Valentine French Toast and some Random Notes

I woke up this morning to some delicious aromas permeating the house: strong hot coffee, warm cinnamon, frying batter and the faint scent of pear. Knowing how much I love food, and how much of a treat it is for someone else to do the cooking, Jason prepared a surprise Valentine's Day breakfast!

Breakfast is the most difficult meal for a vegan. American traditions like eggs, bacon and even buttermilk pancakes are hard to replicate in vegan cuisine (I am not a huge fan of tempeh bacon in the morning or tofu scramble, they are much more of a dinner affair for me!). Jason decided to make French Toast with thick Italian bread, cinnamon bananas coupled with the delicious pear bellini! This was the perfect Valentine's gift - that's right, no flowers, no chocolate, no jewelry - all I want is a great cooked meal!

This recipe is adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance and uses chickpea flour, soy cream, rice milk to make the great crusty coating. If you haven't already gotten this cookbook it is about time to order it!

French Toast (based on "Fronch" Toast in VVengance)

Sliced loaf of Italian bread, toasted slightly in the oven
1/2 C soy creamer
1/2 C rice milk
2 T cornstarch
1/4 C chickpea flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
canola oil for cooking

• Mix dry ingredients together in small bowl
• Mix wet ingredients into a large bowl
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined
• Dip bread (both sides) into the batter and fry in oil until browned on each side.
  

Cinnamon Bananas

1 banana sliced
1 tsp coconut oil
cinnamon

• Melt coconut oil in skillet
• Add banana slices and cook until just warmed
• Sprinkle with cinnamon

Pear Bellini
* this is not a classic Bellini recipe, rather it is a light drink inspired by the Bellini

Italian prosecco
Pear Juice (or Peach)

• 2 oz juice to 3 oz prosecco
• add a raspberry for garnish
  

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I am also posting some photos of recipes that I decided to try from The Voluptuous Vegan and the essential The Joy of Vegan Baking.

The VV was recommended to me a while back and I have only recently been trying out some of the recipes. Unlike most of my cookbooks, this book is arranged by full meals. Each recipe bunch works together as a decadent (voluptuous) display of culinary skill. There are even plating suggestions! While I have only gotten through a few of these, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves to cook or is looking for really impressive way to entertain. Many of the recipes have a spicy flare and most of them require a lot of time and deft kitchen appliance juggling, but the finished result is well worth it! Even with a messy and impatient cook like myself, these recipes miraculously end up perfect. The other day I made VV's chili and corn-bisciut casserole to great success!

I also recently made this no bake chocolate peanut butter pie from Joy. I am not a fan of PB and chocolate, but I was itching to cook something and went with what I had in the kitchen. This lovely pie tastes like creamy fudge paired with a crispy graham cracker crust! mmmmmm!

Up next: Vegan TVP Noodle casserole. This is my recipe so I'll post it in its entirety.

Happy Valentines!!!