If you think there's not enough time to whip up fluffy, steaming-hot waffles and pancakes on a weekday morning, this can of batter may change your mind.
The product: Organic Batter Blaster ($4.99 for an 18-ounce can; available at local grocery stores)
The taste factor: Like a pancake, but lighter and fluffier. In fact, some pancakes turned out almost crepe-like—thin and fluffy—until we learned to add a little extra batter for thicker cakes. One tester felt that they weren't quite sweet enough, but the rest of our tasting team was wowed. We didn't try Batter Blasters on the waffle iron but think they'd cook up like a charm.
The health factor: Each bottle makes 28 4-inch pancakes at 40 calories and less than half a gram of fat each. The ingredient list is all organic—wheat flour, cane sugar, eggs, soybean powder, and filtered water—quite the pure list. Compared to run-of-the-mill batter from a box, you save 40 calories and almost 3 grams of fat per serving. Top a small stack with nuts and fruit, and have a glass of milk on the side, and you've got a healthy breakfast on your hands.
Why we love it: The squirt factor—what could be easier, faster, or more fun when you're bleary-eyed and fresh out of bed? Just coat a pan with nonstick spray, put the pan over medium heat, shake the can, and pump out some batter into any shape you like (we made hearts and traditional silver dollar rounds).