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.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
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.
Kira Penton says
I have decided to take a healthier path in my life and would love to have your smoothly maker , I'm sure it will make 100% of a difference
Allison Platte says
I would use this everyday for smoothies! But also for making some of my favorite sauces!
Kathryn R. says
I would love this blender for green smoothies!
Paige says
My blender just cracked & I have been hand stirring everything from muffin mix to sauces to smoothies! I would love this blender!
Kara Trebil-Smith says
If I won this blender, I would finally get to try all of the homemade nut butter recipes I've saved in the last two years. And, I would make my smoothies a little more green - my current blender doesn't quite make those leaves disappear. :)
Sarah Roberts says
I'd love to make healthy smoothies for my picky four year old!
Amie says
I'd make baby food :-)
Stephanie Grubb says
I would use this for summer gazpacho with the heirloom tomatoes from my garden, our daily morning smoothies, homemade almond butter, potato and leek soup in the winter, and so much more! The possibilities are exciting!
Sarah K. says
I would love to use it to make smoothies and treats for our whole family!
Danielle says
I'd use the blender for our daily smoothies. My kids love them!
Marla Dietz says
I'd use it to make smoothies, soups, and this yummy recipe!
Cheri says
This would be amazing!!! Myself and kiddos drink smoothies daily so would use it for those as well as soups, homemade hot sauce, anything and everything!!'
Carolyn Phillips says
Smoothies for sure!!
Emily S. says
We recently moved from Houston to a place that actually gets cold in the winter. I'd use the blender for all of the soups I plan to make. :)
Sara says
I would use it for soups coming up this fall!
Naomi says
For all the smoothies!
Deanna Burns says
I would use the blender to make different smoothie concoctions with my kids.
Erin G says
Would love a new blender; right now we use a food processor that tends to leak. It would be used for many things, especially smoothies and homemade almond milk :)
Alyssa B. says
I would use this super charged blender for smoothies and soups for my whole family.
Brianna says
To help with more plant based recipes!
Sheena Davis says
There are so many things I could use this for...smoothies, soups, hummus, etc! Would love this!!
Brenda Passmore says
I would most use this blender for smoothies!
Heidi says
I would use the blender to make avocado chocolate pudding and black bean brownies!
Sherri says
I would love to have the blender to help my family have a healthier lifestyle.
Lesli Collum says
I would LOVE to use this blender in my self contained special education classroom to teach & make healthy Whole Foods like smoothies, soups, etc. Teaching life skills, I'm committed to teaching HEALTHY life skills.
Afton says
I would use it to make baby food for my little miss and smoothies for my little man!
Cynthia M. says
I love smoothies and this blender would be perfect for making my own!
Ewa Payton says
I'm in desperate need of a blender. Would love to win this awesome prize, this would help me tremendously to make healthy food choices as I try to loose weight. Thank you
Shannon Keenan says
I would love to use this blender to make amazing new vegan dishes ❤️❤️
Kate M says
I would use this blender to make perfect, creamy green smoothies!
Rebbeca says
Soups and smoothies!
Emma Kate Watson says
Making homemade salsa and dairy free milkshakes!
Kelli Murphy says
I've been on a quest to become a healthier person and would love to have something that could be vital to journey.
Jennifer says
I would use for soups, smoothies, margaritas, and blended food diet for my tube fed son!
Jenny Martin says
I'd love this blender so that I could try new recipes that my current blender just wont work for. I'd also make tons of smoothies!
Carolyn M. says
I would use it for smoothies, dressings, marinades and soups.
Maria Arce says
I would like to use this awesome blender to make smoothies, soups, almond milk amongst other delicious dishes and get all the nutrients in a very easy way. This blender is the solution to eating healthier and get nourished, I thank my Blender Girl and KitchenAid for sharing with us your knowledge and the fabulous blender that helps make our lives easier.
Caitlyn G says
I would use this blender to make all. the. Smoothies.
LaKeisha McMillan says
I have several Kitchen Aid products. I love the quality and it is a link to my Mom. She loved her kitchen aid! I make smoothies daily. This blender would get lots of use. I've also been a fan on the cookbooks. I'm trying to use healthy alternatives to treat my POCS and have a baby. This would definitely help!
su says
I would use this for frozen coffee drinks in the summer and soups in the winter.