Thanksgiving Breakfast: Banana Walnut French Toast

*Guest post by our terrific intern, Georgia Rounder!

Everything about Thanksgiving brings a smile to my face--seeing my loving family, snuggling under cozy blankets for our traditional holiday movie marathons, and eating delicious food! Thanksgiving is perfection in every sense of the word.

While the traditional Thanksgiving meal is commonly served at lunch or dinner, there are just as many yummy breakfast opportunities during the holiday season to showcase all the classic flavors we associate with this time of year. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves have the power of turning any average dish into a fall stunner.

During my long breaks at home throughout the holidays, my mother and I are always the first ones awake, as the thought of a steaming hot cup of coffee and a scrumptious breakfast easily gets us out of our warm beds. While everyday breakfast is often a simple slice of toast and peanut butter or some Greek yogurt with honey, we like to bring some creativity into the kitchen throughout this time of year.

This Thanksgiving break, I found myself driving home with an undeniable craving for French toast—a versatile breakfast dish that  take on a variety of flavors using unique breads, spices, and toppings. For this Banana Walnut French Toast, I created a healthier version of this breakfast favorite, without sacrificing any of the delicious flavors. 

For the base of this recipe, hearty whole-grain bread provides a healthy serving of fiber. The bread slices are then dipped in an egg and almond milk batter—almond milk is great for those looking for a dairy-free alternative.  Pumpkin pie spice is the secret ingredient that transforms this French toast into an instant holiday favorite with a perfect balance of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. The toast is topped with sliced bananas for a bright boost of potassium, and a little honeyed walnuts and organic maple syrup for a sweet finish.

Banana Walnut French Toast

Serves 8

Butter

1 loaf whole-grain bread

3 organic eggs

1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon baking powder

Dash of cinnamon

2 bananas, sliced

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup chopped walnuts

Organic maple syrup, heated

If you have unsliced bread, slice the whole-grain loaf into eight, equal slices.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, almond milk, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder together.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

Thoroughly soak each slice of bread in the egg and milk mixture, and then place each slice in a buttered skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side.

In a small bowl, combine the walnuts and honey until all of the nuts are evenly coated.

Top each slice of French toast with banana slices, a spoonful of the honeyed walnuts, organic maple syrup, and a dash of cinnamon.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love!