A Little Northern Exposure & French Toast

 
This week I bought a new camera, and had the brilliant idea to hitch a ride up to good ol' Cook, MN with my lovely mother and sister. It's quite a jaunt but the trip went fast, my mom and I talked almost the way, my sister slept. We stopped here and there along the way, and as tradition we stopped at Tobies in Hinckley, home of the most giant gooey caramel rolls in the world. My mom even took a detour in search of the Nature Harvest Co-Op in Virginia for me, though we got lost trying to find it. The ride was fun but I was glad to get out of the car. I immediately demolished a bag of Angie's Kettle Corn (one of my weaknesses) and one sugary-popcorn-induced coma later, I was out for the night.

The next morning I had a mission, to make the best breakfast ever! (and play with my new camera)

On the menu: overnight oats with apples and cinnamon, sweet potato hash (spicy tempeh hash, minus the spicy and tempeh and with sweet potaoes in place of baby reds), and roasted banana french toast!

P.S. Roasting bananas are my new obsession. My amazing cousin was sweet enough to tell me about them and tell me how to do it. I had to try it myself so good, I think it really brings out the sweetness in the bananas. It's great in a pinch since it only takes 10 - 15 minutes. Use it in recipes that call for overripe bananas.

Roasted Banana French Toast

• 1 large banana
• 1c almond milk (or other non dairy milk)
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1t cinnamon
• 1/4t cloves
• 1/4t nutmeg
• 1/2t maple or agave syrup
• 6 slices of whole wheat bread, sliced in half

Preheat oven to 350. Place whole banana (skin and all) on cookie sheet and place in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until skin is black (not burnt, banana will look very overripe, super dark brown). Remove banana from oven and allow it to cool 10 minutes (or until cool enough to handle).

Peel banana into blender, add almond milk through nutmeg to blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a shallow dish.

Heat skillet coated in cooking spray over medium heat. Dip bread slices in banana mixture one at a time, turning to coat both sides and place in skillet, and cook side until golden brown, flip cook other side until golden brown.

Serve with sliced fruit, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.

Overall breakfast and photo taking were a success!