You know that feeling when you wake up absolutely craving something? Well this vegan Banana French Toast with a side of sliced kiwi has been one of those meals for me lately.
The cinnamon, banana-bread-tasting toast is sizzled in a vegan butter slathered skillet until lightly brown on the edges. The insides stay nice and moist. Maple syrup on top for an extra boost of dreamy flavor.
The tart and sweet kiwi on the side adds the perfect kick of acid - as well as loads of folate, vitamin C and fiber!
I like to use sprouted grain bread for a nice boost of whole grains, fiber and even plat-based protein. My favorite brand and flavor right now for this recipe is the Alvarado Street California Style bread. It has a nice 6g of protein per slice. 2g of fiber - 90 calories per slice. It absorbs the banana liquid very well without getting soggy.
Whip this up today and crave it every morning like I do!....
The Best Part About Banana French Toast
The absolute best part about vegan banana french toast? You simply cannot undercook it! Really. With french toast that contains eggs, you have to make sure to cook it all the way through for food safety reasons. Well since banana french toast ingredients are all perfectly safe raw, you don't have to worry about that. In fact, that also makes this recipe really fast to prepare. A few minutes on each side, a light browning and you're done.
Cinnamon Banana Flavor
The flavor of this french toast is just so dreamy. Cinnamon and banana mixed with a hint of maple on top. It's so simple, yet so perfect. Another yummy banana-y morning recipe: My vegan banana pancakes....
How Long To Cook Vegan French Toast?
Cooking vegan french toast can be tricky for one reason: you have to work extra hard to prevent sticking. I highly suggest using a pan that has non-stick qualities. I had been using one in the past and always had some stickage. But my new Hestan pan (yes, it was worth the price for me) is so perfect for vegan Banana French Toast. The stickage is so minimal and whatever is left in the pan after I am done cooking cleans up in one swipe of my scrub sponge.
Steps for getting your french toast as stick-free as possible:
- Warm your skillet a few minutes ahead of time. Medium or even high heat works.
- Add your fat. I like to actually use a combo of vegan butter and a tiny spray of olive oil. But one or the other would work too. Let the fat melt and coat the top of the pan. (If you are using a non-stick pan you may need less fat.)
- Turn the pan heat down to medium or medium low.
- Add the french toast bread - that has just been soaking in the banana mixture. Let it cook a few minutes until it sizzles a bit --- turn heat up if needed. Make sure the pan is still well-greased. Then flip. Repeat the same cooking time on this side.
- Serve! Note: It's totally ok if you have a little stickage. Just try your best. I promise, this french toast is delicious even if your skillet isn't being your BFF.
One trick for me is to NOT flip too many times. That can start to get messy. I have perfected the art of knowing just how long my french toast needs on each side, cooking in my specific pan, over my stovetop. Your cooking time, based on all those variable, will probably differ a bit, so be patient with yourself if you have some stickage the first few times.
A Good Spatula Really Helps!
Having a good spatula really helps. A silicone spatula with a thin edge is a good choice. I use one similar to - this spatula.
I would stay away from anything that has a too blunt or thick edge. You want the spatula to get under all the crispy coating on the bread - and not just slosh it around. I usually also stay away from metal spatulas because they can scrape the pan, but the do have nice and thin edges.
Who Will Love Vegan Banana French Toast?
I think anyone who loves french toast or who loves banana bread will love this recipe. It is such a simple and healthy recipe for breakfast, one that you can easily whip up on a weekday morning.
I like it because it is so fast to prepare, but feels like a treat every time I serve it!
What's with the Kiwi Side?
You do not need the kiwi! I know not everyone likes kiwi and some people are even allergic to it. But if you do love kiwi like me, go for it. I love the bright burst of green color and sweet-tart flavor.
Other fruit you could add as a side dish includes: fresh berries, melon, citrus, a fruit smoothie, sliced apple or whatever is seasonal for you.
I hope your Banana French Toast morning feels like this!...
Banana French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, sprouted grain
- 1 large banana
- ½ - ¾ cups soy milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2-4 teaspoon vegan butter
On the Side
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup, on top
- 2 kiwis, peeled, sliced
- additional cinnamon as desired
Instructions
- Add the banana, soy milk, cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of your vegan butter to a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl. Soy milk note: If your banana is quite large, you can get away with only using ½ cup. If you need more liquid, add another ¼ cup.
- Submerge one slice of bread in the liquid and let it sit for a minute, smash it a bit to help it absorb the banana liquid.
- Warm skillet over high heat. Add the remaining amount of vegan butter to the pan. Swirl it around so the pan is coated. When vegan butter is melted, reduce heat to med-low.
- Transfer the first piece of bread (the wet one) to the skillet. Then dunk the second slice of bread in the remaining banana liquid. When the second slice is soaked and thouroughly marinated, transfer it to the skillet as well.
- Turn heat up to medium-high.
- After about 2-3 minutes, flip the slices. Optional: sprinkle additional cinnamon on top of the bread. After another two minutes, turn the heat off and allow the toast to sit in the still warm pan.
- Prep your optional kiwi and add it to your serving plate.
- Transfer the skillet French Toast to your serving plate. Top with maple syrup. Serve warm.
Equipment
- skillet
- blender
- spatula
nutrition estimate | per serving
