Waffle Wake Up

For me, there’s something about breakfast that makes it seem so much more appealing than any other meal. Maybe it’s because I’ve gone so many hours while sleeping with no food, so anything would please my tastebuds. Perhaps the reason is that it marks the beginning of a whole new day, full of new oportunities and maybe even excitement. Or, most likely, it’s simple due to the fact that many breakfast foods just taste so damn good.

Of course the paradox here is that there is hardly anytime to make anything special for breakfast on school days. It’s really a marvel that I can manage to get wake up, dressed, pack a lunch, force something edible down my throat and run out the door in time to make the train. I do still enjoy all the cereals in the cupboard, basic toast with jam or nut butter, all the standard fare. Despite that, it can’t stop me from jealously eyeing all of those pictures on other people’s blogs of vegan french toast, pancakes… When do these people wake up to make it all?

This is one of those products that I swore I would never buy. You know, those things you see on the shelf and say “Pfft! I can make that, easy.” And the fact is I could… But only if I stopped sleeping altogether. And while that is a disturbingly tempting propsition (Just think of all the things I would get done..!) I think that’s one part of my schedule I would be smart not to alter. Thus, I introduced frozen waffles into my home.

The brand that I picked out was a branch of Nature’s Path called LifeStream. You’ve got plenty of choices looking only within this label, although most of them aren’t exactly for different flavors, but instead different health benefits. Most of them are varied based on the different grains they use or what added nutrients they provide. I went with the ones that I found most appealing to me (And were avaliable) so I can’t say for sure how the flavor may be different for the others.

FlaxPlus

Glancing over at my neighbor’s plate, I noticed that my waffles looked almost exactly like their Eggo’s as far as size and shape go. Mine were, however, darker and speckled with flax seeds, so it wouldn’t have been too hard to tell them apart. The indentations aren’t very deep, but I guess I’m just used to seeing Belgium waffles, as that’s the sort of waffle maker we use at home.

Slicing one of my waffles into a manageable forkful, I noted the abundance of flax seeds in each bite. Although they obviously don’t contribute very much to the flavor, I must say I enjoyed the added texture. They made the waffles almost chewy, but in a good way, not in an undercooked and rubbery way. The real trick to almost any frozen waffle is to make sure you toast them up for long enough so that you get that crunchy outside, soft inside, and then with these, the chewy add-ins.

At first I thought that the taste was a bit reminiscent of whole wheat pasta, although I can’t remember the last time I’ve had some so I can’t verify that assumption for sure. I did like the fact that they were really just basic, plain waffles, and could be accompanied by any sort of topping or side without clashing. I found the peanut butter made a very good pair, but you could always go for the more traditional maple syrup or jam.

And if you were really brave, I bet these could even go well in a vegan version of “chicken” and waffles.

Maple Cinnamon

Opening the package and taking a deep whiff of the aromatic scent of maple and cinnamon, they smelled absolutely divine. Two of my favorite flavors in one waffle, honestly, how bad could it be?

These also had the same sort of whole wheat healthy feeling to them, which is definitely growing one me as I continue to eat them. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to discover that the initial intensity of maple and spice had worn off after cooking, and they tasted more like just your average waffle. Not a bad thing, but nothing particularly special either. They wouldn’t have enough flavor to satisfy the syrup lover in you, so additional maple syrup could be a wise choice. I found that this type went very well with pumpkin butter, keeping the theme of spices entact. It just depends on what you’re most into, but you really don’t need to buy this specific flavor to get the same results. Sadly, it’s the toppings that make the difference.

So, I guess they were basically what I had expected; Decent, easy to prepare during an average breakfast time, and relatively tasty. In addition, these waffles are very healthy, so I don’t feel at all guilty about eating them for the first meal of the day. Still, I think we could all agree that nothing beats homemade.