Today I am happy to be sharing a delicious recipe from Dreena Burton's new cookbook, Plant Powered Families! Plus I chat about my fave meal of the day and family meals. And you can enter a giveaway to win a copy of PPF!..
My Favorite Meal of the Day. If you follow me on Instagram, you may be able to guess this, but my favorite meal is brunch. I would say breakfast, but brunch sounds better because it implies that you are not eating breakfast until late in the morning or afternoon, which means you have most likely relaxed or slept in all morning, which means by the time brunch rolls around you are feeling pretty calm, blissful - and hungry.
That is why whenever I am given an opportunity to share a recipe from someone's cookbook, I always turn to the breakfast section first. Er, brunch.
Why breakfast? It took me a while to come for terms with it, but I am a total morning person. Sunrise, fresh day, crawling from bed. Mornings are my jam.
Family Mornings. Mornings are such a pure time when we fuel ourselves for the day ahead. And for some reason, I look back on my breakfasts growing up as my favorite family meals.
Dinner was nice, but it always felt more hectic and busy. First of all, dinner had to be decided upon, "what's for dinner???" - and that was sometimes a struggle in our house when I was a teenager, starting to embrace vegetarianism and question what I was eating, in a house full of traditional eaters. But I cannot ever remember having that problem at breakfast. No one ever moaned, "What's for breakfast???"
Breakfast just happened. Like a sunrise, it just kinda rolled out onto the table. (My mother may see that a bit differently! haha But not by much.)
At dinnertime, I was always ready to get back to my schoolwork or back to my friends or back to TV watching or back outside to run around with neighborhood kids. But a family breakfast, was never rushed.
Pancake mornings. French toast or even toaster waffle mornings. Cream of Wheat in a warm bowl or steamy oatmeal with fresh fruit. And the best, mornings watching Saturday morning teen TV, ahem, Saved by the Bell anyone? Or mindless 90's cartoons, eating a giant bowl of cold cereal, browsing the games on the back of the Pops or Lucky Charms box. It is all bliss in my memory.
Or maybe I love breakfast because all my favorite foods are found on a breakfast table! Fruit, bread, aka carbs, tea, jams, hot and cold cereal, smoothies etc. I was and still am a total fruit monster.
Me, eating my after-school snack apple...
And that rolls perfectly into today's topic: a new cookbook aimed towards vegan families!
Dreena Burton's Plant Powered Families contains over 100 "kid-tested, whole-foods vegan recipes."
First off, I love that we live in a day when there is demand for vegan cookbooks for families - kids and all! That just makes me so happy. And whenever people ask me for recipes and healthy eating advice for their kids, I will point them straight to this book.
Crazy Brownies from Plant-Powered Families..
Flipping through the recipes in the book, I love that the recipe line-up basically looks like all my favorite meals as a kid, only veganized. Favorites and go-to recipes that are classic, beloved and totally kid-approved. Recipes like cheesy dip, hummus, french toast, muffins, wraps and sandwiches, comfort soups, taco night, pastas, stir-fry and of course the amazing dessert section with everything from decadent "Crazy Brownies" to fudgesicles, rice krispy treats and cupcakes. Granola bars, puddings and chocolate chip cookies too. All kid-approved!
There is a gorgeous photo for just about every recipe, which makes this a perfect book for kids to flip through and pick out visually what they want to eat.
I also love Part Three in the book which provides "solutions" and advice for things like picky eaters, lunchbox meals and even kids parties.
I cannot wait to visit my niece and nephew this summer and let them pick out a few recipes that they want me to make with them. And that leads me to my last point about this book..
You do not need to have a traditional mom and dad and kids "family" to use this book. Maybe you are a grandparent who cooks for their grandkids. Or maybe you have nieces or nephews, like I do. Or maybe you have friends with kids and you want to be able to cook for their entire family for parties and meals over. Or maybe you simply love simple, comforting recipes and have a very picky eating husband or wife or self! 😉
Or maybe you just love Dreena's recipes and NEED to own all of her books. Yup, that is a perfect reason to buy this book because all of Dreena's cookbooks are amazing.
So to round out my review, I will say this as my grand review statement:
Plant-Powered Families is filled with lovable and delicious, go-to recipes for your whole family, recipes that kids and parents will be able to enjoy together. This book will also inspire you to bring your kids in the kitchen and allow them to take part in the magical experience of cooking cruelty-free, plant-based vegan meals! ~ Kathy
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And with that, I get to share a breakfast recipe from Dreena's book!
