French Toast Tuesdays…

French Toast….one of my all time favorite breakfasts and one that I always shared with my mom and sister every Tuesday at a diner in Chicago. I loved those French Toast Tuesdays. At the time, I was a young, struggling (POOR) college student. I lived in the city with my sister, worked full-time during the day and went to school at night in pursuit of a journalism degree. Those were long, hard days but also some of my happiest memories. My mom always said if you truly love what you do, it’s never really work. It’s a privilege to do what you love. And back then, I felt enormously lucky to be able to follow my dreams by putting myself through college. So those Tuesdays with my mom and sister were all about connecting during the busiest of times, and to replenish our tired and weary souls by venting, talking, sharing hilarious stories, and eating French Toast.

It’s been 15 long years since I’ve had French Toast with my mom, but I promise you she’s in my heart every minute of every day. I don’t think you can really ever get over the loss of your mom, and nor do I think you should. My mother is irreplaceable…and there isn’t a day that I don’t miss her terribly. So for now, I try to make French Toast once a week, not only because this is probably the most amazing egg free and dairy free (and gluten free) French Toast I’ve ever eaten, but also because somehow it feeds my soul, and connects me with my memories of her. Food is love, food is family, food is memories. It’s not just about eating and cooking. It’s so much more than that…

Enjoy this favorite recipe of mine peeps…it’s easy, fast and absolutely delish…perfect for chilly holiday mornings. This breakfast treat is in my forthcoming book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals, already on preorder with Amazon. xoxo

Happy Cooking!

xo

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Serves 6

• 6-8 Thick slices allergen friendly bread (I use Vienna Italian bread, but homemade bread that is slightly dry is best.  Use any of your favorite allergen friendly breads)
• 2 cups soy or rice milk
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• Maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar

Heat an electric griddle or cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Spray the surface of the griddle with dairy free baking spray.

While the skillet is hot, combine the soymilk, flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla and honey in a liquid measuring cup with a wire whisk. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl and dip both sides of bread slices in mixture, coating well.

Remove bread slices from soymilk mixture, allowing the excess soy milk to drip. Place on hot griddle and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned. Serve with your favorite maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar.