Whether you’re cutting back on eggs due to rising costs, or because you have a food sensitivity or preference, OR simply because you love delicious things, this egg-free French toast is for you (meaning, it’s for everybody). It features a crisp (fiber-rich) outer shell, a tender center, and it can be whipped together in minutes, no eggs required. (And yes, you can serve it with just maple syrup, but as you’ll learn, I like to go big.)
Hello my dears,
I just want to take a minute to let you know how much I appreciate you. Thank you for being here, and for growing and cooking alongside me. You’re my biggest inspiration. In fact, a number of you inspired this week’s recipe! As I mentioned on Tuesday, I’ve had several requests for egg-free recipes lately, whether it’s due to egg shortages, rising costs, food sensitivities, and/or simple preferences. It got me thinking about restriction. (I hate that word too! But stick with me—we’re going somewhere good.)
So often when we think of restriction we feel a sense of limitation and confinement. And in a certain sense, that’s true—restriction can be limiting. However, what if restriction could also lead to expansion?
Today’s recipe is a great example.
While on the one hand cutting out eggs or any other food (for whatever reason) undoubtedly feels restrictive, on the other hand it can open the door to innovation.
When I had to cut gluten out of my diet almost fifteen years ago, at first it felt impossible. I was working as a food stylist and recipe developer (who also loved bread and pizza), and I honestly didn’t know how I could survive, much less keep my job, without having flour, wheat or bread in my repertoire. During those first couple of weeks I experienced a whole slew of emotions before I was finally able to land on acceptance (helped by the fact that I was starting to feel better than I had in years).
I think this is important—it had to start with acceptance.
Once I accepted that gluten was making my body feel sick, I could finally move on. In doing so, something remarkable happened. I discovered a slew of ingredients that I had never thought to work with before—alternative grains, nut flours, seeds, seed flours, and more. I felt like I cracked open the door to a secret pantry, and it sparked a flood of experimentation and creativity.
Whether we have to cut out foods due to health issues, financial considerations, or logistical concerns, we will undoubtedly feel an element of restriction. But if we can reach the acceptance stage, then the restriction can also open the door to creativity and expansion.
This spring there were a few weeks where my grocery store had literally no eggs due to nationwide shortages. Finding acceptance with the situation wasn’t immediately easy since I had recipes I had been planning on testing, but going without eggs is also nothing new for me. I have a slight sensitivity to eggs—while I can handle them in baked goods, if I were to eat a plate of scrambled eggs I’d look like I was seven months pregnant in about ten minutes. My youngest is also sensitive to eggs, so I’m used to adapting recipes (like this banana bread, this cornbread and these muffins) to be egg-free.
However, the egg shortages, coupled with your requests dear readers, sparked inspiration. What else could I make egg-free?
And thus, this egg-free French toast was born. And I’m obsessed (we’ll get there in a minute, I promise).
One of my favorite ways to cook—actually, I can say definitively, my favorite way to cook—is when I haven’t been to the grocery store and create something off-the-cuff using what I have on hand. I start with what seems like an empty fridge and create something entirely new using odds and ends instead of relying on my go-to’s. Interestingly, this is how I’ve developed many of my favorite recipes here. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.
Limitations can be a boon for creativity, forcing us to move beyond our habits (or habitual recipes) and think beyond our self-imposed walls.
In other words, restriction can open the door to expansion.
We’re NOT talking about deprivation
But let’s be clear, restriction is not the same thing as deprivation. Deprivation is stupid and it sucks (this is something I had to learn the hard way as a young adult). I firmly believe that depriving ourselves never leads to a positive outcome. But restriction doesn’t have to lead to deprivation.
There’s no need to deprive ourselves when we have to cut out foods (for whatever reason). Instead, there’s an opportunity to explore other foods that can fill the void. With a slight shift in perspective, restriction can be the doorway to a whole new world of flavors and experiences that we would otherwise never have considered or tried.
It’s like habit change. It’s much harder to drop a habit cold turkey than it is to replace the habit with a new one, ideally with something that brings you joy.
A mindset shift that I’ve found really helpful when it comes to restriction is curiosity. Instead of wallowing in limitation (okay, some wallowing is allowed), I open myself to curiosity. Sure, something has to go, but that also means that something new can take its place. What if that something new could provide just as much—or more!!—joy and pleasure. Bit by bit, angst turns into exploration and excitement.
We will all be faced with restriction in our lives, whether it’s due to health factors, lifestyle or financial considerations, or a plethora of outside circumstances (even the richest of dudes lives in a fallible human body). But it doesn’t have to define us or confine us. Restriction can help us tap into the creative parts of our beings, expanding us in new ways.
And the results can be freaking delicious.
Eggless French Toast
This French toast is a revelation and has become my favorite new breakfast/brunch or even dinner (have you had French toast for dinner lately? IT’S SO FUN). When I decided to try swapping out the eggs, I reached for two ingredients that are natural thickeners—arrowroot flour (or you could use cornstarch) and ground flaxseeds. They thicken up milk (I use almond milk, making this dairy-free as well, but you can use any milk you like), helping it stick to the bread. The added benefit is that the eggless custard crisps up in the pan, forming a delicious crust on the outside of the French toast.
You can flavor the “custard” in any way that brings you joy—I always add cinnamon and a tiny splash of almond extract, although other flavors such as cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, and/or orange zest are also delicious. This is your time to get curious and experiment!
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My biggest tip is to cook the French toast in a non-stick skillet, as the custard will stick in a regular skillet. I usually cook it in ghee, but coconut oil or butter are also delicious.
Now for those toppings! Yes, you can absolutely keep it simple with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit (as my youngest prefers). But I like to go big. This is purely personal, and I hope that you will explore what brings you maximum pleasure. Here’s how I top mine:
A smear of peanut butter, which slowly melts on the hot french toast (ooooh yes)
Warmed frozen wild blueberries (or this quick and easy strawberry sauce)
A dollop of cool coconut or regular yogurt
A sprinkle of this nut-and-seed granola or chopped nuts for crunch
This, my friends, is a meal that makes me so happy. Born out of restriction. But deliciously expansive.
You can download a PDF of the recipe below (I’ve also included text and JPEG versions of the recipe at the bottom of this page):
Let me know if you have any questions about the recipe or thoughts about today’s essay. I love hearing from you! Also, scroll down for more egg-free breakfast baked goods.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, and remember to nourish yourself with intention and love!
xo, Nicki
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Eggless French Toast (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Serves: 1-2
1/2 cup nut milk or regular milk
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour or cornstarch
Pinch salt
Flavorings, such as: cinnamon (and/or other spices, such as freshly grated nutmeg or cardamom), almond extract, vanilla paste or extract, and/or orange zest
2-3 slices gluten-free or regular bread (depending on the size)
Ghee, coconut oil, or butter, for pan
Toppings
Maple syrup, warmed frozen wild blueberries, easy strawberry sauce, fresh fruit, nut butter, yogurt, chopped nuts, seeds, granola, etc.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, ground flaxseeds, arrowroot flour, a pinch of salt, and your favorite flavorings. Let sit until slightly thickened.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, adding enough ghee, coconut oil or butter to fully coat. Dip the bread in the milk mixture, turning it to completely coat. Cook the French toast in the hot pan until it’s golden brown on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes (be sure to let it brown before flipping, otherwise the coating might stick). Using a thin spatula (such as a fish spatula), flip the bread over and cook until browned and crisp on the other side.
Slide the French toast onto a plate and top with your favorite fixings. Devour.
Tips:
It’s important to use a non-stick pan to prevent the French toast from sticking. I love my Scanpan.
A thin fish spatula makes it easy to flip the French toast over without sticking to the coating.
You’ll have enough milk mixture to make 2 large slices of French toast or 3 smaller slices. You can double the mixture if desired.
More breakfast baked goods that can be made egg-free:
Blueberry Banana Muffins: Swap out the eggs for the equivalent of Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer
Grain-Free Banana Bread: Swap out the eggs for the equivalent of Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer and reduce the baking time by 5 minutes
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