Pumpkin French Toast with Crystallized Ginger and Pecan-Coconut Syrup

Last Sunday, in celebration of the occasion of the birth of KM and a visit by RW, we honored the full-brained, world-class roommates, expert veggie-slicers, courageous kitchen-experimenters with these decadent slices of Pumpkin French Toast. Thick slabs of Amy's Sourdough were soaked in a spicy pumpkin batter, fried in earth balance, and topped with spoonfuls of plain yogurt, pecan-coconut maple syrup, and chewy ginger. Sure, these slices may be better defined as cake masquerading as a breakfast item, but we had a birthday to celebrate! I have the amazing Vegan Brunch to thank for this recipe, but I've made a few changes for a runnier, pumpkinnier batter (see below).

1 can pureed pumpkin
2- 2 1/2 cups almond milk
1 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs. cornstarch (dissolved in 2 Tbs. cold water)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch cardamom
pinch allspice
1 large stale-ish sourdough loaf, sliced into thick slabs

Whisk together all of the ingredients and pour over slices of bread. Let the bread soak for a few minutes, rotating to make sure all sides are coated.  You can use a casserole or two to do this in. Next, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat for two minutes, dry. Add a bit of earth balance, swirl around, drop a few slices in the pan. Fry on each side until just browned and crispy. Keep the slices in a warmed oven while preparing the whole batch! Serve warm with yogurt, nuts, fruits, and syrup!

Enjoy,
NRG