Vanilla French Toast with Strawberry Sauce

1. Make a slit down the side of the vanilla bean with a paring knife. You don’t want to cut it in half; instead, you want to split it open. Scrape out the tiny seeds with the knife. In a large shallow bowl or baking dish, place the seeds.
2. Combine the nondairy milk, coconut milk, flour, maple syrup, arrowroot, vanilla extract, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir everything together until it’s smooth. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature. On a baking sheet, place a cooling rack. Place aside.
3. For a few minutes, heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Coat the pan liberally with cooking spray. Dip 1 or 2 slices of bread in the milk mixture (depending on how many will fit in your pan) and soak for 10 to 15 seconds on each side. Cook the slices in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Transfer to a cooling rack and keep the baking sheet warm in the oven until ready to serve. Rep with the remaining slices of bread, spraying the pan before adding new slices each time.

To make the strawberry sauce:

1. In a small pot, combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to keep warm.
2. Before serving, cut the toast in half diagonally if desired. To serve, arrange two slices of bread (or four halves) on a plate and top with a dollop of vegan vanilla whipped cream (if using), a scoop of strawberry sauce, and a light dusting of powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with a few sliced almonds on top.