French Toast for Phil

Did you know?  A groundhog is the same thing as a woodchuck?  So the least I could do for my kindred spirit in Punxsutawney, who we sun-depraved northerners drag out of hibernation every 2nd of February for the ridiculous facade of calculating the weather, is make a breakfast in his honor.  Actually I made this a few days ago for my daughter when she was home sick....but Phil will never know, as he hopefully returned to his slumber hours ago.

This recipe is well known and originally comes from Vegan with a Vengeance.  French toast has always been a love of mine; so thank you, Isa, for making vegan life even that much more worth living. 

I don't eat sandwich bread per se...It just seems like a lot of empty "fill" to me.  I'd rather just eat the filling of a sandwich and save my empty-carb consumption for a warm crusty loaf dipped in herbed-up oil...pizza...pancakes...or dessert.  But I picked up a loaf of sprouted multi-grain bread the other day, as it touted things on the wrapper like "organic...7 grains & seeds...no added oil...no added sugar...no flour..."  It was so sanctimonious, and I could hear it screaming "take me home and bathe me in sweet milkiness! fry me in hot oil! pat me with butteryness! and smother me with syrup!"

So, I said "OK."


French Toast

6-8 slices sprouted multi-grain bread (or whatever you like - just make it hearty and on the dry side)
1/2 cup vanilla soy creamer (or use more nondairy milk)
1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used almond)
2 Tbsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
Earth Balance butter or oil for the skillet

*If I hadn't been making this to share with my 10-yr-old, I might've snuck in a hit of coffee liqueur as well.

In a shallow dish whisk the creamer, milk, starch, and flour.  It's ok if you can't work out all the lumps. 

Coat both sides of each bread slice in the mixture, and cook on a hot buttered/oiled skillet for a couple minutes on each side, until they appear golden brown and crispy.

"Groundhogs in the wild eat succulent green plants, such as dandelion greens, clover, plantain and grasses. They also are tempted by nearby garden vegetables" (Cornell Chronicle)....so, serve with a side of berries and apples, for ol' Phil.

And for the record, this woodchuck did not see her shadow today.  As for when winter will be over, however, I can only promise you June.  Stay the course, my wintered friends...sunnier skies ahead.