French Toast With Amaretto Crème

Ingredients

Amaretto Crème:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a few hours to overnight in water (to soften)
• 1 can coconut milk (for raw version, blend 1⁄2 cup coconut meat with 1 cup coconut water)
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk of choice
• 1/2 cup amaretto liquor
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• 1/4 cup agave
• Pinch of sea salt

French Toast:

• 1/2 cup raw almond butter or cashew butter
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup whole spelt flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or date paste
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Sea salt, to taste
• Whole-grain baguette or your favorite whole-grain bread (whole-grain cinnamon raisin bread is superb as well, or you can use your favorite gluten-free option)
• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance or any vegan butter

Garnish:

• Fresh berries
• Toasted pecans

Directions

1. Prepare Amaretto Crème: In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

2. Prepare French Toast: In a medium bowl, whisk the almond butter, almond milk, flour, yeast, cinnamon, maple syrup, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt to make the batter, or blend ingredients in blender until smooth. Set aside.

3. Slice the baguette or other bread in thick slices. Dip bread slices into batter. Allow each slice to sit in the batter for a minute, which helps it absorb more.

4. Add tablespoon vegan butter to a flat pan, flat grill, or large sauté pan on medium heat. Once melted, add battered bread slice. Add additional tablespoon of vegan butter for each bread slice. (It’s okay if the slices are wet with lots of batter— this is what creates the delicious crust.)

5. Cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with spatula, and cook other side until lightly golden.

6. Serve: Drizzle Amaretto Crème on while French Toast is still warm and top with a generous handful of fresh berries and pecans.

*HOW TO MAKE DATE PASTE: Blend 1 cup of pitted dates with 1 cup filtered water until a thick paste forms. The paste will keep in the fridge for two weeks. Dates add a sweet kiss to smoothies, dressings, sauces, or desserts, without adding refined sugar.

Psst… For more delicious plant-powered recipes, pick up a copy of Crazy Sexy Kitchen today!

Photo Credit: Andrew Scrivani