Sweet Heart Toast

Instead of a Valentine's Dinner, how about a Valentine's breakfast? Or brunch? Or breakfast for dinner? Here's a simple idea that looks pretty on the plate. I took slices of regular whole-grain bread, cut them into heart shapes, made them into vegan French toast, and sandwiched a simple fruit mixture between them. Fresh strawberries are so romantic!

Here's how it's done:

Fruit-Stuffed French Toast
(serves 4)

Sliced whole-grain bread (about 8 slices)
1 cup Soymilk
1 Tbsp. Flour (may use corn starch)
2 tsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Rum extract (may substitute vanilla)
8 large Strawberries, sliced (more for garnish)
2 Bananas, sliced
2-4 Tbsp. Maple syrup, to taste
1/8 tsp. Coconut extract

Cut the bread into heart shapes, if desired. Whisk together the soymilk, flour, sugar, nutritional yeast, salt and rum or vanilla extract. Dip slices of bread into the mixture to coat well, but do not soak. Heat an oiled, non-stick skillet and fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

While the French toast is cooking, mix the strawberries, bananas, syrup, and coconut extract together. When the toast is done, serve with fruit mixture between two slices of toast and more on top.

Since strawberries, like other berries, are high in antioxidants and phytonutrients, I decided to use this as my entry for Sweetnicks weekly event, Antioxidant-Rich Tuesdays (ARF/5-A-Day), that encourages us to eat our antioxidant-rich foods. If you're looking for other ways to prepare healthy fruits and vegetables, check out her round-up tomorrow.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free ARF 5-A-Day