French Toast Friday - Easter edition! I am currently in Strasbourg, France doing a global health rotation in dermatology, and am enjoying exploring the city and the food here!
I came up with this fun recipe to make French toast even more French by using a croissant for the bread! It is called Pain Perdu, or “lost bread” in France due to the legend of using old bread to make this in times of hunger.
It has been so fun being in France, specifically the Alsace region, at Easter time because everything is so festive in the shops and the streets and they really get into the spirit of celebrating the holiday! And springtime is so beautiful here as well!
I used some ingredients from some of my favorite local spots in Strasbourg to make this simple and fun recipe: I got a vegan croissant from Origin Vegan Cafe, and also coconut-soy vegan yogurt from Harmonie Bowl and Juice, and then of course I had to decorate it for Easter with chocolates from Jeff De Bruges and Au Fond du Jardin in Strasbourg!
I also mixed turmeric, beet powder, and spirulina with some soy yogurt and a bit of oat milk for fun colors to drizzle on top, reminiscent of Easter egg dye!
Here is how to make this:
Ingredients:
3-4 tbsp oil or butter
1 croissant (or 2 - you will have extra batter, so you could make 2 croissants or use some regular bread slices to use up the rest!)
Batter:
⅓ cup plant-based milk
½ cup soy yogurt
½ mashed ripe banana
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Dash nutmeg, allspice, ginger (optional)
Steps:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together all the batter ingredients. Let thicken in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, then whisk again until evenly combined.
2. Heat a nonstick pan on medium heat with 1-2 tbsp oil.
3. Set the croissant in a Tupperware/bowl that is slightly bigger than the bread, then pour the batter around until the whole outside of the croissant is coated in batter.
4. Place the croissant on the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, then flip. Try your best to get all the edges crispy by rotating the croissant, but be gentle so you don’t squish it.
5. Place the croissant on a plate, let cool, then serve with vegan yogurt, berries, and Easter chocolates! You can also serve it with nut butter and/or maple syrup - whatever your favorite French toast toppings are!
