French Toast

French Toast!
My french toast recipe has gone though many transformations!  First of all, how do you make french toast without eggs?  I've tried the "egg-replacers" recipes, smashed up bananas etc.  You name it, I've tried it.  All to the review of "yuk!".  (On top of the fact, the bread always ended up a soggy gross mess)   For some reason it finally hit me to use a batter!  A type of batter that would coat the bread and cook up "egg-like".  Luckily I already have a batter I am happy with, and with just a tweak of the recipe I was able to dip, coat and cook our favorite bread and serve it up with a topping of "butter" (Earth Balance) and pure maple syrup!  

And I finally got a "yum!"...........


gf/vegan



French Toast:

1/4 Cup  Pre-made Pancake Batter (recipe found here)
2 TB  Rice Milk (or milk of choice)
pinch of ground Nutmeg

1 piece of bread (your choice, I make a homemade bread which is quite thick)

In a small bowl add 1/4 cup pre-made pancake batter, rice milk and nutmeg.  Whisk by hand until mixed together.  Preheat skillet on medium heat.  Add preferred "butter" or oil to pan to help avoid french toast sticking to the pan.  Dip bread in batter on both sides and completely coat.  Place in preheated skillet and cook on each side about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with favorite topping and enjoy!

The batter should be pour-able with a spoon.....

Make sure to really coat each piece of bread!

Cooking on a cast iron skillet (over medium heat) is my preferred pan....

A little maple syrup and powdered sugar for effect!  

Also shared at: Make Your Own! Monday,Gluten Free Fridays,Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,Tasteful Tuesday Party,Fat Tuesday,Allergy Free Wednesday,Gluten Free Wednesdays,Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

Chocolate Banana Cake

So do you have any over-ripe bananas sitting around?  I did.  
The best thing about over-ripe bananas, is that they make baked good very moist!  I'm not a ripe banana fan for that fact, which forces me to cook, freeze or smoothie them.  But that's o.k. because I love any form of baked banana cake, bread, muffin, cupcake, donut, etc....and so does my family.  
This cake has a fairly light chocolate flavor, as to not overpower the banana taste and is super moist and delicious.  The cake reminds me more of a "snack" type cake.  A cake that would be great at a picnic or in the middle of the day. 
But then honestly, I don't ever see a problem with eating any type of cake in the middle of the day.......but that's just me!  

 gf/vegan


Chocolate Banana Cake:
Oven: 350
Parchment lined brownie pan 12x8


1 Cup  Brown Rice Flour (Millet would work great also)
1/2 Cup  White Rice Flour
(mine is a mixture of 1/2 Sweet White Rice Flour and 1/2 regular White Rice Flour)
1/4 Cup  Potato Starch
1/4 Cup  Tapioca Starch
1 tsp  Xantham Gum
1 tsp  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp  Baking Soda
1/4 tsp  Sea Salt
1/2 Cup  Cocoa Powder
2 Large Ripe Bananas
1/4 Cup  Oil (of choice)
1 tsp  Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cup  Organic Brown Sugar (not packed)
1 1/2 Cup  Water (hot)
1/4 Cup  Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x9 brownie pan with parchment paper, set aside.
In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, add bananas and mix until mashed well.  Add oil, vanilla and brown sugar.  Mix until incorporated on medium low speed.  Next add in all dry ingredients, brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xantham gum, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cocoa powder.  Before starting the mixer back on, pour the hot water(not boiling) on top and mix on medium speed until well blended, scraping down sides as needed.  Once mixed well, add the chocolate chips and just mix another few seconds to blend those in.  Pour batter into prepared pan and place in oven to cook for 24-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.  Let cool completely.  Add frosting of choice.  Enjoy!


Now, this is the icing I added to the cooled cake.  But really the cake is great on it's own and it doesn't have a strong flavor, so any of your favorite icing recipes would work great too or even a light glaze!  If I was making it for adults, I would have added a coffee flavor to the icing.....just saying!




Coconut Oil Chocolate Icing:

1/2 Cup  Coconut Oil (melted)
1/4 Cup  Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
2 Cups  Organic Powdered Sugar
pinch of salt

In medium bowl, add melted coconut oil and chocolate chips.  Whisk until chocolate chips are melted.  Then Add in powdered sugar and pinch of salt.  Whisk together until blended well.  Pour (or spread, this will depend how warm your coconut oil was!) onto cooled cake.  Place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes and the frosting will set up.

*note-  Once the frosting is set up, the icing will be more fudge like if kept at room temperature.  The refrigeration just helps "set it" quicker.  Keeping in mind coconut oil goes to liquid if temperatures are above normal being summer and all!

Also Shared at: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,Tasteful Tuesday Party,Fat Tuesday,Allergy Free Wednesday,Gluten Free Wednesdays,Waste Not Want Not Wednesday,Well Fed Wednesday,Gluten Free Fridays

*********Happy 4th of July!*********

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you a day of family, fun and good food!

Flag Cake Recipe:

Lemon cake recipe:  here

Lemon icing recipe: here  (doubled)

Strawberries and blueberries for decoration