I was reminded of our early marriage days, when we lived in Portland, late spring and early summer. Like I do today, I would make us breakfast every morning, and then we’d talk and sit with the windows wide open while getting ready for the day. John was not a pancake man. I’m not a guy who likes pancakes. But our common ground? French toast. Thank goodness.
Since I’ve been dairy-free, I don’t make French toast nearly as much as I used to, but I miss it. We like to make a basic recipe with cinnamon, vanilla, and fresh strawberries. Then we top it with maple syrup or honey.
I am not completely egg-free, but I’m growing to be more suspicious of eggs. I wanted to create a vegan French toast recipe to A) see if I could make it without eggs and B) come up with a variation that I would share with all of you since I know there are many vegan French recipes available.
At first, I thought about “thickening up” the batter by adding some starch. Then, I decided to keep it natural and healthy. So, I chose chia seed. My chia seeds were ground up so they would be less visible (for all those who like to inspect each bite and ask, “What’s inside?” before eating). This step is not necessary.
The basic batter. Non-dairy, chia seed, vanilla, agave and cinnamon. I chose a rustic wheat for the bread and found that it worked better.
Let the batter sit for a few minutes to allow it to firm up. Chia seeds take about 10-15 minutes to activate, and I leave mine for that amount of time before I dip the bread. You can go longer for a thicker batter, but not too long, as it will turn into pudding. You want a batter similar to traditional French toast with an egg. You dig?
What is the result? The result? A delicious, sweet, and simple French toast that is vegan. What does it taste like exactly?
You can call it light, sweet
Warmth from cinnamon
The tender with a subtle bite
Filling
Wholesome
Add your favorite toppings to the &.
Me? I used coconut whipped cream with fresh strawberries and maple syrup. It would be delicious with a compote or banana slices, almond or peanut butter, or even agave. This recipe is a base for French toast, which you can customize with your favorite flavors.
Ingredients
- One heaping Tbsp Chia seeds (whole or finely ground so that they are undetectable).
- Use 1/2 Tbsp of maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if you’re not vegan).
- 1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk (or any other non-dairy dairy milk)
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Use 4-5 thick slices of bread (It is important to use sturdy rustic bread and NOT sandwich bread otherwise, the bread will be soggy/soft).
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients, except for the bread, in a large shallow bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to activate for 10-20 min.
- Grease the skillet with 1 Tbsp of vegan butter or coconut oils.
- Dip each piece of bread for 20 seconds on both sides (if your batter is thick, thin it with some dairy-free milk). Leave it in for a few more seconds if your bread is very dry. Sandwich bread should soak for only 25-30 seconds.
- Place on grill, and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip carefully and cook the other side until it is also golden brown – approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add desired toppings. I chose coconut whipped cream with strawberries and maple syrup.