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French Toast Casserole

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WHAT’S IN IT

·   1 loaf sourdough bread (ideally fermented 24-48 hours)

·   10 large cage free, organic eggs

·   2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

·   ½ teaspoon cinnamon

·   ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

·   1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·   ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

·   ⅓ cup sliced raw almonds or chopped pecans

·   2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

·   1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

·   extra pure maple syrup for serving

HOW TO MAKE IT

  1. Cut or rip the bread into 1” pieces

  2. In a large bowl whisk together eggs.

  3. Add coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, pure vanilla extract, and maple syrup and continue whisking until everything is well mixed.

  4. Lightly spray a 9 x13 baking dish.  Lay the pieces of bread in the bottom of the dish. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Gently stir it together until all of the bread is coated.

  5. Cover the dish with foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.

  6. In the morning, remove the dish from the refrigerator and place on the counter.

  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  8. In a small bowl combine almonds, brown sugar and butter. Squeeze together with your hands until it forms a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle it over top of the french toast.

  9. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve hot with more pure maple syrup.

WHY IT’S HEALTHY

Well, this isn’t healthy like a morning smoothie loaded with veggies and herbs but as french toast goes, this is about as healthy as it gets. For starters (pun intended) we use sourdough bread which was made with a fermented sourdough starter, not yeast. The fermentation process helps produce enzymes that partially break down proteins, including gluten. This leads to a lower overall gluten content and decreased levels of phytates/phytic acid that can interfere with nutrient absorption and digestion. We’ve substituted coconut milk for cows milk (you can also use plant based butter if you are vegan) and there are only 2 tablespoons of sugar in a casserole that will feed eight people. Not bad! Pure maple syrup has high levels of beneficial nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals. The anti-oxidants in cinnamon have wonderful anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower risk of disease. Nutmeg It is rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, thiamin, manganese, magnesium, folate and copper. When used even in small amounts nutmeg can help to aid digestion, ease pain, promote detoxification, boost cognitive function and regulating blood pressure levels. Almonds help with cholesterol reduction, are beneficial when it comes to weight loss, and are high in Vitamin E, manganese and magnesium.