I maintain that brunch is the best meal, even if you have it at two in the afternoon like Katie and Chris and I did one Sunday. We made sweet potato hash with five-spice and watercress, and vegan french toast.
Sweet Potato Hash with Five-Spice and Watercress
If you love sauteed onions and garlic as much as I do, it wouldn't hurt to put more of those two ingredients in than this recipe calls for.
When we made this I had a yam that needed used, so I substituted it for one of the sweet potatoes. It added a nice bit of color to contrast the green of the watercress. Watercress is a peppery-tasting leaf, high in iron and calcium (which I'm always trying to eat a lot of) as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients
3 tbs. olive oil
1 medium-size onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
3 medium-size sweet potatoes, diced
1 bunch watercress, stems discarded, torn into big pieces
1. In a large skillet, cook the onion in one tablespoon of the olive oil for two minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the salt and spices and cook for another minute.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and the rest of the oil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and a bit caramelized.
4. Add the watercress and cook for two minutes while stirring constantly.
Vegan French Toast
Vegan french toast, you ask? Can it be done? Yes indeed! It's absolutely delicious. The key ingredient is garbanzo bean flour. I started using garbanzo bean flour in my baking because it is high in protein and iron, and has calcium too. It can also be useful in gluten-free baking. Or you can make hummus with it (so I hear), and Katie puts it in sweet potato falafel. Really, it's proving to be an all-around useful flour.
Ingredients
Loaf of Italian or French bread, baguette shaped, preferably stale
1/2 c. soy creamer, although rice or soy milk can be used
1/2 c. rice milk or plain soy milk
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. garbanzo bean flour
Several tablespoons oil
1. Slice the bread into 1-inch rounds. If the bread isn't stale you can leave the slices out overnight or put in a 350 F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, just to dry them a bit.
2. Put the creamer and milk into a bowl suitable for dunking bread in. Mix the cornstarch in until dissolved. Add flour and mix; a bit of lumpiness is okay.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to create a thin layer at the bottom.
4. Get the bread slices really good and soaked, then fry them in the skillet, about 2 minutes per side. They should be golden brown.
5. Top with fresh local berries and powdered sugar, or the old standby maple syrup.
OMG YUM