I’d Like To Make (a) Toast!

Hello my lovely readers!

What was today like for you guys? Was it as jam-packed as mine? I felt as busy as a bee all day long and I didn’t even leave the house!

Let’s see…quick recap? Ok!

Made a glorious breakfast! Almond Crunch French Toast using the last of the homemade whole wheat bread *tear*

Almond Crunch French Toast: (serves 1)

  • 2 slices thick whole wheat bread
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (could use vanilla)
  • 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal, crushed
  • 1/2 ounce almonds, ground (I used Emerald’s Cinnamon Dusted Almonds)

1. Combine egg, milk, cinnamon, and extract in a shallow bowl.
2. Dip bread in mixture, allowing it to soak up as much as possible.
3. Dip slices in crushed cereal/almond mixture.
4. Cook in a skillet over medium heat, 4-5 minutes per side.

Top with sliced bananas and pure maple syrup.

A few hours later, I decided to take advantage of our heat wave? and go for a run!

Can you believe it? It’s like Jamaica compared to what we have been having!

As a challenge this week for Team HEAB, we had to run a mile and send in our times. I’ve waited all week for a break in the 20 degree temps so I could have a chance to get out there. This was my first time running since my ankle sprain back in September. I’ve done a lot of physical therapy and honestly, I think I’ve been physically ready for this for weeks, but I needed the motivation to get my booty out there in the cold! Guess what!

Not bad for being out with an injury for the last 4 months, right?

I was pretty surprised by my time. It felt like I was totally dragging!

After I got back in and thawed out my hands (I seriously need to buy some gloves), I did my HEAB workout for the day, vacuumed the entire house and then scrubbed the tub before hopping in for a shower! Nothing like a good run to get your energy levels up!

Oh yeah, and I was hopping around like the energizer bunny, some rising was going on in the kitchen…some BREAD rising!

I couldn’t help myself! With the success of Loaf #1, I just couldn’t wait to try my hand at another yeast bread recipe! I wanted to do something a little less plain Jane this time.

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread

Luckily, I started this project early in the day because it took 3 rises (4 hours) before it was even ready to bake, but I just tried a slice and… oh my gosh, I want to make a dozen more!!

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread: (makes 2 small loaves)
Adapted from thefreshloaf.com

  • 12 oz. (2 1/4 cup) unbleached  bread flour
  • 4 oz (7/8 cup) whole wheat pastry flour
  • 5/8 cup rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins

1. Rehydrate raisins by soaking them in warm water for about 30 minutes.
2. Soak oats in 1 1/4 cups water for at least 20-30 minutes.
3. Combine wet ingredients: milk, honey, and oil, add to oats and stir.
4. Combine dry ingredients: flours, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until the flour is hydrated.
6. Remove dough from bowl and knead by hand for about 5 minutes (3 minutes for stand       mixer)
7. Add raisins to dough and knead until incorporated.
8. Place dough in a large bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.
9. Remove dough from bowl, flatten and fold into thirds, then turn dough and fold into           thirds again.
10. Return dough to bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.
11. Remove dough from bowl and divide into two loaves and place into greased loaf pans.
12. Brush the tops of dough with water and sprinkle with dry oats.
13. Cover and allow to rise for 90 minutes, or until dough has risen about 1 inch above             top of pan.
14. Place in 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 375 and continue baking for 20 minutes.
15. Turn pans 180 degrees and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.
Internal temperature of bread should register 185 degrees Fahrenheit when an instant      read thermometer is placed in the center of the loaf.

I know the recipe sounds a little daunting so to prove how easy this is, I have a
step by step picture documentary.

1 & 2. Soak raisins and oats in water

3. Combine dry ingredients

4. Combine wet ingredients

5. Mix wet and dry

6. Form dough and knead

7. Add raisins

Stick-aaaay!

8. Rise #1

9. Spread dough out on floured surface

Fold dough in thirds

Fold in thirds again

10. Rise #2

11. Divide dough

12. Brush with water and sprinkle with oats

13. Rise #3

14 & 15. All done…FINALLY!

Absolute Heaven you guys…absolute…HEAVEN! It has a crunchy crisp crust and a soft doughy center. The raisins lend the perfect amount of sweetness without making you feel like you’re eating dessert and the cinnamon fills your mouth with a warming spiciness.

Mouth watering yet? Next time you are lounging around the house (or busting your butt cleaning like me) whip out this recipe and MAKE THIS BREAD!

