Irie
Positive emotions or feelings, or anything that is good. Specifically it refers to high emotions and peaceful vibrations. This is a phonetical representation of "all right".

I was super stoked to make french toast.  It's always been a favorite of mine and I havent had it in ages.  I even whipped up a mini bread using my small batch sweet dough recipe.  I cubed my mini loaf after I baked it and I set it out two days prior to stale (everyone knows the best baked french toast is made with stale bread) and despite my allergies hitting hard over the weekend, I went ahead with making this glorious breakfast....only to wake up with faulty tastebuds.  FML.

I've made this recipe in the past using french bread and it was delicious, but I've included my mini sweet dough recipe for those who are feeling ambitious!

Sweet Dough

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 Tbs yeast
1/16th salt
2/3 cup better batter
1/4 cup better batter flour
1/4 tsp pure vanilla
1 Tbs Lighter Bake
Handful or two of currants

Preheat oven 350F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Proof yeast.  Add vanilla, currants, and salt.  Stir.  Add flours and stir until well combined (about 5 minutes).  Cover with warm wet towel and allow to rise in a draft free area for 20 - 30 min.

With wet hands, shape dough into a mini loaf and bake at 350F 25 - 35 minutes or until firm and golden.  Allow to cool prior to slicing (or in this case, cubing)

 
Jamaican French Toast

2 cups thickly sliced bread, cubed
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 flax egg (1 Tbs flax meal + 3 Tbs water, let stand 5 - 10 minutes)
1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/16 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 brown sugar
1 1/3-1 2/3 tablespoons butter
1/3 to taste powdered sugar
1/3 to taste maple syrup

Set bread out on the counter the morning before you want to eat the casserole – letting them sit out will harden them up, creating “stale bread”.

The night before breakfast, cube your bread and place in a greased individual casserole bowl. Mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over your bread. Cover with foil and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, preheat your oven to 350F. Add your butter to the top and bake  covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover casserole bowl and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Finding myself in both an allergic funk and with a case of the sads, I decided it best to take the night off from life.  Post work, I hit the market for a few odds and ends and a quick pit stop in the kitchen resulted in the following recipe (which will be eaten at some point tomorrow).  That said, once this post is published, straight to bed is where I'm headed.  No lights, no phone, no book, nothing.  Just me in the dark with the herd and my thoughts until morning. 

Have a wonderful night everyone!
xo

Veggied Up Rice & Peas
Adapted from Eat Jamaican

1/4 cup Wild Rice
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
2 small stalks celery, chopped
2 baby carrots, chopped
1/5 red pepper, chopped
1/4 yellow pepper, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp Pukka
1/4 tsp dried onion
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
Fresh Ground Salt, to taste

Wash and prep veggies as stated above

Place water and coconut milk in a pot.  Bring to boil.  Add remaining ingredients, cover, and reduce heat.  Cook until rice and veggies are tender, and water is absorbed