GIVEAWAY. Plus, enter the giveaway, one person will win (1) copy of Plant-Powered Families. (US and CANADA only) Enter by commenting on this post about what your favorite recipe is to make with or for kids! (Giveaway end Friday June 5th, I will reply to the winner's comment to notify them)
Cinnamon French Toast
By
Published 05/29/2015
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1–2 tablespoons plain or vanilla unsweetened nondairy milk
- 1 tablespoon white chia seeds
- ⅓ cup soaked and drained cashews (see note for nut-free option)
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼–½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Sliced bread of choice (see note)
Instructions
- In a blender or using a handheld blender, puree the milk (starting with 1 cup; see note), chia, cashews, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and sea salt until very smooth and thick (it will get thicker as it sits a little while and the chia swells).
- Prepare a nonstick skillet by wiping over with a touch of oil (you need a nonstick skillet, or this will be a sticky event!). Turn heat to high for a few minutes to heat up the pan, then reduce to medium/medium-high.
- Dip a slice of bread into the batter. Turn over and let it sit in the chia mixture for a few moments to soak, then remove and place in the skillet.
- Repeat with other slices, frying 2–3 pieces or more at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.
- Fry for 3–5 minutes on each side, until light brown. Keep the heat high enough to get a good sear/crust on the bread, but reduce if it’s scorching. Note that the slices will be sticky until they are ready to be flipped, so be patient. Repeat until all bread is used. Serve with fresh fruit and pure maple syrup. Another fun serving idea is to make sandwiches out of the French toast, slathering some nut butter between two slices, then serving with maple syrup.
- Nut-Free Option: Replace ⅓ cup of cashews with 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds.
Bread Note: You may use 6–10 slices of bread, depending on the size of the slices.
Milk Note: After the batter sits for a few minutes it can become quite thick. You can stir through another 1–2 tablespoons of milk if it has gotten too thick with standing (if you have less than half the batter left, use just 1 tablespoon).
Yield: 3-4 servings
Tags: breakfast,dreena burton,french toast,vegan,am,
captainkirk says
Yay! Another yummy vegan french toast recipe to try.
angie c. says
We just adopted a newborn...I love to make her formula! 🙂
Katie says
I really like to make chocolate chip cookies with kids - such a classic!
Natalie Cloutier says
French toast is one of my favorite breakfast cheat meals, this will be a great recipe to try with no cheating required!
Rue Ramirez says
My four year old daughter loves to make cupcakes with me.
Stefanie says
My favorite recipe to make for kids is vegan chocolate chip pancakes in fun shapes.
jacquie astemborski says
I don't have any children to cook for or with but I suspect my favorite thing to make with them would be healthy cookies.
Megan says
I like making a summer salad with the kids. Each of us chops up one ingredient, we mix them together, and then enjoy the huge salad for a couple days before it is completely devoured.
Sarah McLaughlin says
I love making cookies for and with my younger cousins. I also love making them pancakes when they visit!
Steel Springs says
I love making muffins with my daughter.
debbie_suburbsanity says
I have always loved to make cookies with my kids. I like to hand them the cookbook and let them choose which one.
Amanda says
My toddler is very into making spaghetti with me and reading her favorite book (which is about spaghetti) afterwards.
Katie says
My favorite is cut-out sugar cookies - so much fun to roll them out, cut them out, and decorate them with kids! They come up with the craziest ideas for icing colors, decorations, etc. Also, Kathy, I love this blog and read it most every day!
Kristy says
My favorite recipe to make for kids is your peanut butter-banana-oat pancakes actually!!
Birdyrabbit says
Cookies!
Makin' french toast now, brb 😉
Jessica Piekenbrock says
Cookies! Any kind...always has and always will be my favorite 🙂
Kathy Sturr says
I would definitely say vegan donuts!
Karen Jung says
Pancakes because the toppings are endless. Strawberries, chocolate chips, bananas!
Melissa says
Pizza is always fun because there are so many ways to top it!
Linda says
Like to make pizza or oatmeal cookies with my niece.
Liz says
No kids in my life to speak of, but I always loved making pancakes with my mom when I was a kid. So simple to make and FUN to pour!