What is your favorite way to eat toast?
Peanut butter and banana all the way baby! 😉

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
This entry was posted in Breakfast and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

37 Responses to I’d Like To Make (a) Toast!

  1. Can you send me a slice!!! It looks insanely delicious!
    Same here girl!! Peanut butter and banana for me! 🙂

  2. Jenny says:

    I love it with pb & Jelly 🙂

  3. Your photography is amazing! Is that yellow plate from Target? I was going to get one like that and when I went back to get it, it was gone! I’m still on the hunt…

  4. Damn girl, REDONK. Crusty outside and doughy center… be still my beating heart! My tummy is growling just thinking about it! And I’m with you, PB and banana all. the. WAY!

  5. Beautiful photos!

    Do you own a light box or those were taken in natural light?

  6. oh my gosh!! your photos are gorgeous and your food is presented so nicely!!! love the bread and the french toast! and haah i was like… um.. that is STILL very cold- but wow,, it must have been VERY bad if thats considered warm at the moment!

  7. PB on my toast for sure! or flax butter if it’s rye toast. yum!

    you’re a cooking machine! I’ll give ya the deets on the link party once I get things all set up. For sure pick a day to photograph all the yummy foods you make and eat and this Wednesday the link party will be on like donkey kong =) yup. totally went there!!! haha! Hope you’re having a fantabulous weekend!

  8. Linda says:

    amazing bread!!!!!

  9. lindsay says:

    you are quite the bread maker! I will be taking lessons from you from now on, only trying my hand at it gluten free.
    So glad you had a great run!

  10. says:

    peanut butter + toast=heaven!

  11. Oh my, this post is full of yummies!!! First off that french toasts looks divine!!! I made doughnut french toast yesterday, but yours would put up a good fight against being just as good as the doughnut french toast. And the homemade bread looks completely wonderful. I’d love to have some pieces right now!

    On my toast I love honey and cinnamon and sugar. Or peanut butter and honey.

    I saw Country Strong last night and it was such a great movie, you should see it!

  12. Yay! I’m glad you posted the recipe! It looks ah-mah-zing!

    I’m also jealous of your heat wave. I wanted to go for an outside run today, but it’s 16 (!!) degrees! Boo.

  13. That French Toast looks amazing as do the loaves! YUM! I have bread baking right now and I can’t wait to toast it up to dip in soup! Great job on the run!

  14. 1. My french toast has never looked that good!
    2. Great mile time!
    3. I love toast with cinnamon and sugar.
    4. I moved to my own domain. 🙂 So change your bookmarks. 🙂

    • Thank you! Mmm, I used to eat cinnamon sugar toast all the time as a kid! My favorite after school snack next to cereal!

      Got it! Thanks for letting me know and congrats on the upgrade!

  15. Erica D says:

    Peanut butter and banana is by far my favorite sandwich. What takes the cake is that it evens taste awesome when it’s mushy!!

    I’ve never thought of making that crunch layer for french toast. Looks awesome!

  16. Namaste Gurl says:

    You can come make me bread ANYTIME– I’ll do the cooking. You the baking. Deal? 🙂

  17. inmytummy says:

    Great job on your run. You are speedy!

    I like toast with hummus. Really, I like anything with hummus.

  18. Heather,
    It was so nice meeting you today! When I got home I was still hungry and cut into your bread (that salad did nothing to fill me up.). Oh gosh, it’s so good, and I love the plump raisins and all that cinnamony goodness. Thanks so much for sharing it with me as it looks like it took some effort to make. I really appreciate it. 🙂

    Your photos are stunning…I think I need to have another talk with CD…um, I mean Santa. 😉

  19. P.S. Impressive time on the run, and my favorite way to eat toast? With butter and jam. 🙂

  20. Pingback: Coconut Cream Loving | Heather Eats Almond Butter

  21. Emma says:

    Definitely bookmarking this recipe! It looks so insanely good. I love the cinnamon/raisin/oat combination!

    • Me too! Nothing like a slice fresh out of the oven when the raisins are still ooey and gooey! I think I’m going to try the recipe out again sometime this week and try dried apples instead of raisins!

  22. bakebooks says:

    Love this type of bread! Found you through HEAB. Can you use different flours to make this? I thought HEAB didn’t eat wheat so thought it was different flours – but I bet that’s why it came out so perfect! 🙂

    • Hey there! I did use the flours that the recipe called for though I’m sure you could just use regular all purpose flour in place of the whole wheat, but I think the earthy/nutty taste of whole wheat really makes a great foundation for this bread!

  23. themalikwhey says:

    Oooh, cinnamon and raisin, the perfect combination! I’ve definitely gotta give that bread a go. Looks deeelicious!

  24. I have never heard of sweet bread like cinnamon and raisin – looks interesting though! Favourite way to eat toast = with scrambled eggs (and ketchup) or baked beans.

  25. That bread looks gorgeous! And your pictures are making my mouth water. I only wish I liked raisins… Maybe I could use carob or chocolate chips instead? 🙂 My favourite way to eat toast is pretty simple – dripping in real butter!

Leave a Reply to kissmybroccoli Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *