Before I began blogging, most of my cooking came from a big blue binder full of recipes that I had diligently collected from Cooking Light magazines. Every month, I would buy my Cooking Light magazine, read it cover to cover, and rip out all the recipes I wanted to try. Then, I would systematically add the recipes to my binder. Yes, the binder has labels and sections. Yes, I am totally anal and OCD. Yes, I’m a bit embarrassed to share this with the world.
But, times, they have changed my friends. First of all, I no longer have to buy Cooking Light mags. Nope, I get them for free. Just a little perk I get from being part of the Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection. I’m not bragging. Really, I’m not. Ok, just a little. 🙂 Second of all, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to add recipes to my binder in months (sad face). Third of all, when I do cook, I’m usually creating and testing my own recipes and all I can do is look longingly at the cookbooks, mags, and saved recipe pages piling up on my cookbook shelves. Yes, I have shelves designated to cooking literature.
This month, though, something happened. I was flipping through the latest Cooking Light mag, and I saw a recipe that looked so easy, healthy and simple that I just had to drop everything, clear my schedule, and get to cooking. It helped that I already had the ingredients on hand. The recipe was so fast that I went from magazine reading to face stuffing in like 15 minutes flat.
Hello yummy. I love the idea of making french toast in a panini press and adding maple, almond butter and bananas, which we all know belong together. “Theeeey belong, they belong, they belong together….” Anyone? I also love that the bread is dipped in almond milk, making it a dairy-free breakfast choice.
Don’t get me wrong, I love all the time I spend creating recipes. But, every once in a while, it’s nice to go into the kitchen, turn my brain off, and follow someone else’s recipe that’s already been written down, tested and photographed. If I had about 3 extra days in the week then I would spend those days doing nothing but cooking recipe after recipe from my cookbooks and magazines. Oh, and all the blogger recipes I’ve pinned from Pinterest. Those do nothing but taunt me.
But, for now, I’ll stick to this sweet and savory breakfast sandwich that fills my tummy with a whole bunch of healthy goodness.
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large banana
- 4 slices multigrain bread (or gluten-free bread if you have gluten issues)
- Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl. Add almond milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk to combine.
- Combine almond butter and maple syrup in a small bowl. Cut the banana into thin slices.
- Spread the almond butter mixture evenly across two of the bread slices. Top those bread slices with the banana pieces. Place the remaining two bread slices over the banana pieces, sandwiching the almond butter and bananas inside.
- Heat a panini press to 425° or high heat. Dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, and let excess drip off. Lightly coat grill plates of panini press with cooking spray, if needed. Arrange sandwiches on press. Close panini press, pushing down gently to flatten. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until sandwiches are browned on the outside and hot in the center.
- Place sandwiches on a cutting board. Cut in half diagonally. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve immediately.
I’m totally obsessed with cooking light (and cookbook magazines in general), and just saw this recipe this weekend. Will have to try it out now. Beautiful photography btw.
Thanks Matt!! It’s really good and makes a hearty breakfast (or lunch)! Isn’t Cooking Light the best?? 🙂
I could eat this recipe anytime actually. I’m a huge fan of Clean Eating magazine too; simple recipes that are healthy and unique. I get a lot of inspiration from there.
I’ve read Clean Eating mag before – it was good! I definitely need to start reading it more. 🙂
This looks so tasty! Love the flavours!
Thanks Millie!
Confession: this is totally the type of breakfast (lunch? afternoon snack? all of the above?) I would make on the rare days that I have the house to myself and would conveniently forget to mention to the husband and kiddo that I ate something amazing… self-care if very important after all 🙂
This looks delicious – thanks!
Haha! Self-care is extremely important! Some things are too good to share. 🙂
This is going to be the next pin to taunt me on my Pinterest board 🙂
Thanks Sarah! Those taunting pins get me every time. 🙂
Eating almond butter is part of my daily routine.. so I especially am loving this french toast recipe! Need to make the recipe asap… I can imagine how sweet and delicious the banana, almond and maple flavours are together.
Eating almond butter has become part of my daily routine as well. It’s so good! Even better with maple and banana. 🙂