Strawberry-Vanilla French Toast {Recipe}

Vegan brunch has never tasted (or looked) this good, thanks to Kristy Turner's stellar recipe for Strawberry-Vanilla French Toast, from her book But My Family Would Never Eat Vegan. Topped with a luscious, homemade strawberry sauce, each thick slice of vanilla bean-infused French toast is sure to wow your brunch guests.

Serves 8

What You Need:

For the French toast:
1 vanilla bean
1 cup plain or vanilla vegan milk
½ cup canned coconut milk (or vegan creamer)
½ cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1½ tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Vegan cooking spray 
8 vegan bread slices
Vegan whipped cream, optional
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Sliced almonds, optional

For the strawberry sauce:
4 cups chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water

What You Do:

1. With a paring knife, make a slit lengthwise down the side of vanilla bean. Use the knife to scrape out seeds and place in a large shallow bowl or baking dish. Add the vegan milk, coconut milk, flour, maple syrup, arrowroot, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined.

2. Preheat oven to its lowest setting. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside.

3. Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat and spray generously with cooking spray. Dip 1 or 2 slices of bread in the milk mixture and soak for 10 to 15 seconds on each side. Place in pan and cook until golden and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

4. Transfer to cooling rack and place baking sheet in oven to keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining slices of bread, respraying pan each time before adding new slices.

5. For the strawberry sauce, combine ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.

6. To serve, place two slices of bread (or four halves) on a plate, topped with a dollop of whipped cream, a spoonful of strawberry sauce, and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Sprinkle with a few sliced almonds and serve.

Photo courtesy of Chris Miller