The easy thing for me to do right now would be to talk about fall, cooler weather, leaves changing, and all things pumpkin- including this delicious french toast. I think I talked about all of those trite (yet wonderful) fall topics in my half-hearted blog post last week. I get it though. If anyone is guilty of breaking out the boots before the temperatures have even dipped into the 70s, it’s me. Autumn is my favorite season. However, I feel like there are much bigger things going on in the world than my pumpkin spice latte or who won the football game yesterday. In my heart of hearts, when I write about those things, I feel a searing jab in my soul. It’s like when the nun in Madeleine starts singing “something is not right.” Kind of? (Oh man, my points of reference are becoming a dead giveaway for my profession!)
By the way, I would urge you to stop reading now if you’re like me and lean towards the “please, just let me just enjoy my privileged, quiet life and not be bothered, thanks” mindset.
Whenever it seems like the world around my perfect little American bubble is going to hell in a hand basket, the first thing I do is stop watching the news. It’s horrible, I know, but I have a pretty clear notion that I’m not the only one. It breaks my heart and puts me in a bad headspace. I have enough things to worry about, right?
Here are some snippets of my embarrassingly “privileged-American” worries: “I really need to make it to yoga 3 days this week so I can chill the heck out and also maximize the money I spend monthly on a gym membership.” “Man, we really need to go to the store; I know our fridge is full but our pantry is almost empty (ha…not even close!)” or “I love our apartment but it’s so small. I can’t wait to own a house one day with at least 2 bathrooms, a fireplace, a big backyard, oh and a GIANT kitchen with a range stove and a farm sink and……” you get the picture.
Meanwhile, Iraq in under siege, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is beyond egregious, people are being murdered left and right for their beliefs and who knows what else. That isn’t even the half of it. And I think I don’t have room in my blessed little life to even acknowledge what is happening? Or even smile at the homeless man on the corner? I feel so helpless and small, so might as well try to tune it out.
I don’t know about you, but that never approach doesn’t really work for me. Try as I might, there’s no ignoring pain, sorrow, and suffering. It’s infiltrates even our tightest-knit of comfort zones, even here in the land of freedom and prosperity. So my thinking (which happens to align with the late Maya Angelou’s thinking as well) is this…
I happen to believe that God, the creator of our universe, may have a plan with it, with us. And it’s probably very far off from mine. While I’m desperately praying, “GOD! DO something. Anything.” I happen to think he already is; it just might look different than how I want it to look. It may not fit into my pumpkin-spice scented life, but it’s taken care of. We can bloom where we are planted, and instead of worrying, bless others. Let’s get uncomfortable and make a stranger pumpkin french toast. Let’s pray more. Listen more. Live out of gratitude.
Buen provecho and happy fall 😉 !
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 thick slices brioche bread
- 1 egg and 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mexican vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 slices bacon
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- powdered sugar
- Heat oven to 375. Cook bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until it's crisp to your liking.
- In a cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
- Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a shallow bowl or dish. Generously coat both sides brioche bread, working with 2-3 pieces at a time and place into heated skillet.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side until crisp and golden-orange. Repeat until you've used all 6 slices.
- Remove the bacon from oven and drain on a paper towel. Pour about 1 teaspoon grease into a small glass serving bowl. Add the maple syrup and lightly whisk to combine.
- Pour maple syrup over fresh toast and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot!
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