The following is a guest post by Tess Masters, The Blender Girl - actor, presenter, lifestyle personality, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies book, The Perfect Blend, and The Detox Dynamo Cleanse. She and her easy healthy recipes have been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Real Simple, Prevention, Clean Eating, the Today Show, and other media outlets. She is the global spokesperson for KitchenAid blenders and lives in Los Angeles.
For a fabulous family breakfast, brunch, dessert, or (dare I say it?) snack, you can’t beat this phenomenal French toast. My family and I have been battering up with this baby for years, and it is a huge hit with everyone we serve it to. People even say they prefer this healthier incantation of the classic comfort food to its original counterpart! I've received thousands of elated emails and messages on social media about this righteous recipe since I included it in my latest book The Perfect Blend, so I had to share it with you.
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So simple, so delicious, so creamy, so crispy you may never blend your batter using dairy milk and eggs again. Yep! This terrific treasure is dairy free, egg free, and also gluten free, and it utilizes whole ingredients.
Now, before you grimace at the thought of using cardboard-like gluten-free sandwich bread (we all know how awful that can be), the brilliant batter in this recipe makes even the worst gluten-free bread full and fluffy! I use whole-grain gluten-free bread, but you could use regular whole-wheat bread as well. Just know that this recipe (ingredient ratios and cook times) has been calibrated for gluten-free bread. So, you may need more coconut oil when frying and will need to adjust the temperature of your stove top as well as the cook time.
But, resist the urge to use less coconut oil than what I've prescribed, otherwise, your bread won't crisp up. I don't know about you, but I love my French toast crispy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.
This French toast is a fun, family-friendly recipe. I make it with my niece and nephew, and they love soaking the bread and preparing their toppings so they can get their serving juuust right. The caramelized bananas I've included in this recipe are always a hit, but this fried bread will get cozy with any fruit that takes your fancy. Try serving it with stewed or poached apples, pears, peaches, rhubarb, or some fresh berries.
If you want to make this recipe nut-free, use rice, soy, or hemp milk in the batter, and top it with coconut flakes instead of nuts. Bon appetit!
Blend More Than Smoothies
I use my blender to make all kinds of delicious recipes. I think it's the greatest culinary tool we've been given since fire and spoons! So, I want to encourage you to use your blender beyond smoothies, soups, and cocktails. Your blender can make healthy fast food possible. Blending makes life easier, levels the playing field in the kitchen, and allows anybody to whip up nutrient-dense, tasty foods with limited skills and time.
While my books and website do contain a full repertoire of drinks, smoothies, and soups, you’ll find more than food to sip, glug, or scoop up with a spoon. My recipes are blender centered but by no means blender only. I favor blender-inspired dishes—appetizers, snacks, salads, desserts, and easy main dishes you can attack with your trusty knife and fork.
This is why I love this blender more than anything else on the market:
- The most powerful blender to pulverize ingredients for silky smooth consistencies.
- 3 Adapti-Blend™ pre-programmed settings for smoothies, soups, and juices.
- Insulated jar that keeps the contents cool when you're blending smoothies and juices.
- BPA-free container with soft-touch handle grip and asymmetric stainless steel blade.
- Speed dial that goes to 11 to take things beyond regular speeds to completely pulverize ingredients more quickly.
- Pulse switch for an extra boost of power at any speed.
This is the best blender I have ever used. And I own them all!
You May Also Enjoy
- Peanut Butter Banana Stuffed French Toast
- Sourdough French Toast
- Whole Wheat French Toast
- Quick Breakfast Ideas
- Healthy Breakfast Ideas
If you enjoyed this homemade French toast recipe, please leave a rating and comment! For more inspiration, check out my Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. For 5 free weekly meal plans and more free resources, sign up to receive my free newsletter! For more ideas, check out these Breakfast Recipes.
French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1 medium banana (ripe)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (white or black)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 slices bread (gluten-free)
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
Caramelized Bananas
- 2 medium bananas (thickly sliced on the diagonal)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar ((or regular sugar))
- 1 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- Pure maple syrup (for serving)
Toppings
- 2 tablespoons pecans (or walnuts, crushed)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Set the oven to its lowest temperature or the “warm” setting.
- To make the French toast, pour the milk, banana, maple syrup, vanilla, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt into your blender and blast on high for about 30 seconds until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a large shallow baking dish and let rest for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. In batches, place slices of the bread in the baking dish and let soak on one side for 8 to 10 seconds. Flip the slices and let soak for another 8 to 10 seconds, until evenly moistened.
