results are worth it!

Picture Source

Tomorrow is a rest day for LM Combat. I'll check back in with an update on my meal plan for week 2!

♥L

LM Combat: Day 2

I woke up today and my arms & shoulders are sore! A great sign that change is already happening :)

Day 2's workout(s) consisted of HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior. HIIT stands for "High Interval Intensity Training" and alternates between strength training and plyometrics to get your heart rate soaring! This workout reminded me a bit of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workouts that I did with some friends a few months ago. If you like JM's workouts, you would like this!

This sweat is no joke.

The HIIT: Power workout also clued me in to how much I stink at doing burpees! Confession! I despise burpees. I usually avoid them if I'm doing an at-home DVD and use that time for a water break. But I want to change my mindset. I want to get better. So I'm adding something to my 60 day goals:


1. Lose 10-12 lbs (this is a combination of losing fat & putting on some muscle!)
2. Do 15 'real' push-ups in a row (I have zero upper body strength!)

3. Do 2 sets of 8 Burpees in a row! No cheats!

Inner Warrior is described in the fitness guide as a "Martial Arts-based strength and flexibility training to enhance your balance, coordination, and strength". I was thinking yoga. Les Mills was thinking "I'm going to make your legs shake until you want to cry".The last 6-7 minutes of the program was pure stretching however and that felt great!

I've ordered a heart rate monitor to get a true read on how many calories I am burning during these sessions. It should arrive later this week & is supposed to hook up with my Nike Sportswatch. I also have a friend coming over Thursday to workout with me. Working out is always more fun with a buddy. So grab someone - your mom, your brother, your spouse, or your neighbor - and get out!

♥L

LM Combat: Day 1!

Hey All!

Today I woke up nice & early to make sure I got my workout in for the day. I had some evening plans & I don't want to be screwing up on Day 1! The workout today was "Combat 30: Kickstart". I LOVED IT!

It may be hard to compare programs already, but LM Combat reminds me of Turbo Fire, just less coordination required. Turbo Fire is more choreographed, where as LM Combat is pure punches & kicks. It definitely got my heart rate up this morning! I feel like the routines will be easier to learn as well, and then I can really add intensity to kick it up a notch.

As far as eating, I'm on the 1200 calorie plan for this week. Normal caloric intake will be 1800 cals after week 1. I was a little nervous about getting hungry...1200 calories is a bit low for me. I made a point to eat every 3 hours and didn't feel hungry until dinner. Whenever I got the urge to snack, I just got up from my desk to get some more water.

There is a whole page of the nutrition guide dedicated to "The Wonder of H2O" with some ways to 'dress up' your water. I added a squirt of lime and some crushed up mint leaves to my ice water today. Someone at work asked me if it was a Mojito! Not quite, but still yummy.

Sure it's a mojito. Minus the alcohol & sugar! :-)

On deck for tomorrow is 2 workouts - my first HIIT workout of LM Combat as well as a stretching session, "Inner Warrior". Check back tomorrow to see how it goes.

I'll leave you with this motivational thought:

Commit to be Fit!

Get out there and get it done! Have a great night!
♥L

Les Mills Combat: The Battle Begins Monday!

I think everytime I get a package from Beachbody in the mail its like Christmas for me. No, really, it is! I guess I just get excited to start something new, especially when it comes to working out, so I was happy to get my Les Mills Combat package in the mail this week!

I ordered the "Ultimate Warrior" package which came with 4 additional workouts above what you would get in the base package. It also comes with training gloves, and a bonus workout because I ordered through a Beachbody coach (me - haha).

I had decided to give myself a week off from working out after my last race. There is no real rationale behind this other than the fact my body was super tired. So I used this past week to take a lot of walks, do some stretching, and get prepped for LM Combat!

I went over the workout schedule and decided that Sunday will be my day off from LM Combat. I still want to keep my running up as well, so I will be running 3 days a week, most likely Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday. Lastly, I went over the meal plan so I could get things prepped for the week.

Instead of giving several recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks, the LM Combat nutrition guide defines portion sizes for food groups like starches, legumes, veggies, fruits, proteins & fat. The nutrition guide also lays out how many servings of each you need to eat for the day as well as a estimated calorie goal you should hit by eating the correct amount of each food group. This is a different approach than other Beachbody programs I've done, but I think it will give me more flexibility. The nutrition guide did include some sample recipes to give you some ideas.