Dana says
My kids love my vegan donuts with chocolate frosting
Melissa K. says
Being an empty nester before becoming vegan, my kids ae not really around to try vegan stuff. But, I do have an omnivorous partner..so I get to experiment on him! One thing he does love is pasta with vegetable tomato sauce and NOT-meat balls. Thank goodness!
Aimee Brimmer says
I'm blessed to have two kids who are always willing to try new things. One of my favorite things to make them though are pancakes. 🙂
Lisa Kilinc says
I love to make raw vegan pies with my daughter.
Andrea says
I love making pancakes for dinner and adding sprinkles. How fun!
Jennifer {Peppers and Peaches} says
Welp, this post made me want french toast....for dinner. Which works for me. So thanks! 🙂
Andrea @ FrenchPressedKitchen says
pancakes, because you make pretty much anything and make anyone happy! And low stress!
Denise says
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings is my Fav recipe for the kids!
Patricia says
One of the foods I've missed most since becoming vegan is French toast. I'm so looking forward to trying this one--it's been over 20 years with no French toast and that's way too long!
Stacey Bradford says
My favorite recipe is waffles! Mmmm Good!
Van says
My daughter and I both have a deep love for chocolate. I always loved getting to lick the bowl when my grandma would make desserts, so I love passing this along to my daughter by making something chocolatey, and then letting her lick the bowl, or eat some of the dough (another benefit of vegan desserts - no threat of salmonella!). I make sure to save some chocolate chip cookie dough for her. She always ends up with chocolate all over her face and hands. No matter how many times she comes to me with chocolate all over her face, it's always cute, and never gets old.
Terra Jackson says
Love Love Love
Rebecca Wright says
Personal pizza's! that and cookies are always fun 🙂 I remember making them with my mom as a kid...
Katie Barthel says
I like to make pizza with kids because it's something they can help out with. I recently made a pizza with my niece and she loved putting the toppings on (very carefully, too).
Marie says
pancakes anddairy free chocolate pudding (with avocados) are my favorites to make with my 4 year old 🙂 This new book looks fabulous- thanks for posting and sharing!
Nicole says
I love making no bake cookies with my nephews...instant gratification!
Anonymous says
I don't have children but teach high school. Mine loved making ice cream in ziplock bags!
Robin says
Yum! I love to make waffles for my niece & nephew. French toast is a great Sunday brunch!
Johanna says
I love making chocolate chip cookies.
Corrine says
When my kids were young Sunday morning pancakes and waffles were always a favorite.
Shayne Peterson says
I don't have kids, but I was one, once. Some of my fondest memories of childhood involved making cookies with my mother. It's how I learned to cook, in fact. If I did have children, I would definitely bake cookies with them- chocolate chip or old fashioned peanut butter w/ the fork criss-crosses.
Ashley Chew says
Banana ice cream!!
Saran Dan says
I love to make pancakes with kids! I let them mash the bananas and it is always a big hit with the little ones ♡♡
StaceyVegas says
I am a Brownie leader. And everytime we go to Brownie camp we have a snack on Friday evening slightly after we arrive. For that snack I always make banana bread--sometimes enough for 30+ hungry 8-year-olds. So, banana bread, because I associate it with appreciative Brownies, is my favourite food to make for children.
DK says
My kiddos like pasta with an "Alfredo" sauce. Usually I through some greens in it too.
Jessie Rochford says
Vegan mac and cheese. It's familiar to kids and easy to make together!
Deb E says
For the real young ones, rice krispies treats are always a favorite and gluten free too. I haven't used the oats too much and also could make some pink strawberry versions like I've seen, but I fell in love with the plain old marshmallow delights and rice cereal. Easy peasy.
Christina says
I love to make soup, and a healthy veggie chili is always appealing and nutritious for kids!
Catherine Jackson says
Homemade pizza is always a fun dinner to make with family! We can all pick the toppings we want. Plus, pizza goes great with a weekend movie night!
Anna Hawkes says
My youngest and I love making and trying new pancake recipes together. My older daughters are more independent and like to make simple soups and dinners.
April Deters says
I love making banana and peanut butter smoothies with frozen bananas-it's almost ice cream like.
