I think it’s safe to say that we all need a drink at this point of the pandemic. Let’s also put alcohol in our food…because that sounds fun!

Whenever I travel to the Caribbean, I have piña coladas on rotate. They are thick, slushy and sweet, and just the perfect hot-day drink. And, obviously my inspiration for this recipe!

A traditional piña colada has rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice, and we’re keeping it consistent with this recipe! The spiced rum and coconut milk come together with some fragrant vanilla, eggs and warm spices to create the batter for the bread. Speaking of the bread, I chose to use brioche for this recipe, because seriously there is nothing better than brioche. Eggy, buttery and just darn delicious.

I love cooking my french toast in my cast iron. It helps with even heat distribution, and that means a beautiful browning on either side of the toast! I also use a ribbed cast iron to grill up some pineapple to top the french toast off with. It’s muy deliciosa!

Grilled Piña (Colada) French Toast

Servings: 3-4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (I use Silk Brand)
• 2 oz of spiced dark rum (optional)
• 12-14 slices of day old brioche bread
• vegan butter (or regular butter)
• coconut oil
• 1/2 of a fresh pineapple, sliced into flatter wedges
• pure maple syrup, for topping
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut milks and rum in a shallow container, until combined.
2. Add a tablespoon of butter to a hot pan (temperature at medium-high). Dip a slice of brioche into the milk mixture and then transfer to pan. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until golden brown, and then flip and repeat. Continue with the rest of the brioche.
3. While the french toast is cooking, preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Add the Pineapple slices right to your grill if using an outdoor barbeque, or, oil your indoor grill with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil first, then add the pineapple. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until you see those nice grill marks!
4. Place a few slices of french toast on a plate, top with a few pieces of grilled pineapple, sprinkle with the coconut flakes, and drizzle with pure maple syrup. Salud!