Here is my mix:

Week 1 is a 7-day "Metabolic Jump-Start" where you eat a lower-calorie diet than for the remainder of the program. I took some time to organize my meal plan for the week. I believe that I mentioned this before, but I often repeat meals & snacks. Because I work & go to school, I'm short on time and it is just easier for me to cook in bulk & repeat meals!

Here is a snapshot of my Week 1 eating plan. I alternate between the two days to fill out the week:
Day 1
Breakfast - Tofu Scramble w/an orange
Snack 1 - Shakeology
Lunch - Brown Rice Bowl
Snack 2 - Ricecake w/Tofurkey slices and Strawberries
Dinner - Spicy Tomato & Lentil Soup

Day 2
Breakfast - Quinoa & Broccoli pilaf w/Toast & an orange
Snack 1 - Shakeology
Lunch - Avocado, Tempeh & Almond Salad
Snack 2 - Ricecake w/Tofurkey slices and Strawberries
Dinner - Southwestern Chick'n Salad

I think that is it for now. I will check in tomorrow with a report on how the first workout goes!

♥L

Know your Numbers! My Wake-Up Call.

A few weeks ago we had a health fair a few local gyms came to work as part of our on-site health fair. One of the gyms that came offered free body composition testing & I decided to check it out. Turns out this simple test that takes about 5 minutes was my big wake-up call! Body composition testing is simple & painless. You stand on what looks to be a scale with hand-grips coming off the side and the scale runs some numbers. One of the reps from the gym sat down with me to explain my results after they printed off. The print-out tells you how much of your weight is comprised of water, muscle, and fat. My BMI is in the normal range, but my percentage of body fat or PBF is 37%. The normal range for me would be in the 18%-28% range.

EEK.

I immediately thought "Dang, I haven't been doing good." but I want to stress that it is important to turn that negative thought into a positive one. "I know my numbers, now what am I going to do to change them?"

Ever since I had success with The Ultimate Reset last year, the scale has been stagnant, and now I think I understand why! Training for 2 long-distance running races definitely helped keep up my cardio level, but I have been slacking on strength training. In fact, my laziness in this aspect of physical conditioning is probably what led to some of my knee/soreness issues during training. The gym rep commended my training, but pointed out that running does zero for muscle building.

Ok. So I get it, I need to put on some muscle. What's a girl to do? Enter Les Mills Combat. It's one of the newer programs offered by Beachbody and appeals to me for a few reasons. 1 - It keeps up my cardio conditioning with HIIT workouts 2 - It combines aspects of several types of martial arts for a kickboxing-esque workout and 3 - The "Ultimate Warrior" package offers additional strength training specific workouts (upper and lower body). Perfect!

The timing of this revelation is great. I decided after my 25K that I was going to take a break from long distance running because it really has been taking a toll on my body. So I have been searching for a new workout to start now that my races are complete.

Here are my goals over the next 60 days:
1. Lose 10-12 lbs (this is a combination of losing fat & putting on some muscle!)
2. Do 15 'real' push-ups in a row (I have zero upper body strength!)

I'll be blogging along the way. One specific challenge I face is adapting my vegan diet to this workout program. A nutrition guide comes with the program and  aims for 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat for my daily mix, but doesn't outline many vegan options. I will just need to get creative! At the end of 60 days I'll report back my results.

My take-away for you is that if you find the scale is stuck, or you're getting bored with you same ole' workout routine, switch it up! Also, it is important to know your numbers! The body composition test I did was free because of the health fair, but normally costs about $15. That's pretty cheap to get some great insight into what's going on in your body! If you need an idea for a new workout program or want some more information on body composition testing, please feel free to message me - LauraLou.Fink@gmail.com

French Toast Attack!

One of my favorite restaurants in GR has always been Electric Cheetah. Since going vegan however, I've found a lot of their dishes I have to pass on since they contain cheese & other dairy. I haven't been to EC in a while, but my in-laws were in town this weekend and wanted to hit up EC for brunch.

