PB and J becomes AB and Bs

If your child has ever asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, this is sure to please. PB and J: Meet AB and B (almond butter and banana/berries). You could make a peanut butter and jelly with bananas sandwich for breakfast, but I think this is a great alternative. Less carbs, more probiotics, whole fruit, less sugar, and omega 3s make this an easy powerhouse breakfast.

It almost follows the smoothie guidelines missing only the serving of vegetables (review my post Breakfast Smoothie #461 for smoothie rules). I have experimented with adding spinach, celery or cacao greens powder for veggies and it is still pretty good, but truly I make an exception most days and leave the veggie out of this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberry or other fruit flavored kefir of choice. My daughter has decided pomegranate is the best. (probiotics/protein)
• 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's almond butter with roasted flax seed (protein/omega 3s)
• 1/2 banana (fruit)
• 1 cup frozen berries (fruit)

These are just my ratios. The easy part of smoothies is adding more or less of each ingredient until you get the flavor and consistency you like.

*Side Post: Why almond butter with flaxseed over plain peanut butter?*

Almond are less allergenic as they are a true tree nut as opposed to peanuts which grow underground and are prone to mold and fungus issues.

Almond butter gives you a slight edge on fiber and slightly less sugar. Almond butter has less sodium but more fat. Trader Joe's almond butter with flaxseed edges out the peanut butter for me with the addition of omega 3 fatty acids, but ultimately they are pretty similar. The choice is yours.

I will use Trader Joe's peanut butter as a comparison but check the stats against your brand of choice.

Almond Butter with Flaxseed v. Peanut Butter

Serving Size: 2 TBSP

Calories: 200/ 200

Total Fat: 17g/ 15g

Sat Fat: 1.5g/ 3g

Sodium: 80mg/ 150mg

Carbohydrates: 6g/ 6g

Dietary Fiber: 4g/ 3g

Sugar: 1g/ 2g

Protein: 7g/ 9g

Okay so now you are ready to start experimenting with smoothies but what if you have to add a little more this and then add a little more that and then Oh No! Too much smoothie! Don't worry, I have a plan that too....

Quick and Dirty Breakfast

Why quick and dirty? Well, this breakfast if definitely quick and my kid hates to get out of bed on school days so quick is important. Why dirty? Well, I am not gonna lie: it could be healthier. But it could be worse too. Check it out.

Trader Joe's Gluten free pancakes. They come three to a pack/ four packs a box. My recipe is simple.

1. Remove pancakes from plastic and pry apart.

2. Wrap in paper towel and microwave 45 seconds. Flip over(still in paper towel) and heat another 20-30 seconds. Let the stack sit for a minute steaming in the paper towel.

3. Spread Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseed on one side of one pancake. Stack another on top, spread again and lay the last one on top.

4. Enjoy your triple stack almond butter pancake sandwich delight.

*If you have a few extra minutes you can toast them after the initial microwaving. They are super tasty when they are crispy! With just microwaving they have a very chewy texture.

Now the important part. How does this triple stack stack up against the competition?

Trader Joe v. Eggo Buttermilk frozen pancakes:

Fat 4.5g 9g

Calories 230 300

Sugars 10g 11g

Protein 5g 6g

Fiber 2g 1g

Obviously there is more on a nutrition label, but this is what I care about. I feel good knowing I sent my kid to school with some carbs to fuel her, flaxseed for omegas and digestion, almonds for protein, and no artificial colors or flavors. Of course, to wash down the triple stack I make a mango and greens smoothie but that's for another day...