Sunday, May 1, 2011

French Toast ~ Mmmmm


So, every time I go to a Coney Island (a diner, for those of you who don't live in Michigan) for breakfast, I order french toast. I don't like egg dishes, waffles don't really appeal to me and really the only thing that sounds good is french toast dusted with powdered sugar. Oh, and a side of hash browns, of course! When I make french toast at home, I use a cashew based batter. I've tried several recipes and finally decided, ENOUGH! I will make up my own recipe. I tested it out on my family this morning. My husband liked it, and that's good enough for me!

You can use whatever bread you have on hand, but I used Great Harvest's Cinnamon bread and it was amazing!

Batter Ingredients:
1/2 cup cashews (you could try another nut such as blanched almonds if you have allergies to cashews)
1 cup water
5 dates
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup soy milk
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. honey
1/8 tsp. almond extract

Instructions:
Blend cashews and water together until very smooth (no gritty pieces at all). Turn off blender and add dates. Resume blending until very smooth. Add flour, milk, salt, honey and almond extract. Blend until all is combined well. Pour into a wide dish. I use a pasta bowl that's not very deep. Dip bread slices into batter and fry on a medium hot skillet until nicely browed on both sides. Serve with your favorite toppings! We enjoy fresh strawberries and a touch of whipped cream, or peanut butter, applesauce, and syrup.

Enjoy this healthy alternative to regular french toast! If you have any leftovers, these freeze well and make a quick breakfast if you are short on time. Just pop them in the toaster and you're set!