A Year of Changes...And PB Banana French Toast!

I was looking through my blog posts the other day and realized that it had been a full year since my last post for Valentine's Day 2016.  A whole lot has happened over the past year that pushed my cooking & blog posts to the side!

• Decided to move
• Applied for a new job many states away
• Interview process
• Sold a house
• Moved across the country
• Started a new (and awesome!) job
• Bought a house
• Began training for my first half Ironman!

As you can see, life has been busy!  Now that things are starting to settle down a bit (except for the tri training), I am hoping to get back to cooking and blogging.  To get things started, I wanted to highlight a local gluten free baked goods company, since Colorado is great for foodies with all sorts of dietary restrictions!

Outside the Breadbox, based in Colorado Springs, has the BEST gluten free, vegan oat bread that I have tried.  The texture is perfectly light, the bread holds well for any amount of sandwich fillings, and the flavor is delicious.  This bread was perfect for making french toast on a relaxing day off from work.

PB Banana French Toast (Gluten Free)

Ingredients

• 1 banana (1/2 mashed for batter, 1/2 sliced for topping)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 4-5 slices of gluten free bread
• Topping options: Peanut butter, coconut milk cool whip (I used So Delicious CocoWhip), cacao nibs, extra cinnamon, maple syrup

Directions

1. Mash half of the banana in a large bowl (make sure it is big enough to dip your slices of bread in)
2. Add the egg, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and turmeric to the mashed banana and whisk together.
3. Dip your bread into the batter, evenly coating both sides.
4. Add ~1-2 tsp of coconut oil to a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
5. Add your bread and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until the batter is cooked and beginning to turn golden.
6. To serve, spread a layer of peanut butter on each slice of french toast.  Top with a few extra slices of banana, a spoonful of CocoWhip, a sprinkle of cinnamon, some cacao nibs, and a drizzle of maple syrup!

-Brought to you from Erin's Kitchen