Rebecca says
My 16 month old loves helping make everything, but my favorite is when she helps me make sourdough biscuits or soudough pizza. We are both covered in flour and dough by the end; we have so much fun!
Naila says
My favorite recipe to make with kids is "Banana Boats"! Cut a banana in half, top it with natural nut butter (provide different kinds for creativity), add different toppings (dark chocolate, dried fruit, granola) to finish! 🙂
Suzanne says
My nieces, who are with me quite a bit, are very resistant to the vegan recipes the rest of us eat. But I got them to try my vegan 'buttermilk' mashed potatoes and red wine gravy and they loved it. The little one, who is 8, declared that she liked it so much that I don't even need to make my traditional brown gravy for them anymore. Since she ate half the pan herself, I think she meant it!!
Jessica Kozlowski says
I love making these carrot breakfast cookies with my friend's daughter. I will definitely be cooking lots of creative things with my kids when I have them and look forward to teaching them how to cook!
Cecilia says
I love to make hummus with my son, and he loves to eat it. I'm always looking for the perfect granola bar recipe for him though.
KC says
Cute pic, Kathy! Even sportin' the cherries on your dress--you were destined to be the smoothie queen from the beginning! 🙂 Speaking of smoothies, that is my favorite thing to make with my 1.5 year old son. He loves to "help" by throwing the fruit in the blender, then knows to cover his ears when we start up the Vitamix! From green smoothies to turmeric, he loves them all!
Chrissy says
Actually my kids love your Quick Cheeseless Quesadillas!!
Adriane says
I made macaroni and "cheese" using cashew cheese sauce for a kid who ate nothing but Kraft and she said it was the best she'd ever had! Success!
Ahnuh Hayes says
The favorites seem to change daily! Lately it is an Angela Liddon soup recipe with cauliflower and red lentils. YUM!
Janel M. says
My I still enter if I answer honestly? I don't like kids--I don't have any, don't want any, and don't enjoy spending time with them. But I think kids would like a PB&J stuffed date.
Ali says
My kids' latest favourite meal is lentil quesadillas. I love them, too!!
coconutandberries says
I fall into the latter category 😉 ! (UK so don't enter me)
Natalia M. says
Veggie burgers are a hit in my family. We even eat leftovers for breakfast sometimes!
Ali Seiter says
When I was a camp counselor, we made kale chips in a solar powered oven!
carolyn says
Buffalo cauliflower bites!!!
saniel says
Banana swirl and blueberry pancakes
Would eat every day if could
CJ says
So far, my son has just taken an interest in making mug cake.
michelle says
We love making any type of baked goods together
Monica Talley says
Thats' a tough one! Silver-dollar sized pancakes for sure! But, then the littles sure love kid-friendly desserts like cupcakes and cookies 🙂 Let me go check my pantry...
Lindsay F says
I love making banana oat cookies with my toddler. It's just bananas and oats...yum.
Terri Jones Cole says
My great-nephew loves to eat pretty much everything, but he really likes to make falafel with me. Thanks for the chance to win Dreena's book!
Blair Dishon says
Nothing can beat the comfort of making chocolate chip cookies
Alexis Williams says
I have been trying to get my family on board with more healthy vegan meals. I am SO EXCITED for this new book.
swift525 says
My son is only 1 year old, but I love to make him roasted or cooked chickpeas and green smoothies. He likes them both and gets lots of healthy goodness!
Lauren says
Vegan stuffed shells and home made Lara bars!!! I would looooooove this book!
Jessica Eagle says
Thanks for this wonderful giveaway. Yeahhhh....! I am a huge fan of Dreena's recipes, so I can't wait to have this new book 😊
Now, my favorite thing to Cook and/or make with children is Green smoothies and raw lemon bars. They also enjoy fruit roll pu done with fresh fruit in my Excalibur.
Camille says
My boys LOVE homemade granola bars so we make those weekly
Michelle P says
My oldest son is most open to eating anything or trying anything. He is the most fun to try new recipes on. I like to try things with new ingredients to see if he will like it. It is the best thing to hear him say, oh I can't believe I like that. It is a nice challenge to see what new things.
dianne says
I agree - breakfast is so unhurried and relaxed. It's a wonderful time not just to cook, but to share. I think the warm feeling I have about breakfast/brunch is as much about the emotional as the food. As we're talking food here though, definitely pancakes or waffles.
