We partnered with four specialty chefs who created simple recipes inspired by JUST Infused. We’re happy to share their creations and their reflections on their culinary roots and how they integrated Infused into their creations.

Here we’re listening to the food stories from Ronnishia Johnson and Rheema Calloway, the creators of The Vegan Hood Chefs.

JUST: Where do you currently live?
Hood Chefs: San Francisco

JUST: How did you get into the culinary space?
Hood Chefs: After a health scare, we decided to take our health into our own hands and transition to a plant-based lifestyle. We create vegan recipes similar to food we grew up on such as mac & cheese, red beans & rice, and gumbo. And Instagram helps us inspire family and friends about their health.

JUST: What is your favorite food memory?
Ronnishia: Waking up in the morning and cooking breakfast with my grandma, and listening to her stories about her childhood.
Rheema: Cooking in the kitchen with my grandma and mother when I was a child. I had a designated role, as the “guinea pig”, the person who tastes all the food to let them know what’s needed.

JUST: When you think of the word JUST, what does it mean to you?
Hood Chefs: When we think of the word JUST we think about equity. The quality of being fair and we know that isn’t the reality for Black and Brown communities like ours. This is what led us to launch our business to help fight against food injustice and social inequality within San Francisco and beyond.

JUST: Tell us about your recipe.
Hood Chefs: We’re sharing a recipe for Stuffed French Toast, a favorite in many of our friends and family households, a sweet morning dish everyone loves. Here we were inspired by the refreshing blackberry and mint Infused flavors. We worked the water into the batter and include berries and mint leaves as well.

JUST: What do you like about this infused flavor?
Hood Chefs: We had the privilege to try both the Mint and Blackberry Infused, both flavors have just enough flavor and aren't overpowering.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
2 strawberries
4 Blackberries
½ tsp of Himalayan Sea Salt
1 cup of Chickpea flour
1 tsp of Nutmeg
1 tbsp of Cinnamon
½ of cup of Date Syrup
1 tsp of Maple Extract
½ cup of Violife Cream Cheese
1 can of Coconut Milk
1 cup of Just Water Blackberry
12 pieces Vegan Croissant Toast
2 tbsp of Miyoko’s Creamery Butter

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Rinse off Blackberries and strawberries. Slice Blackberries in half, and then slice strawberries into 5 slices. Place fruit to the side until you’re ready to stuff your French toast.
2. In a small bowl add and mix all dry ingredients together. Then add coconut milk, date syrup, melted butter and maple extract into the mixture and stir until all ingredients are smoothly mixed. Dip the sandwiches in the wet mixture to coat completely.
3. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese filling on one side of half of the Croissant Toast. Top with a second piece of Croissant Toast, forming a sandwich with cream cheese filling in the middle. Grab the sliced fruit from step one and layer them on top of one
the cream cheese on the bottom piece of the sandwich.
4. Melt butter on a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Cook sandwiches until golden brown on both sides.
5. Top with strawberries, blackberries, powdered sugar, and date syrup.

See the video for Stuffed French Toast Recipe here!