Has breakfast become ho-hum with the same old cereals out of a box? How about adding some pizzaz that will make you and your family look forward to breakfast? This is one my family favorites. It’s a delicious way to enjoy a fiber rich meal first thing in the morning. It combines 2 kinds of whole grains plus several fruits and some plant-based milk too. Breakfast is whipped up in this one dish.
It is easy to put together and when you bake it the day before, all you have to do is rewarm it. Though it is also great served cold. Try it served with a side dish of stewed apples or unsweetened applesauce. You could also serve it on top. Watch your family’s eyes light up when they take a bite of this upgrade on french toast.
Banana Baked French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup nut butter optional
- 3 T maple syrup
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 2 T date or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1 cup quick oats can be gluten free if needed
- 4 slices high fiber bread cut in cubes, use gluten-free if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine bananas, almond milk, nut butter, maple syrup, coriander, sugar, raisins and vanilla extract in a large shallow mixing bowl, mixing until fully combined. Pour bread cubes into the mixture and use a fork to lightly press down so they absorb most of the liquid. Add in the applesauce and mix together. Then stir in the oats until everything is evenly combined. Transfer the mixture to a non-stick baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the recipe has set and the top has turned golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with stewed apples or unsweetened applesauce. Yield: 4 servings.
To make stewed apples: cut up 2-3 cups of apples (use Gala, Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady for a sweeter sauce or you can mix Gala with some MacIntosh) or apples of your choice. Add about ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes over medium-high heat or until the apples are tender. In the last few minutes, you can add ½ teaspoon of coriander if desired. Remove apples from the stovetop. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the apples, keeping the mixture slightly chunky. Let the apples cool to room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. I like to make the stewed apples a day ahead. Then all I have to do is warm some up and ladle over the Baked French Toast.
Chef’s Note: Depending on how thick your bread is, you may need to add some extra milk. I used almond milk but feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk. Almond milk has less fat than soy so it’s a good choice for weight loss and lowering blood sugars. I highly recommend using date sugar in this recipe, especially if you are dealing with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Date sugar is just ground-up dates that will be very gentle on your blood sugars.
Oats Health-Bites
One of the keys to losing weight and beating type 2 diabetes is to make fiber your friend. Aim for 40 grams of fiber daily. A plant-based diet provides plenty of fiber to improve blood sugar levels and help you with weight control. Fiber also gives you a sense of fullness which prevents snacking in between meals. Also the more fiber you eat,, the more energy you will have.
