French Toast Casserole (Protein-Rich & Gluten Free!)

04 Jun French Toast Casserole (Protein-Rich & Gluten Free!)

So I wish I could take credit for inventing the idea of a French toast casserole.  But the truth is, I learned about it from the sister-in-law of a guy I used to date.  She made it for us one hungover morning and it was heaven.  Plus if you google French Toast Casserole, you’ll see there are TONS of recipes out there! The thing is, most of them are loaded in sugar (like a lot of sugar) and lack adequate protein to balance the carbs in this dish (read:  sugar crash with bloating, followed by weight gain.)  So I created a gluten free version and baked real maple syrup right into the mix for just the right amount of sweetness plus added maple chicken sausage for added lean protein.

This French toast casserole needs to sit overnight before baked, so plan accordingly.  And you’ll need a smallish casserole dish or a 10 by 10 inch baking pan.  If you want to lower the sugar content, just do a touch of pure maple syrup, add 1/3 cup almond or coconut milk and a few packets of Stevia for sweetness.  French Toast Casserole is so easy! And perfect for make-ahead breakfast for the family (my 11 year old nephew approved) all week long or even entertaining at brunch.  Love it? Please share!

French Toast Casserole (Protein-Rich & Gluten Free!)

Makes about 8 or more servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 packages Gluten Free Cinnamon Frozen French Toast Sticks (I used Ian’s brand), defrosted (leave on the countertop for a couple hours)
• 1 package frozen 100% natural breakfast style maple chicken sausage (make sure it’s breakfast style with maple so it’s sweet and not savory), defrosted (leave on the counter top for a couple hours)
• All natural cooking spray
• 8 whole eggs, preferably organic
• 4 egg whites, preferably organic
• 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (not the imitation stuff)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ heaping teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Layer French toast sticks on a large sheet pan and bake approximately 8-10 minutes or so on each side or until very lightly golden brown.   In the meantime, chop sausages.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt until combined.  Spray a smallish casserole dish or 10 by 10 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Add a layer of French toast sticks to the casserole dish or baking pan.  Add 2/3 of the sausage.  Add another layer of the French toast sticks and the remaining sausage.  Pour egg mixture over the French toast and sausages, cover and place on top of a sheet pan (to prevent spilling.)  Refrigerate for 24 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover the casserole lightly with tinfoil.  Bake for approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the top is lightly golden brown and the eggs are cooked throughout, making sure to take the foil off the last 15 minutes of cooking.  Serve with pure maple syrup for the kiddos, if needed (it’s fairly sweet already so if you can get them to skip it, awesome!)  Enjoy!

SO, WHAT’S THE NUTRITION BALANCE?

This recipe is made of protein, fat and carbs and is a balanced meal.  It has a little more carbs than I would like, but I figure it’s breakfast, you’ll burn it off during the day and well…it’s so much better for you than a bagel or doughnuts! Enjoy!