Recipe: Cinnamon baked French toast

You can prep this breakfast the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning. Who doesn’t love a make-ahead meal? This French toast pairs perfectly with fresh fruit and is great for weekend brunch or on Christmas morning.

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup 100% orange juice
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup liquid egg substitute
• 12 (1-inch thick) slices of baguette French bread (about 1 pound)

Directions

Combine the brown sugar, butter, unsweetened applesauce and honey; pour into a 13x9” baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over sugar mixture.

Combine the orange juice, milk of choice, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and liquid egg substitute in a bowl; whisk to combine.

Arrange bread slices evenly over walnuts in the baking dish; pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Carefully turn bread slices over to absorb excess egg mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

240 calories, 5g fat (1.5g saturated fat), 44g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 0g fiber, 27g sugar (includes 24g added sugars)

Recipe from Cecelia Jacobson, Registered Dietitian for the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.