Update: These next two weeks are going to be chaos.

It’s exam week. (Well, weeks to be more accurate.) Meaning, I’ll pretty much be doing nothing but crying studying, cramming my face with “brain foods” in place of studying (ie. lots of cinnamon and salmon), and listening to the Hamilton soundtrack on repeat in order to keep myself motivated.

*Side note: if you haven’t listened to Hamilton yet, do yourself a favor and go buy it on iTunes this instant. It’s all the rage right now for a reason. And that reason is because it’s absolutely amazing. But I digress.

If you haven’t noticed before, I tend to go through phases with which recipes I’m posting. Meaning, I’ll post 6 pumpkin-flavored desserts within three weeks because I’m, at the time, obsessed with pumpkin. While I understand this may be a little annoying, in my defense I’m pretty much the only one (aside from my mom) in my house who eats all of the healthy things I make. (As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before: my sisters hate all things healthy.)

So what I’m trying to say is, that in preparation for the weeks ahead, I’ve made most of my posts exam-week themed. Meaning, coming at you are a recipe for low-sugar iced coffee, energy brownie batter bites, and homemade cookie dough ice cream- the perfect way to reward yourself at the end of exams! However, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them even if your days of exam-taking are far behind you!

After all, do you ever really need an excuse to eat cookie dough ice cream? 😉

This waffle recipe is no different! It’s, in my opinion, the best breakfast for the morning of your AP Government exam. Why? Because it’s completely packed with brain-power-boosting and all around healthy ingredients! Observe:

• Cinnamon- the universal brain-power-booster
• Oats- for whole grains that will keep you feeling full all through the morning
• Banana- healthy sugars, plus plenty of potassium!
• Walnuts- contain DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid that has been linked to increased cognitive function in adults
• Egg whites- can you say “protein to keep you feeling fuller, longer?”

Basically, after eating this for breakfast there’s no way you can not get an A+ on your exam. (At least, that’s the story I’m sticking with!)

One final update: since these next two weeks are exam week, I’ll only be posting twice a week- Sunday and Thursday. But that will just give you more time to catch up on making some of my past recipes, before you finally get the recipe for homemade gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

And if that’s not enough to get you through the week, I don’t know what is! 😉

Banana Nut Waffles

• 1/2 c old fashioned oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs egg whites (about 1 egg white)
• 2 tbs milk of choice (I used coconut milk)
• 1 tbs walnuts

Add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, banana, vanilla, egg whites, and milk to a blender and blend until smooth, about 15-30 seconds. Let sit for 3 minutes to thicken up. Meanwhile, preheat a waffle iron. Then, lightly grease with cooking spray and spoon half the batter onto the bottom half of the waffle iron. Place a few thin banana slices around the middle of the waffle. Spoon remaining batter over top. Bake for 5 minutes, or until waffle iron light turns off and waffle is golden-brown. Plate and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Drizzle with real maple syrup or honey and top with more banana slices. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (from myfitnesspal.com)

Calories: 283

Fat: 8g

Carbs: 45g

Protein: 10g

(Yields 1 serving)