Healthy Banana French Toast

Healthy Banana French Toast

We make this one almost every weekend and honestly, it never gets old. Banana French toast sounds simple but the result is this gorgeous, custardy, golden stack that tastes way more indulgent than it has any right to be. The banana does something magical in the batter, giving it natural sweetness and a soft, almost creamy texture inside with crispy edges from the oven. Then you pour that warm berry syrup over the top and it is just chef's kiss. If you've been looking for a reason to get out of bed on a slow Sunday morning, this is it.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Small saucepan
  • Potato masher

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 4 slices of wholemeal bread
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 250ml unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 400g mixed frozen berries
  • 4 tbsp plant-based yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp firm coconut
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 12 fresh berries

Method

1

First, make the french toast

  • Peel and mash the banana
  • Add the rest of the ingredients (except the bread!) and mix well to combine
  • Lay the bread slices in the mixture for 15 seconds or so, turning it so it soaks through
  • Place them on a lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until golden, turning halfway through
2

Now, make the berry syrup

  • Put the small saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the berries, water and maple syrup and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the liquid has reduced, stirring regularly
  • Halfway through cooking, gently mash the fruit with the back of a spoon
3

Time to serve!

  • Peel and slice the remaining banana
  • Plate up the toast, top with berry syrup, banana slices, yoghurt, fresh berries and coconut flakes

Tips & Variations

  • Use riper bananas: The riper and spottier the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful your batter will be. We always keep a couple of overripe ones in the freezer for exactly this kind of recipe.
  • Thick bread is your friend: A thicker slice like sourdough or brioche-style bread holds up much better to the soaking and baking. Thin sandwich bread can go a bit soggy, so go chunky if you can.
  • Mix up the berries: The syrup works with pretty much any berry you've got going. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a frozen mixed bag all do a brilliant job. Ian swears by a handful of frozen cherries thrown in too.

Why This Works

The trick here is letting the bread really soak in the banana mixture, not just a quick dip. Those 15 seconds on each side let the batter get right into the bread so you get that proper French toast texture all the way through. Baking it rather than frying also means you can do the whole batch at once without standing over a pan, which we love.