A Delicious Saturday Start.

Last night I was out with some friends at Williams Cafe. One of my favorite things about Williams besides their cozy decor and giant coffee mugs is their delicious and huge waffles. They are traditional Belgium style topped with ice cream and a choice of fruit toppings. Yum. Needless to say these and breakfast foods in general became a topic of conversation. Breakfast is probably the most underrated meal of the day. People often opt out of it in a desperate attempt to shave calories off of their day or in an unexpected morning rush. But me? I love breakfast. I get up earlier than needed just so that I can start my day without a rush. I love to make a light, scrumptious breakfast to kick start my day and sip on a steaming cup of coffee while I read the newspaper, the Bible, talk with my family members that are up or just sit and enjoy the quiet of the morning. Breakfast doesn't have to be a calorie buster and it can be a refreshing start- getting you ready to face the day and whatever it may hold.

One of my most favorite morning breakfasts is french toast. It is a traditional savory dish of bread first soaked in an egg mixture (usually containing a dairy component such as milk or cream) and then fried. It can be heavy, soggy and lacking in nutritional value, but I make mine light, delicious and guilt-free.

What's different?

I use egg whites instead of whole eggs and by using a non-stick pan there is no need for oil when cooking. I eliminate the dairy component completely because I find that it generally makes the bread soggy and doesn't add much to the flavor of the dish. Multigrain bread or a bread with some grains in it gives the bread a little more hardiness and helps to prevent it from getting overly soggy. If you have day old, semi-stale bread, this is also good for french toast however, the grain component also adds to the nutritional value of the meal! Additionally, I replace heavy syrups and/or butter with a homemade compote.

A compote is a traditional french fruit mixture that is created in a sugar liquid. Yes, there is sugar in the liquid but my using honey and frozen fruit to make the compote, I can coat the fruit with sweetness and let the excess sugars run off in the thawing liquid.

French Toast with Blueberry Compote

For french toast:

2 pieces multi-grain bread
1/2 cup egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

For compote:

1/4- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp liquid honey

Begin by mixing the vanilla and egg whites. Beat together with a fork. Place a non-stick frying pan on the stove on medium high heat. Do not use oil- with this dish there is no need and will only add fat that is unnessary and possibly make the bread soggy. "Dip" each side of the bread into the egg mixture and quickly place them into the fry pan; top with part of the called for cinnamon. Do not soak the bread in the egg mixture- this will only make the inside of the finished product soggy. We only need the outside to be coated in the egg to get the french toast finish and taste. While this is cooking prepare the blueberry compote. Place the blueberries in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 40 seconds. Add the honey and place back into the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and place in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Flip the french toast. When the french toast is cooked on the other side (lightly browned), remove from the pan and plate. Top with the berries of the compote, not the liquid (this is what contains the excess sugars and watery thawing liquid). Finish with leftover cinnamon and enjoy!

Thirsty?

Try adding 2 tsp (or to taste) of vanilla to milk, then pouring coffee over. I use almond milk so it gets nice and foamy when I shake the carton and then pour it. Soy also does this.