Extreme mind-power whole-wheat blueberry pancakesNo time for breakfast before hitting the library? Make up a batch of these sweet and moist pancakes the night before to bring along with you. No fork or syrup needed, these pancakes are packed with short-term-memory-enhancing blueberries, and the whole wheat will keep your physical energy fuelled well into your study session. Plus, they’re sweetened with honey, so they’ll be extra sweet – without the sugar crash mid-way through your day.
Makes 6 medium pancakes, 8-10 small pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour2 tsp. baking powder1 egg1 large overripe banana, mashed1 cup milk3 tbsp. honey1 tsp. vanillaPinch of salt1 cup wild blueberries
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, crack the egg and fork-whisk it gently.
- In the egg bowl, add the mashed banana, milk, honey, and vanilla.
- Fold together the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. The batter will be thick, but you can add a few teaspoons of water if you prefer a runnier batter.
- Heat a non-stick pan to just below medium (make sure the pan is hot when you’re ready to start making the pancakes. Test by wetting your fingers and flicking them at the pan. The drops of water should sizzle and evaporate immediately).
- Add a small knob of butter to the pan and spread with a wide spatula.
- Put two big heaping tablespoons of the batter in the pan and spread to make a pancake about 4 inches in diameter.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of blueberries on the pancake.
- Checking to make sure the bottom is golden brown, flip the pancake after 3-4 minutes.
- After another 2-3 minutes, remove pancake from the pan and allow them to cool on a rack.
- Repeat for the rest of the batter, but do not stack the pancakes when they’re cooling to maintain their crisp exterior. To make smaller pancakes, just put one heaping spoonful of batter in the pan per pancake.
- Once all the pancakes are cool, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Brain-fuelling guacamole with pita chipsWho doesn’t like a bowl of fresh, homemade guacamole? The monounsaturated omega 3 fats in the avocado will fill you up and maintain good blood flow to your brain, and a little bit of the fat in olive oil will help you think more clearly. And, if you’re not worried about the effect on your breath, garlic has magical bacteria-fighting powers that will help guard you from catching something nasty off the person sniffing and coughing next to you in the lecture hall.
Fresh tip: if you’re making these in advance, keep the avocado pit in the guacamole and refrigerate overnight. It, and the citrus, will keep the avocado from going brown.
1 small whole wheat pita1 tbsp olive oilOne large ripe (or two small) ripe avocados1-2 cloves of garlic, minced1 small tomato, chopped2 tbsp chopped onionSqueeze of lemonSalt and pepper to tasteOptional: few drops of hot sauce
- Preheat oven to 350oF.
- Brush the tops of the pita with olive oil sprinkle with salt and pepper (optional), and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until toasted (if you have a toaster oven, you can use that instead).
- Allow to cool and break up into chips.
- In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork (if it’s not ripe enough to mash, you can cut it into small cubes)
- Add the rest of the ingredients, tasting while adding the lemon, garlic, salt and pepper (and hot sauce) so you can adjust to your liking.
- Eat within a day of preparation for optimal flavor (though if you don’t mind the guac going slightly brown, it’ll still be good the next day).
Sweet and spicy study marathon trail mixDelicious and very shareable for study groups, this trail mix is packed with good fats and protein to keep your energy high and your stress levels low. Its got a bit of a kick, which will help boost your serotonin to counter exam-period blues (double the cayenne pepper if you like really spicy food). Use any unsweetened or unsalted nuts (not peanuts), but look out for preservatives and extra seasoning in tinned or jarred nuts. And make life a little more exciting by throwing in some dark chocolate chips at the end (or some M&Ms, because let’s be honest, exam time calls for junk food occasionally). But be warned: some dried fruit can be very high in sugar, so use sparingly. And trail mix is a high-calorie snack – one big handful counts as a serving.
½ cup raw, unsalted almonds½ cup raw, unsalted cashews2 cups plain popcorn (stovetop please! No microwave packets)¼ cup lightly-salted sunflower seedsHandful of dried cranberries1 cup dried bananas/plantains2 tbsp olive oil2 X 1 tsp. each of salt, garlic salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper (and black pepper to taste)
- Preheat oven to 350oF
- In a large bowl, combine olive oil and a pinch of each of the spices.
- Add almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds, and toss to coat in the mixture.
- Toast in the oven for 15 minutes, shaking the tray a few times.
- In the meantime, combine the popcorn, cranberries, and dried bananas in a bowl and season with the rest of the spices.
- When the nuts are finished toasting, allow to cool on a paper towel.
- Mix with the popcorn mixture.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.