Healthy French Toast

Lately I've been in the process of eliminating white breads from my food life. I used to purchase light italian bread and I've decided that perhaps it was aiding into my stomach not quite agreeing with it. So, with that, I've decided to start purchasing a High Fiber Whole Wheat store-brand bread (there are name brands available, such as one by Arnold's) which is just slightly higher in calories/points plus values ... but it's also so much better for you. I've found since making the switch I've enjoyed it a lot more and it's far more satisfying.

 

One morning, I really, really wanted french toast ... so I decided to jump start my french toast game and make a healthier, more satisfying french toast. And I was so pleased with the results, that I have had it continuously over the past few weeks. So here's what I did:

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup of eggbeaters to a bowl

* 2 tbsp egg whites

* 1 tbsp of unsweetened cashew milk (you can use almond milk, skim milk, or skip if you prefer)

 * 1 tsp vanilla

* Sprinkle of cinnamon

* 2 slices High Fiber Whole Wheat bread

* Non-stick cooking spray

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until well combined.

 

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

 

I then add in one slice of high fiber whole wheat bread and let it sit for a few seconds, pushing the edges of the bread into the mixture so it can absorb some of the liquid, then flip repeating on the other side and add the dipped bread into the pan. Repeating with the other slice.  I allow the toast to cook for a few minutes before flipping and cooking through on the other side. I remove from the pan when the second slice "bubbles" up in the middle.  I add them onto a plate to allow them to cool slightly

 

As a little added incentive to my breakfast dish I like to saute up a banana to give my french toast a little more pizazz.

 

I then re-spray my pan and slice a banana and add it onto the pan with a little sprinkle of cinnamon over the top. I then saute the bananas on each side ... which warms the banana through and gives the outside a slight crunch bringing fourth the flavor far more. I add that onto my french toast, with 1 tbsp sugar free syrup and some fresh berries ... and breakfast is served! Simple and delicious!

 

The greatest part is it's packed with fiber and protein so it's going to keep you satisfied longer. For my french toast .. it comes out to 5 points plus values (4 for the bread and 1 for the egg mixture).

Sautéed Banana topped French Toast, Eggs & Sausage

French toast is one of my favorite breakfast dishes, but it’s also a breakfast dish I don’t have very often. Typically I make it when I’m craving it … and one night I decided to make French toast for dinner for my boyfriend and I. I of course, make my French toast using lighter ingredients (light bread and egg substitute).  It comes out perfectly, is delicious and is filling.

I placed a little more than 1/3 cup of egg substitute in a bowl, added in 2 tablespoons of skim milk, a dash of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Beat it together, then dipped three slices of light bread and cooked it up in a nonstick skillet.  Since I had a banana that was well past ripe, I decided to make myself a quick sautéed banana cooked in a non-stick skillet with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Once done I layered that over my French toast.

The remaining egg mixture (I used ½ cup total) I decided to make myself a little scrambled eggs and served the dish alongside 3 turkey sausage links.

It was a delicious meal which was only 7 points plus. Quite a bang for my buck!

French Toast

Whoever said you can’t have your French toast and eat it too? Certainly, not I! I love breakfast foods.  French toast is one of those staple meals which can be flavored in any which way you please – pumpkin French toast, cinnamon French toast, stuffed French toast – you name it, you can make it.

I particularly love breakfast foods for dinner – so this is what I had one day after having a very low point breakfast and lunch.  French toast garnished with fresh sliced strawberries and some sugar free maple syrup alongside some scrambled turkey sausage and scrambled egg substitute.  The entire meal as pictured was 10 points plus values.  2 points plus for ½ cup Jimmy Dean scrambled turkey sausage, 3 points plus for 1 cup of egg substitute, 1 point for the Vermont Maid sugar free maple syrup, 4 points for 4 slices of light Italian bread and of course 0 points for the fresh strawberries.

I’ve been asked a few times how I make my French toast, so I decided to share my very simple recipe.  I find this recipe makes exactly 4 slices of French toast (it’s the right amount of egg to soak up into exactly 4 slices of bread).

5 Points Plus Values (NOTE: This calculation is for all 4 slices, if you were to have 2 slices, it would be 3 points plus values).

Ingredients:

• 4 slices light bread
• ½ cup liquid fat-free egg substitute (i.e. Egg Beaters)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Cinnamon, to taste

During the fall season you can add pumpkin pie spice to the mixture to make pumpkin french toast, etc.

In a shallow bowl, blend together liquid egg substitute, vanilla and cinnamon – mixing until combined.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

Dredge slice of bread on each side. Once both sides are dredged, place onto the frying pan. Repeat until all slices are dredged in egg mixture.

Let the French toast cook – do not move or touch the French toast until half-way cooked, roughly 3-4 minutes in.  You can check each piece by gently lifting the edge of the slice – when cooked to your desired coloring, flip and let cook another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

Plate up and serve with any toppings you wish.

Binner ... Breakfast for Dinner!

This is what I call Binner ... Breakfast for Dinner!  A few weeks ago I was throwing options out there for dinner to my boyfriend and somehow I mentioned breakfast.  Then it was a toss-up between pancakes and french toast (evidently french toast won almost immediately).  I had some shredded potatoes in the refrigerator that I had picked up at the grocery store -- so I decided on hash browns, sausage patties and french toast it was!

I took 3 slices of light wheat bread and dunked it in a mixture of 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla extract.  I cooked them up on a non-stick grill pan.  The 3 slices of french toast came out to be 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus values.  I made my boyfriend regular french toast (with 1 beaten egg, skim milk, vanilla and cinnamon) and simply cooked his in a non-stick grill pan.

I tossed a turkey sausage (2 PointsPlus) into the pan to heat through while in another skillet (sprayed with Pam) I cooked up some diced onion and minced garlic and added in a 1 cup of shredded potato.  I seasoned with black pepper, garlic powder and a dash of salt.  When done I split the pan between my boyfriend and I -- my serving was 2 Points Plus.

Once plated I drizzled 1/4 cup sugar free Vermont Maid syrup over my french toast and added a few sliced strawberries.  Delicious and totally filling!

QUESTION:
Do you like breakfast for dinner?