- In a medium skillet (that fits two slices of bread) or on a large griddle (that holds all of the slices) over medium heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil per two slices of bread. (Resist the urge to use less coconut oil or the bread won’t get crispy.) Add the bread and fry for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on the edges; you may need to add more coconut oil after you flip the bread. If cooking in batches, transfer the French toast to a lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm and repeat to fry the remaining bread, adding more coconut oil to cook each batch.
- While the last pieces of toast are cooking, make the caramelized bananas. Combine the banana slices and the coconut sugar in a zip-lock bag, seal, and shake to coat evenly.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the coconut oil, add the coated bananas, and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely caramelized.
- Serve two slices of French toast on each plate, topped with one-quarter of the caramelized bananas, one-quarter of the crushed nut boosters, and one-quarter of the coconut booster. Pass maple syrup at the table.
Lucia Thomas says
Soups and smoothies for is
Miranda says
I would love to make soup
Gary says
I would make smoothies
Kaylee Stewart says
Smoothies and chopping veggies to hide in dishes for my kids.
Amy says
Smoothies, soups, and sauces.
Cynthia K says
I would use the blender for smoothies, shakes, purees and soups.
Julie says
I was going to say smoothies but am now intrigued by the seemingly endless possibilities!
Deb says
My old blender is too tired to be effective. A new blender for smoothies and soups will make me so happy! Bye bye old blender!
Andrea says
I would use this blender for smoothies and sauces:)
Leia Parker says
With four kids I would probably use this blender daily for smoothies and soups!!
Kim D says
I would love to use the blender to teach my children how fun healthy eating and cooking can be! Thanks!!
Maureen says
I would love to use the blender for soups and smoothies!!
Sadye says
It would be perfect for making my baby her purées! Oh and maybe a smoothie or two for my hubby!
Jillian Too says
I'd love to use the blender for breakfast smoothies.
Cassandra V says
I'd love to use this blender to make green smoothies and also to try out some soup recipes.
Tara says
I would love this for soups and purees!!!
Christina Campbell says
Smoothies, ice cream, soup, dressings. Yes, please!
Angela P. says
I'd LOVE to use this blender for soups, sauces, and smoothies!
Priscia says
I would love to make healthy smoothies with my children, blended soups, and tasty saices to help my family eat more greens! Good luck everyone!
Laura says
We lototry making soup in it!
Ayindeh says
To make smoothies at college.
Laura says
We love to try making soup in it!
Mary says
I would use the blender to make smoothies, my 20 year old Oster blender leaks. I would also use it to make my seasonal batch of roasted tomato basil soup from my garden.
Rachel S. says
I would use it daily for smoothies and puree veggies like beets and cauliflower and then freeze them in muffin tins and then blend them up again to make pancake mix or breads or soups. I also blend up nuts and seeds and lots of different types of grains. We have lots of health things we are trying to figure out over here from cancer to constipation so we have to keep trying different things. Never even heard of this blender! Sounds incredible.
Patricia says
I would use the blender to make smoothies, soups, ice cream, and other desserts.
Amanda says
Post-workout smoothies!
Anna says
I love the idea of making soups in it! Desserts, sauces, smoothies of course!
Melissa Doerksen says
I would love a blender of this calibre to make wonderful and healthy smoothies; however, would be so useful for so many other recipes as well :) Plus, I love healthy cookbooks!
tracy says
I would try the french toast!
Jennifer Fulmer says
I would love to use the cookbooks to learn more recipes to blend (with a high powered blender!) besides just smoothies.
Carrie Wagie says
I do smoothies every morning. One of these blenders would be awesome! I am also very interested in new ways to use the blender to make more creative meals.
Melissa Doerksen says
I would love a blender of this calibre to make wonderful and healthy smoothies; however believe it would be useful for many other recipes as well :)
RNmom says
I'd use this to make gluten free dairy free sugar free dips and spreads for my little one.
Joyce Rose says
I would use the blender to rice cauliflower and use in place of potatoes.
Chandra Daumer says
Green smoothies!
Gina Fox says
I would use the blender for morning smoothies. I have never considered making other recipes like french toast in one and I am excited to try it.
Emily Francis says
Mmmm! Smoothies, salsa, soup! The possibilities are endless!
Sue D says
I would use this blender for my smoothies.
Pam Landers says
I would love to make healthy, nutritional smoothies for my family!
Lindsey Bird says
I'd love to use this blender to make smoothies and purées for soups and baby food.
Kerrin Heil says
Smoothies