Well here’s to the longest hiatus ever, everyone! I have finally emerged from underneath the suffocating mounds of work. Free from an aching heart, mind and soul. It’s ridiculously liberating, and what better way to celebrate than a long-awaited post? It feels weird to have the time to do things like this, but I guess I better get used to it. I’ll be keeping more updated on comments, questions and posts. There’s just no excuse this time. This one’s a short recipe, nothing grandiloquent. But. This french toast is special to me because I’ve been using it quite frequently for the past 3 years or so, after modifying it myself from various sources. I only recently realised that it’s never been properly shared with anyone. It’s basically a vegan french toast recipe, with my own twist on a basic formula of mashed banana and milk. The quirk? The kind twang of yoghurt and a burst of cinnamon. Simple, fresh, wholesome. Its just french toast, but the glorious main star of the batter, mashed banana, makes for the most wonderful naturally sweet exterior. It yields a caramelised banana crust, almost with a charred taste and texture, depending on how ‘done’ you want the final result to be. Who am I kidding, it’s just french toast. But I must talk about it, before I forget tomorrow, and probably the day after. My french toast. The toppings are totally subjective. In the picture above, I used maple syrup, fruit and my mum’s homemade pistachio butter, which goes superbly with most everything you can think of. Breakfast foods, at that. Butter and maple syrup or honey would work a peach. Keep in mind that you don’t need too much sweetener thanks to the natural sweetness of the bananas. A caramelised golden banana coat to keep the inside warm and fluffy. The same goes for having it straight-up plain. Or why not make it a glorious peanut butter and jelly-stuffed sandwich. Maybe some chocolate spread and melted marshmallows. I might be taking it a bit too far here. Just, you know, some ideas. And if you have some ice cream…

Eggless French Toast For One

Preheat your pan on medium-high heat. Take two slices (or three, if you wish) of soft bread of your choice, such as buttery brioche or, unsalted butter from the fridge to let it warm up a little. Take half a banana (ripe if you’re lucky) and mash it up with a fork. Add a good splash of whatever milk (quarter cup, or 59ml) you want and mix that in well. My favourite is my mum’s gorgeous homemade almond milk– all thick, creamy and rich. Whole milk will work beautifully as well. The texture should be thick, much thicker than your typical liquidy french toast batter, and little chunks of banana are fine. Add a tablespoon of yoghurt, a squeeze of honey or any sweetener you desire, and a dash of cinnamon. Mix mix mix. Just one fork, a shallow dish and a handful of ingredients. No mess, no fuss. Take a good knob of butter (around a tablespoon) and let that sizzle on the pan. Drench both sides your slices, one by one, in the thick mixture. A little excess is fine– it actually makes for a better crust. Place slices on the preheated, buttered griddle or pan and let cook for around 2-3 minutes on each side. Have a quick peek underneath if you’re not sure, because every pan and fire is different. It should be golden, with little smears and streaks of brown, and incredibly fragrant. Once one side is done, flip using a spatula. It should take around half a minute less to cook this side. For more people, simply multiply the proportions of each ingredient appropriately.