The most important meal of the day....

You can't expect to fill up your unleaded vehicle with diesel gas in the morning and expect it to run smoothly. Likewise, you cannot expect to fill up your children with Fruit Loops in the morning and expect them to run smoothly. When I am asked where one should start to change their diets, I always tell them to start with breakfast. It truly is the most important meal of the day. It is a meal that anyone can cook. No real talent needed. It is the meal that gets us going and jump starts our metabolism and brains. If we dump in the sugar and empty calories, we will be hitting a sugar low early on. If we skip breakfast, the body will never quite rev up, it will try to conserve and the metabolism slows down to compensate. This is a true mistake for any dieter. Kids are so often sent out the door bouncing off the wall from the high sugar intake and by mid morning, they are left in a slump when the sugar wears off. Ask any teacher, they know the routine.

To get out of this bad morning routine, the first thing to do is to build up your breakfast recipe repertoire. I love breakfast. It is my favorite meal and I always eat like a champ every morning. The only time in my life where I didn't eat breakfast was my first year in college when I only had lunch and dinner. I gained 15 pounds. As soon as I returned home and started back on eating a great breakfast, the weight fell off. Our bodies need it. It is so important, however, that we fill up on the nutrients our bodies need. Whole grains, fruits, proteins. I have given many recipes out in my classes for breakfasts but need to pass them on to my blog family. Once you get into the routine of a hot breakfast, if you haven't already, you will find that it doesn't really take a lot of time and much can be done ahead of time. Pancakes and Waffles freeze great along with muffins and granola. If you don't change anything else, start the day off right. Make breakfast your most important meal of the day.

One of my favorite pancake recipes is the Banana Buttermilk Pancake. I love it , of course, with a little dollop of fresh whipped cream. I use very little sugar in the cream. These are also great plain. We just have to play the "Banana Pancake" song by Jack Johnson when we make these. Ambiance is everything! Try these out.

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

1 C. whole wheat flour

3 T Brown sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 C. Buttermilk

1 egg

1 1/2 T melted Butter

2 t. oil

1 large ripe banana, thinly sliced

Combine dry ingredients, whisk in the wet until just mixed. Stir in bananas gently. Cook on griddle.