a declaration

Yes, it’s Wednesday [probably Thursday when you’re reading], but that doesn’t matter.  I’m declaring this French Toast Week!!  It started on Tuesday, with my French Toast Oats and continued today with Vegan English Muffin French Toast.

Yes, you can make vegan French toast!  I’ve done it a number of times before and got the idea from the lovely Ashley at (never home)maker.

It works best with a sturdy English muffin.  I used Ezekiel Sprouted English Muffins.  They are SO delicious and I wanted to see if they hurt my stomach or not after consuming.  About 14hrs later, and nothing yet.  I know it doesn’t always correlate on the same day that you eat said food, but there was no quick reaction, like I sometimes get.

If you use bread, it may fall apart.  However, if you use a non-stick pan you may be okay.  I know when using my stainless pans, bread would not work at all for this recipe.

I put a little unrefined coconut oil in the pan and they crisped up really well with the banana-flax mixture they were coated with.  Don’t skimp on the oil!

Even eaten plain, they are delicious!

But you know this girl has to have some toppings!

double chocolate chip cookie dough almond butter + coconut butter + toasted coconut + walnuts

And instead of adding maple syrup, I heated about 3/4c frozen cherries in a pan for about 5min.  They created a delicious, fruit-juice sauce.  No syrup needed!

Like I said, I’ve made similar versions before, but this was by far the best.  You must try this out!

Crispy French Muffin Toast [serves 1 hungry stomach]

• 3 English muffin halves
• 1/2-1T unrefined coconut oil
• 1/2 banana
• 2T ground flax meal + 5T warm water
• 2T unsweetened almond milk
• 1t vanilla
• 1t cinnamon

Cherry Topping

• 3/4c frozen cherries [strawberries/blueberries/raspberries/blackberries would also work well]

1. Whisk together ground flax meal + warm water.  Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Heat a small pot over medium-low heat. 
3. When hot, add cherries about cook about 5min, stirring once in awhile.
4. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1/2-1T coconut oil. [1T if using stainless steel pan]
5. Mash banana in a bowl and mix in almond milk + cinnamon + vanilla.
6. Add flax mixture into banana mixture and mix.
7. Dip each English muffin into the mixture, on both sides.  Make sure it’s thickly coated.
8. Place each half in the pan and cook until golden brown. [time varies depending on pan type + oven type]
9. Carefully flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. *If using a stainless pan you may want to add a bit more when you flip, so they don’t stick.  I didn’t add any and only had a small amount of the coating stuck in the pan.

You are going to LOVE this!

*If you don’t like banana, sub 1/4c unsweetened applesauce.

*Like I mentioned in the directions, if using stainless steel pans, don’t forget to oil your pan or you still have major stickage problems!

*Add 1/4t almond extract if you want a nice almond kick!

Can’t wait for French Toast day THREE!  I’m not sure if anything can top this though…we shall see!

Night!

Ashley

there’s always time for breakfast

Despite how busy I’ve been lately, I still make time for breakfast.

Who am I kidding?  I make time for every meal.  But breakfast is one that I just have to get right.  I hate when my oats turn out sub-par, or when a smoothie is just “okay.”  You know when you eat the meal, because you don’t want to be wasteful, but it really doesn’t taste that great?  Hate that, especially in the morning!

This may look like a plain bowl of oats to you.

But if you look closer, you may see the deliciousness that lies within!

What type of oats would taste good with maple syrup on top?  Okay, well, all oats, but what specific type?

Any guesses?

French toast oats! 

These were cooked on the stove top, so don’t expect any type of crunchy toast-action, like the real thing.  However, these were about as similar in taste to French toast as oats can get!

The secret?

1 whole egg!  I’ve been putting in egg whites all this time but why waste the nutritious yolk when you can make this!?

French Toast Oatmeal [serves 1]

• 1/3c rolled oats [I used 1/4c rolled + 2T steel cut, for crunch]
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 1/2 banana, thinly sliced
• 1t cinnamon
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1/2c water
• 3/4c unsweetened almond milk
• 1T ground flax meal
• 1T pure maple syrup
• 1/4c chopped walnuts

1. In a small pot, over medium heat, whisk the oats, cinnamon, sliced banana, water + almond milk together.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low boil.
3. Whisk 2-3x while cooking, until almond all the liquid is absorbed. ~6-10min depending on pan + stove type
4. Whisk in flax meal + vanilla.  Let cook 1 minute.
5. Vigorously whisk in 1 [pre-whisked] egg for about 15 seconds, until thoroughly combined.
6. Let cook, without stirring, for 2min.
7. Pour into a bowl and top with nuts + maple syrup.

This was incredibly creamy + thick and tasted like no bowl of oats I’ve ever had.  I think I’m done with just adding the 1 egg white.  Gimme’ that full egg!  I loved mixing rolled oats with 2T of steel cut oats.  The texture difference, compared to plain rolled oats, was much better!

After doing a few hours of computer work, I hit up my 2nd home [Home Depot and/or Lowes] and then hit up my 3rd home [the new house].  I got back to priming the walls and am ALMOST done.  Well, I would say I’m 75% done priming.  Still need to prime the kitchen, once the new drywall is put into place, and the 3rd bedroom. 

Painting alone is b.o.r.i.n.g. and at least when 2 people are there you see double the progress! 

Did I mention we have to also start packing up the current house we live in??? Gaaaaaaasp!

Enough whining…here’s my lunch!

Packed up picnic style again.  It was really nice outside, so I sat on our front step and soaked up some sun. 

• 2 large carrots
• 1 apple
• ~1/3c almonds + walnuts + a few nut clusters [for a little suga’]
• 2 plain Lundberg rice cakes with pb + j

Simple. Delicious. Nutritious. 

I worked at the house from noon –> 4:30.  I figured I would spare you more photos of white walls. ;)  When I got home I made lunch #2, which consisted of:

• leftover tofu stir-fry
• puffed amaranth cereal
• nut butter from the jar
• 1/2 GF bagel with butter

I realize that is quite the random assortment!

It’s 11:02pm and I’m almond almost done blogging??  I haven’t finished before midnight in the past two weeks!  Maybe I can actually get to bed by midnight!

I wanted to thank all of you for the lovely comments on yesterday’s detox post.  I’m still reading through them and responding.  I loved hearing all of your personal stories on this topic.  It’s all extremely interesting to me!  I’ll keep you posted on any new findings with my diet.

That’s a wrap!

Ashley