Auggie in the Cheetah Chair

I was reminded how much I love their "Donkey Kong Toast"...and their Ze Fronch Toast...basically,  french toast in general. And we all know traditional french toast is not vegan friendly. Hey, that sounds like a challenge to me!

I did a little googling and miraculously had all ingredients on hand (including over-ripe bananas!) to recreate the Donkey Kong Toast. It is french toast using banana nut bread. Brilliant! I topped it off with sliced strawberries (I used up all the bananas) and chopped walnuts. Yummy!

Banana Bread
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2c brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
~ 4 ripe bananas (I only had 2.5 and this still worked out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a small bowl, combine milk and apple cider vinegar, set aside for a few minutes
2. In a larger bowl, mix flower, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt & cinammon
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the vanilla and the bananas. Mix until combined, but do not overwork the batter
4. Pour into a greased loaf pan and cook for 45-60 minutes (check every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning)

Allow banana bread to cool completely (I used the refrigerator, I was impatient). Slice into 8 pieces


French Toast Batter
3/4c almond milk
1/4 c flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp cornstarch

Cooking up the french toast!

1. Combine all ingredients in a shallow container.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of earth balance (non-dairy butter) in a large pan on medium heat
3. Dunk a slice of bread in the batter, making sure to cover all sides and let the milk soak in a bit. This will prevent your french toast from being dry
4. Put slice of bread in the pan and let cook about 1 minute each side (4 sides total). Repeat if you want your french toast a bit more done.

Note - because this is banana bread, it will look a little darker than normal. It still tastes great!

Great Any-day Brunch!

♥L

Enchiladas - A New Staple

Let's agree on something - enchiladas are the bomb. The filling is usually quick to make (not to mention you can make it whatever you want!), it gets rolled up in tortilla yuminess and then smothered in a red sauce that can be as spicy as your taste buds can handle. YUM-O.

Sweet potato & black bean enchiladas were a part of our vegan freezer exchange this past month, and both the hubby & I enjoyed them. After those were gone I wanted to make some of my own and was inspired by this recipe. Bonus that it uses a butternut squash (I totally had one sitting on my counter top!)

I think the recipe is a little complicated if you read it all at once. I also didn't make the enchilada sauce (used a can - eek! I know...) or cashew cream sauce (next time!). But if you roast the butternut squash ahead of time, this really comes together pretty quick.

Souce: Edible Perspective (see recipe link)

Ta-da!

So my challenge to you this week is to experiment in the kitchen a little - come up with a filling that you think would ROCK. Try out the cashew cream sauce (I guarantee you will be hooked). Take some time out this weekend and make a nice, hearty meal for your family!

I hope you all are staying warm. The snow here has had me in hibernation mode lately! I promise to try to be better about posting :)

♥ L

February Food Challenge!

Confession - I have been stuck on the scale and it is frustrating! I don't think I have lost any weight since before Christmas. I guess on the flipside, I haven't gained any either, but I still think its time to switch some things up!

I was really inspired by my online fitfam taking on all sorts of challenges in February. They are committed to keeping the momentum going from their fresh starts in January! Some are doing a 'clean-eating' month, others are taking weeks off of sugar, and there is a whole #hastag movement for #yogaeverydamnday!

So my commitment to myself (and to you!) is to take charge/responsibility for what I am eating. I know the little snacks here and there are adding up in calories, and I especially struggle at work with mindless snacking! As the old saying goes, if you bite it, write it! I don't do well with food journals, so I'm going to go with if you eat it, tweet it! Or something like that...basically, I'm going to commit to a photo log of what I eat every day. I hope it keeps me accountable. Maybe it will inspire someone to try a new dish. And along the way, I'll be sharing my recipes! Yay!

Here is Day 1, which happens to be February 5th, so I may carry this challenge into March :)

Pre-Workout Snack: 1/2 banana & 1 tbsp Almond Butter
Breakfast: Cheerios, the other 1/2 banana, & almond milk
Morning Snack: Chai Tea & a Spiced Pumpkin Pie Cliff Bar
Lunch: Stir-fry Veggies, 1/2c black beans, 1/4c brown rice
Afternoon Snack: Carrots & homemade Hummus, Clementine (I didn't realize how orange this meal was until I took the photo ha!)
Dinner: Butternut Squash Enchiladas (they had kidney beans in them, and I added some Daiya to one!)
Late Night Snack (I promise this won't be a regular thing): Itsy Bitsy Soy Mocha from Biggby. I have a sweet tooth, I admit it. I'm trying to break that habit!

