Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast, a la Pita!

Juicy golden winter satsumas, silky sliced bananas and zesty green kiwis pair perfectly with this cozy platter of holiday french toast – a la pita!..

My latest breakfast creation: tender, crisp edged Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast Triangles (a la Pita). These crazy cool pita triangles are worth staying cozy in your PJs for.

Holiday Mood. Why fight it? Embrace your cozy, festive, just-wanna-nap-and-watch-holiday-movies-all-day mood this weekend. Soak it in. And if you are lucky, maybe a few snowflakes outside. Or at least some sparkly sunshine…

Happy Morning.

Golden satsumas. Winter citrus infused..

Drown these babies in maple syrup why don’t you..

Crispy edges, moist soy nog insides..

Pita French Toast. I always seem to have leftover pita bread on hand. Even more than traditional sliced bread. So no wonder I love experimenting with leftover pita in recipes. This past Thanksgiving I was wowed by my Pita Bread Stuffing. And these pita bread french toast bites were a success too.

Two Ways. There are two ways to make these french toast triangles. Classic crispy or Panko crusted. The Panko version is moist and crispy – a hint of fried coating makes them more decadent. I am a sucker for anything crusted in Panko crumbs. And this soy nog toast is no exception.

This delicious, maple-splashed platter pairs well with a tall mug of something warm. A spiced vanilla latte or soy nog perhaps…

Grab this recipe and stay in for a weekend morning. And ps, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal fans, eat your heart out. Totally reminiscent of that childhood have cereal…

Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast a la Pita
vegan, makes 24 triangles

3 pita bread rounds, sliced into triangles (8 per pita)
soaking liquid:
2 cups soy nog (try Earth Balance or Silk brands)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
2 small satsuma oranges or tangerines, squeezed
light grind of satsuma orange zest too

optional: 1 cup Panko crumbs
to saute triangles: 2 tablespoon safflower oil + 2 tablespoon vegan butter

note: yes! you could easily make this using regular sliced bread. The panko crust may even work too. 🙂

Directions:

1. Mix your soaking liquid in a wide shallow dish.
2. Slice your pita and add to the liquid. Squish pita down with a fork so that the pita can soak up as much liquid as possible. You may need to soak in batches if using a small dish. I like to allow the pita to soak for a few minutes for optimal flavor absorption. Pita is strong enough to not get mushy. And if you want truly crispy french toast triangles you can just soak for a few seconds.
3. Turn a saute pan to high and add 2-3 teaspoon safflower oils and 1 teaspoon vegan butter.
2. When oil and butter are sizzling hot, add in enough triangles to fill the pan. (Coat triangles in Panko now if doing that version. You may need a splash more oil if using the Panko version.)
3. Allow to cook on each side for about 3 minutes. You want the edges to crisp and the surface to brown. I like to add another dash of cinnamon while the toast is cooking. Flip and repeat on other side. Important: add in 2-3 tablespoon of the soaking liquid to the triangles now and let the moisture absorb into the triangles. This step is optional – but really creates an extra moistness that makes the french toast texture happen. Do this for every batch of triangles.
4. Remove triangles and repeat with all your pita – you will need to add a bit more oil and butter as you add more triangles to pan.
5. When you have cooked all the triangles, allow to cool. Serve with fresh fruit and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. yum yum yum. Enjoy!

Yum Tip: I like to add in a few squashed satsumas to the state pan. They taste yummy as a garnish and add nice flavor and moisture to the toast as it cooks.

And who needs Starbucks, when you can easily craft your own vegan holiday bevies at home with these tips and recipes.