Erin says
My favorite thing to make with kids is cupcakes!
ammauceri says
Cookies are the best! 🙂
Trisha says
Breakfast is still my favorite meal (at 35 yrs old) ... so many good options... Sweet or Savory?!!
Normally, I go for sweet, which is why I love French Toast so much!
Claire Elizabeth says
Oh my YUM! I love Dreena's recipes! My favourite recipe to make with/for kids is definitely granola bars! You can make ones with oats, rice crispies, or even ones from shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds and dates, etc! They're so easy, quick and versatile! 🙂
Maude says
The thinnest "crêpes", filled with almond butter, bananas and maple syrup!! YUM!
jessieNjo says
My kids love my oat blender waffles, and it's the only way I can get my youngest to eat oatmeal. Easy and fun to prepare as well.
Marina D says
I'm only 20 so I don't have kids haha 🙂 But wen I was a kid I LOVED making French toast or pancakes with my family on Saturday mornings! I still do!
Robin says
My kids are in college now but chocolate, chocolate chip pancakes are still a Xmas morning tradition.
Erin says
I don't have any kids yet, but I have one on the way and I can only imagine they'll be drinking lots of different kinds of smoothies . . .
Rebecca says
I love making my 2 year old niece veggie fruit Popsicles: spinach, kale, zucchini, vanilla unsweetened almond milk, water, banana and pineapple/mango or berries. Once blended I pout them into these make your own popcicles tray. She can't get enough!
owsla says
Challah bread, the kids love to braid it. =)
Corrina R says
My kids love love love pancakes!! It's usually our Saturday morning breakfast.
nicole40 says
I'm torn between making pancakes for my kids (they don't miss the eggs!) and making chocolate chip cookies with them (heck, as long as they are chocolate, they don't care what else is in there so I can put all sorts of crazy healthy s**t in them)
Bethany says
I love making gingerbread men with my son at Christmas. Actually, we tend to make ginga-ninjas!
Katie says
The kids I know love my banana muffins!
gargupie says
cookies!
Sheelagh says
Normally my go-to family breakfast is pancakes -- but after seeing this, it may become French toast!!
Tanya says
I love making kale salad with kids, because if they make it, they'll want to eat it! I used to volunteer for an elementary school that had a class garden and classroom kitchen. We made muffins, granola bars, soups, ect, but the student's favorite dish was the kale salad!
Beth says
Another vote for baking cookies! 🙂
Bianca says
cookies!
Elena Hack says
I love making buckwheat pancakes with kids!
Samantha says
Making and then decorating cookies are always fun to do with kids 🙂
arielle says
I've been doing quite a bit of savory baking for my 9 1/2 month old. She loves spinach muffins! I think she'd love this french toast, too!
Terra Jackson says
The pancakes are fabulous. A Sat Morning treat....
danarsab says
not really a recipe, but nut/seed butter and jam sandwiches (bread, nutbutter, and jam all homemade)--so great for kids to see what goes into making ingredients for the best sandwich on earth!
Sue Erdman says
Making cookies with kids is a lot of fun and we all love eating them!
Katie Dawson says
When I was a nanny, the kids and I used to make mini pancakes for snacks. We would do sweet ones with chocolate chips and savory ones with spinach. They loved them and thought it was so fun to have breakfast for snacks!
Krista Convey says
My daughter and I always make muffins or some sort of packable snack. I love Dreena's books and have all of them except this one.
Jessica Lynn says
Pancakes are my go-to for my boys. I just taught my 8yr old how to make them.
June Burns says
Kids always love pancakes 🙂
Rebecca P. says
Chocolate zucchini pancakes! They'll never know!
Jess says
I have fond memories of making pancakes with my grandpa. I'd love to share that experience with my young siblings.
Ashley Gregor says
Tacos, definitely!
Casey says
I love making pancakes with my son!
Paula Leach says
I love the look of this new book by Dreena. I don't have kids, but I enjoy cooking for my young niece. We love making breakfast foods like smoothies & pancakes. We make the smoothies according to what we have on hand, often using your 365 Vegan Smoothies book, & usually use the pancake recipe from Vegan With A Vengeance. I'll be adding this French toast to our repertoire. Thanks for the giveaway, Kathy! I've been enjoying your new book, also.
Melissa Thompson says
Cookies are by far the best thing to make with kids!