Opinion – Terra Vegana: French toast without egg or milk? Yes, it is possible!

French toast are previously fried slices of bread dipped in milk with sugar and beaten eggs, and finished with more sugar and a touch of cinnamon, right? The traditional version, yes. Not vegan, but when opting for the recipe without eggs and without cow’s milk, omit the fact that it is a 100% vegetable french toast. Serve, and after everyone has licked their fingers, reveal the little secret. Nobody will believe.

In my french toast recipe, which came about by chance, millet mixed with vegetable milk serves as both eggs and cow’s milk. Oatmeal wraps the bread slices before they go to the pan, to make the french toast crispy, without the need for deep frying.

For a gluten-free version, just use a gluten-free bread and opt for gluten-free oat flour. Oats do not contain gluten, but can be cross-contaminated by being processed in machines that receive gluten-containing cereals, such as wheat. Therefore, in the case of celiacs, it is important to pay attention to the label.

And, for those who want a plant-based french toast recipe with the right to gluten and affordable ingredients, the tip is to follow that of cook and communicator Guilherme Lima, better known as Veggui on Instagram.

Gui’s recipe, in addition to being delicious, requires nothing more than bread, vegetable milk, sugar, starch, coconut oil and cinnamon.

A curiosity: in Portugal, there are french toasts and golden slices. Both are fried breads, but the golden slices are fried in butter, while the french toasts —also called slices parida— are fried in oil.

Both in my version and in Gui’s, we suggest the use of coconut oil, which adds sweetness to the buns that, despite coming out of the frying pan golden, are, in fact, french toast.

Luisa’s french toast

INGREDIENTS

6 slices of bread

1 cup of Christmas couscous (the recipe was published in the previous column, and it is very simple to prepare)

½ cup plant-based milk

2 tablespoons demerara sugar

½ cup oat flour

4 tablespoons coconut oil + to add during “frying”

Sugar and cinnamon, for sprinkling

Agave, as much as needed (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Beat the millet couscous with the vegetable milk and sugar in a blender until obtaining a homogeneous and smooth mixture. Pour the mixture into a deep plate.

2. In another deep plate, place the oat flour. Dip each slice of bread in the millet mixture, then in the oat flour, wiping off any excess with your fingers.

3. Place the already breaded slices on a platter with a little oatmeal sprinkled on it and then start “frying” it in a frying pan with coconut oil over medium heat, first on one side and then on the other, until both until golden (approximately two minutes on each side).

4. Do the same procedure with the sides of the bread, with the help of a tong. The entire surface of the bread must come into contact with the skillet so that the french toast is “sealed”. Remove the french toasts from the skillet and transfer to a plate with towel paper. Finish with cinnamon and, if you like, sugar on top and serve hot or at room temperature. To enhance the presentation, make a mixture of agave and coconut oil (melted) and brush on top when serving.

Guilherme’s french toast

INGREDIENTS

For the french toast:

1 cup plant-based milk (preferably thicker, creamier milk)

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

3 pieces of French bread (preferably stale)

To sprinkle:

Powdered sugar and cinnamon

Coconut oil, or other oil, for frying.

PREPARATION

1. Mix all the french toast ingredients until smooth.
2. Dip the slices of bread in the mixture, then immediately place the slices in a heated skillet with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or other vegetable oil) and fry over medium heat, browning both sides.
3. Then just pass the sugar and cinnamon mix and it’s ready!