What is your earliest breakfast memory?  Mine goes back to my childhood in Hong Kong when I stayed for the weekend at my grandmother’s home and shared her breakfast.  She was born in Japan, hence, she served me pickled daikon, soft-boiled egg, toast, fruit and then a cup of tea with a generous amount of condensed milk.  I always looked forward to those weekends.  That hot cup of, beyond sweet, creamy flavourful tea still fortifies my soul when I think of it.  And I still use her technique to make the perfect soft-boiled egg.  I suppose I looked forward to those weekends because it was just the two of us.  She really made me feel special.

These days, I prefer French toast for breakfast as a treat. French toast is one of those dishes you can’t mess up, which is probably why it was one of the first dishes I made as a child.  And my aunt taught me a very unorthodox way to eat it, that is –  sprinkle liberal amounts of sugar over the spread butter.  The hot French toast melts the sugar slightly, creating a buttery, gooey sweetness that is difficult to resist.

Interestingly, it’s rare to see a recipe for French toast without eggs. But, I found an eggless recipe in one of the textbooks for my nutrition class and was blown away by its delicious taste.  For our post, I have upped the superfoods quota by adding hemp seeds.  This dish is great for vegans and those who are allergic to eggs.  Enjoy, and I hope this dish will be memorable for you!

Superfoods in this recipe:
Cashews – These nuts contain monounsaturated-fatty acids which may help lower the bad LDL-cholesterol, while increasing good HDL cholesterol.  They are also a good source of B vitamins and minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.
Hemp seeds –  The hemp seed is a different plant from the one for marijuana, so munch away because hemp seeds have the perfect balance of essential fatty acids, all nine of the essential amino acids thus making it a complete source of protein, vitamin C, B complex, and a host of minerals. It also contains chlorophyll and is considered nature’s near perfect food.
Coconut oil –  Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but because it contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), it is metabolized differently than long-chained fatty acids which are found in animal fats.  MCTs do not get stored as fat, but go straight to the liver to be used immediately as energy.
Cinnamon – Diets rich in cinnamon can help counter the negative effects of a high-fat diet in the body.  This spice may also balance blood sugar, plus fight bacterial and fungal infections.

Eggless French Toast  6 slices

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cashews (soaked overnight or minimum of 2 hours and then drained)
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• 1 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 6 slices whole grain bread

Directions:

• Put drained cashews, hemp seeds, almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract into blender and puree until smooth.  Then pour into shallow bowl, wide enough to dip the bread into.
• Heat frying pan to medium heat, add 1 T. coconut oil.
• Dip bread into the nut mixture then place into the frying pan, fry two at a time, if space allows, but don’t let bread touch.  Fry until golden brown on the bottom and then flip.  The toast is done once the bottom is golden brown as well.  Continue cooking the rest of the toast.
• Serve with your favourite toppings.  I am a traditionalist, so mine is warmed maple syrup, heating it brings out the flavour.

Eat superfoods, live a super life! {Kake}