So, tell me, how are YOU going to CHALLENGE yourself this month?

♥L

Recovery Smoothie

The potassium from the banana and all the antioxidant goodness from the blueberries make this an excellent post-workout smoothie. Simple to make, I usually drink this after my long runs!

Just 5 ingredients!

Here is what you will need:

- a good blender (of course!)
- 1 scoop Vanilla protein powder of your choice (I use Vega Sport)
- 1 c Non-dairy milk (I use Almond Breeze Unsweetened)
- 1 banana
- 1 c blueberries
- 1 container non-dairy Greek style yogurt

The yogurt may be the toughest thing to find. If you are not vegan, plain greek yogurt will work just as well!

Blend all ingredients together, adding ice if you want the smoothie thicker or more milk if you want it thinner. This will make 2 servings. You can freeze the additional serving for later, setting out the frozen smoothie to thaw ~a half hour before you want it!

♥ L

Workout: Leg Day!

I have had a few people ask what the heck I do when I go to the gym. To be honest, some days I would rather stay home & workout, but getting to the gym gets me FOCUSED and INSPIRED to give my all. As I say that, I try to design my workouts using minimal equipment, so that if I am stuck at home I have NO EXCUSES to not work out!

Here is a Leg Day workout that should take ~40 minutes!

Obviously if you are doing this at home, you may not have access to an elliptical or stair stepper. But I bet you have access to some sidewalk and some real stairs! Improvise :)

Description
Walking lunges - 20, holding 8-10lb weights
Sumo Squat - Spread your feet wide, with toes facing out at 3 and 9 o'clock. Squat. Raise up on your tippy toes to flex your calves. Release. Stand up. Do 10-15.
Straight Leg Deadlift - The most important thing here is to keep your back flat! Reach to the floor (like you are stretching your hammies) and pick up a barbell or 2 dumbells weighing 20-30lb total. Lift, keeping your back flat, until the weights reach mid-calf to knee. Lower & repeat. 10-15 reps
Lunges on Bosu - Step foward onto a bosu and lunge. Great for core stability! Do 20, holding 8-10lb weights
Bridge on medicine ball - Place your heels on a medicine ball and raise your hips to be flat. Lower, keeping abs contracted. Do 20 reps.
Goblet squat - Hold a 8-10lb weight in front of your chest. Squat, keeping weight at chest level, and rise up. Do 10-15 reps.

Repeat 2-3 times!

So, let me know, is this helpful to you? Would you like me to post more of my workouts? Tell me what you're thinking in the comments!

Nut Butter Waffles

I'm normally a smoothie-for-breakfast kind of girl, but sometimes (especially in the winter) I just want something a little warmer, hearter even. Not that smoothies don't keep me full, but sometimes I guess I just want to chew my food!

I take part in a vegan freezer exchange with a small group women. I was planning on making my black bean burgers this month, but someone else mentioned they were making black bean falafel, so I decided to make waffles instead!

I'm all about quick breakfasts in the morning - probably why I rely on smoothies so much. These waffles are easy enough to make in a big batch, you can freeze them, and then either toast them or microwave them in the morning while you are rushing out the door!

I used almond butter (crunchy) this time around, but I have also had luck with peanut butter (crunchy). This recipe comes from Isa's "Vegan Brunch" and as she mentions, the batter is pretty forgiving! It is also THICK so don't try to thin it out - you may end up with waffle breakage!

These are great topped with some Earth Balance & Maple syrup, or with bananas & chocolate chips! I didn't have any chocolate chips on hand, so I made a quick chocolate drizzle sauce using some left over Christmas chocolate :)

PB Waffles

3/4c chunky nut butter
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp canola oil
2c non-dairy milk
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 c AP flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix nut butter, syrup and oil together well.

Mix milk & cornstarch in a separate bowl, until cornstarch is well dissolved. Add, along with vanilla, to nut butter mixture

Add remaining ingredients and mix until batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix.

This yielded 6 square waffles for me! Enjoy!

L ♥