For the french toast:

• 250ml unsweetened almond milk (strained if homemade)
• 1 ripe medium banana
• 20ml pure maple syrup/coconut nectar/agave 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 tablespoon (15g) chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 8 slices of bread (I used a rye sourdough here but you can use any bread of your choice)
• 100ml of melted coconut oil

For the caramelized bananas:

• 4 medium bananas, thickly sliced on the diagonal
• 50g coconut sugar

To serve:

• 2 tablespoons crushed raw pecans
• Drizzle of pure maple syrup/coconut nectar/agave 
• Almond butter or peanut butter, optional (homemade if possible)

To make the french toast:

• Set the oven to its lowest temperature or the “warm” setting.
• To make the French toast, pour the milk, banana, maple syrup, vanilla, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt into your blender and blast on high for about 30 seconds, until well combined. Pour the mixture into a large shallow baking dish and let rest for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly, the chia seeds will absorb the milk and thicken the mix. 
• In batches, place slices of the bread in the baking dish and let soak on one side for 8 to 10 seconds. Flip the slices and let soak for another 8 to 10 seconds, until evenly moistened on both sides
• In a large frying pan (that fits two slices of bread) or on a large griddle, over medium heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil per two slices of bread. (Resist the urge to use less coconut oil, or the bread won’t get crispy once it is fried) Add the bread and fry for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on the edges; you may need to add more coconut oil after you flip the bread. If cooking in batches, transfer the French toast to a lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm and repeat to fry the remaining bread, adding more coconut oil to cook each batch.

To make the caramelized bananas:

• While the last pieces of toast are cooking, make the caramelized bananas. Combine the banana slices and the coconut sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir the bananas until evenly coated with sugar.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the coconut oil, add the coated bananas and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely caramelized and golden brown.
• Serve two slices of French toast on each plate, topped with one-quarter of the caramelized bananas and one-quarter of the crushed pecans. If desired, top with almond butter or peanut butter. 
• Lastly, drizzle a little maple syrup over the toast and enjoy the treat!