Vandeman Breakfast--Peanut Butter Toast & Applesauce

Toast, peanut butter and applesauce make a delicious and nutritious breakfast. Serve with bananas and oranges slices for a well-rounded meal.

When I was a little girl, we didn't have a television.  That wasn't a rare thing back in the 1950s as many people didn't have the much coveted new technology in their living rooms.  My aunt and uncle, however, did have a TV and many Sunday mornings we would trot the couple of blocks to their home to watch "It Is Written".   Pastor Geroge Vandeman was the soft-spoken speaker on the program.  My sister and I were a bit young to be really interested or understand what was being preached but we were expected to sit quietly and listen while the grown-ups enjoyed the television sermon.  Many other families also tuned in to the program and when a few years later, when I was a teenager, Pastor Vandeman came to St. John's to hold meetings, the church was packed to the rafters. 

Courtesy of Adventist News Network

Pastor George Vandeman, founder and first speaker of "It Is Written", the first Christian television program to broadcast in color.  "It Is Written" began broadcasting at 13 stations in the spring of 1956.

About the same time Pastor Vandeman came to St. John's, I was old enough to attend Junior Camp, which was held at Adam's Pond in Paradise (in Newfoundland not Heaven).  What fun we'd have.  It was a wonderful time for the girls and boys who attended with swimming, crafts, games, and campfires.  What great memories I have of those days.  And, of course, one of the outstanding memories for me was the meals we'd be served.  (I've always been interested in food.) Some of the dishes were strange to me (Red Flannel Hash comes to memory) but most of the food was nourishing, tasty camp grub.  

One morning we were served something none of us had ever seen or heard of before in our young lives.  Pastor Howe, the camp director, introduced this new food with some fanfare.  It was toast, spread with peanut butter and topped with warm applesauce.  It was called Vandeman Breakfast and it was eaten with a fork just as you would pancakes.  We were told it was Pastor George Vandeman's favourite breakfast and we would have the honour of eating it, too.  That was kind of exciting, to be eating a celebrity breakfast.  It was like being served the favourite breakfast of Elizabeth Taylor or The Beatles. 

I don't know how the other kids liked Vandeman Breakfast but I LOVED it and so did my sister, Heather.  We've been eating it ever since and so have our children.   The peanut butter and applesauce combination has found a place not only on toast but pancakes and waffles as well.  It's a good partnership. 

Recently, I came across this Facebook page and was delighted to see the original recipe. I just had to hit "Like" even though the post was a few years old.

Here's my version of this Adventist classic.

Printable recipe at end of post.

Vandeman Breakfast
For each serving:

• 1 or 2 thick slices whole wheat bread, toasted (May spread with butter or margarine if desired.)
• At least 1 tablespoon or more of any style peanut butter for each slice
• Water, milk or fruit juice as needed, optional
• About ¼ - ⅓ cup warm applesauce for each slice, more or less to taste

How to make it:

Toast the bread to the desired shade of doness.  While bread is toasting heat the apple sauce and mix the peanut butter.  To the peanut butter add a little water, milk or juice.  Add a tablespoon at a time.  Keep mixing until you have a nice creamy emulsion.  The peanut butter will break at first but will eventually come together.  (You can skip this step and just use the plain peanut butter, if you wish.)

Spread each slice of toast with a thick layer of the creamed peanut butter and lay on a plate.  Top with warm applesauce and serve.    

 Toast thick slices of whole wheat bread.

Cream the peanut butter by using a little water, milk or juice.  Measure a tablespoon or more of peanut butter for each slice of bread.  Add a little liquid a tablespoon at a time and mix until smooth and creamy.  The peanut butter will break but eventually you will have a nice creamy mixture.

Heat the applesauce.  I used homemade cinnamon applesauce but purchased applesauce will work just as well.
 

Spread each slice of toast with a thick layer of peanut butter.

 Top the peanut buttered toast with as much warm applesauce as you like.  

I like banana slices with my Vandeman Breakfast and, of course, a few orange slices always go good with breakfast.

A delicious and nutritious breakfast.

 

To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