French toast is technically not that French and it existed well before France was even a country. Bread has long been a staple food for many cultures since the shift to agrarian societies and it was discovered that soaking stale bread in milk (and also often eggs) then frying it extended its shelf life- making it edible past its prime. Our first written record of the dish was in a cookbook credited to Apicius, all the way back in 4th century Rome. With the right bread it can be a good, healthy base to build a breakfast plate off of. 
I like to add banana to the batter because it adds some sweetness and density, this way a lighter option like almond milk can replace heavier options traditionally used to no ill effect. As for the bread, whole grain options are always the best nutritionally because they have more fiber, vitamins and minerals, but from there it comes down to taste. A simple whole wheat bread is soft and neutral or one with some seeds and nuts can add in a bit of crunch. Topping it off with buttery maple candied pecans and grilled banana slices takes just a few extra minutes, no extra dishes and makes it much more interesting and delicious. Greek yogurt is a good addition too for some protein-rich creaminess and maple syrup is basically a necessity. Rounding off the plate with some fresh fruit adds a burst of colour and even more nutrients.
- French Toast
- 6 slices whole grain bread
- 1 medium banana
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch ginger
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon butter (or coconut or other vegetable oil)
- Pecans
- ½ cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons butter (or coconut or other vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Grilled Bananas
- 2 medium bananas, each cut into 9 slices
- 1 teaspoon butter (or coconut or other vegetable oil)
- Optional serving additions: plain Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and/or maple syrup
- Start off by melting the butter for the pecans (2 tablespoons) in a large skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add in the maple syrup, stir to combine than add in the pecans. Cook for around 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until the maple butter has reduced down and thickened up.
- Meanwhile, blend the french toast's banana, almond milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a blender until smooth and pour into a shallow and wide tray.
- Remove the pecans from the skillet and set them aside. Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel then add in the new tablespoon of butter for the bananas and replace it on medium heat. Once the butter melts add in the bananas and cook until they soften and turn golden brown, after 2 minutes flip them around and place the bread slices in the egg mixture to soak. After another minute or 2 gently remove the bananas from the skillet and set aside. Flip the bread to soak on the other side.
- Wipe the skillet out one final time and then add in the last tablespoon of butter to melt. Place the saturated bread slices in the skillet and cook for around 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
With maple syrup, a little portion control trick and serving option is to put some into individual shot glasses- when pouring straight from the bottle it can be easy to use way more than necessary. Good quality maple syrup does contain some minerals and other nutrients but it is a good rule of thumb for both health and waistlines to not go overboard on syrups because they do have very highly concentrated sugars.