This French toast recipe has a nice little twist, thanks to a crust of coconut, oats and walnuts. Sounds like a lot of work to go through, but I had some of the mixture leftover after making (never home)maker's no bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Tart last week. The tart is definitely worthwhile, dense and full of yum, but I'm here to talk about breakfast. Really. Ahem.

Easy Vegan French Toast
Yield: 4 big slices

4 slices French boule
1 medium banana, thoroughly mashed (or approx 1/3 cup extra firm silken tofu, blenderized)
2/3 cup almond milk (plain or vanilla)
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp warm water) or your preferred egg substitute
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (never home)maker's oat crumble (optional; recipe below)

Heat a cast iron or nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. In a wide dish or pie plate, combine mashed banana, milk, egg substitute, cinnamon, maple syrup and salt. Soak bread in the banana mix 1-2 minutes, flip and allow the other side to soak 1 minute.


While the bread is soaking, spread the oat mixture in a thin layer on a plate. This step is optional, but delicious. Finely chopped nuts would be a good substitute, or you can skip this step entirely. Working with one slice at a time, lift out of the wet mixture carefully, giving it a little shake to remove any excess. Press gently into the oat crumble, flip and press the other side. In retrospect, you may choose to coat just one side of the bread in the oat mix, but I like it all over.



Once coated, place in your skillet. Much sizzling and steaming will occur, and that's a good thing. Cook 2-3 minutes until the bottom crust is nicely toasted, and then flip to cook the other side. I like mine a little burned, so I let them go a minute or two longer.

Top with agave nectar, maple syrup, fruit jam or, if you like a little tartness, add a dollop of plain soy yogurt, like this:

Here's the recipe for the oat crumble, or you can get it straight from (never home)maker.


Coconut Oat Walnut Crumble by (never home)maker
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups

2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup raw walnuts
1/3 cup coconut flakes

Combine in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a consistent crumbly mixture forms. Use in pie crusts, sprinkle on yogurt, or find new and interesting uses for this yummy, healthy mix!