I love making healthy breakfast recipes to start my day because it helps to jumpstart my day in the right direction. French toast is a classic breakfast dish that is easy to make and loved by many. However, the traditional french toast recipe can also be quite unhealthy if it’s made with white bread, and lots of butter that is high in saturated fat and syrup. This healthy french toast recipe is absolutely delicious and nutritious, using almond milk instead of cream. In this blog post, we will share with you the best healthy french toast recipe that will satisfy your cravings without compromising your health.
Is Eating French Toast Healthy?
I love french toast. I also am on a health journey. French toast can be a healthy breakfast option when made with whole grains, low-fat or non-dairy milk, natural sweeteners, and fresh fruit. Adding protein powder can add to your protein intake at the start of your day. Adding maple syrup may be one of the best compatible pairs for french toast, but keep in mind that there are 52 calories per tablespoon of maple syrup. The calories and sugar levels can easily add up when using maple syrup as a topping.
Can I Eat French Toast when Losing Weight?
Nevertheless, French toast is stigmatized as having a lot of calories, which is just not true. This is incredibly easy to make low-fat, high-protein, and low-fibre French bread using a few smart substitution ingredients. This recipe is a delicious breakfast option for your mornings.
What’s the Best Type of Bread to use for a Healthy French Toast?
- Whole wheat bread: Whole wheat bread is a nutritious option that provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a hearty texture that makes it perfect for French toast.
- Sourdough bread: Sourdough bread is made using a fermentation process that gives it a tangy flavor and a chewy texture. It is lower in calories and higher in nutrients than many other breads.
- Ezekiel bread: This is made from sprouted grains and legumes, which makes it high in protein and fiber. It has a dense texture and a slightly sweet flavor that works well for French toast.
- Rye bread: Rye bread is a dense bread with a slightly sour flavor that is perfect for French toast. It is high in fiber and nutrients like manganese and phosphorus.
- Gluten-free bread: For those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, gluten-free bread is a good option. Look for bread made from almond flour, coconut flour, or other gluten-free flours to make healthy and delicious French toast.
- Brioche bread. This is actually my favourite bread to use for french toast recipe. One of the substitutions that make french toast recipe healthy is actually switching the bread into a more nutritious bread option.
Can I Make Gluten Free French Toast?
I am aware that gluten free bread usually comes thinly sliced, which is not what we want for this delicious recipe. How do I make sure my french toast isn’t soggy? Only dip each side of the bread into the custard mixture for a few seconds on each side. If you leave it for too long it might soak up too much of the mixture and end up soggy.
Other Dairy Free Milk Alternatives to this Healthy French Toast
Other dairy free milk you can use is coconut milk, cashew milk, oat milk, macadamia milk and soy milk. To reduce the calories, use light coconut milk.
Can I make this French Toast Egg Mixture Recipe Vegan?
Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend eliminating eggs, because French Toast cooks differently. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions about egg replacement.
What you’ll need to make the Best Healthy French Toast
Whole Grain Bread. You can also use another healthy alternative, such as whole wheat bread, sprouted wheat bread, or sourdough bread if you prefer.
Eggs. The proteins in the eggs help bind the bread together and create a custard-like texture when cooked, while the fats in the yolks add richness and depth of flavor.
Unsweetened almond milk. Other milk that are non dairy free can include oat milk, regular milk or cream. Keep in mind that as you use skim milk, 1% milk, 3% milk and cream, the calories add up very quickly.
Vanilla extract. This adds a good aroma to the french toast. Alternatively, you can add almond extract or lemon, lime or orange zest for a fruitier note.
Plain Greek Yogurt. Yogurt adds a creamy texture to the mixture that can make the French toast more moist and tender, adds protein and is also a good source of nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, which can be beneficial for overall health.
Stevia. You can use any sweetener you prefer, such as maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar and agave syrup. I recommend using 0-calorie sweeteners, such as Stevia or Splenda to save on calories. This makes a sugar-free french toast if you do not add any sugars as toppings.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Adds a hint of aroma, and plus, these spices are great for your health as well.
Coconut Oil. Coconut oil has a lot of health benefits, however, if you do not like the taste of coconut, you can use other cooking oil, such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
Healthy French Toast Topping Suggestions:
You can add these topping ideas, however, keep in mind that they may add the total calories. Here are my suggestions:
- Fresh Fruit, such as fresh berries, sliced bananas
- Organic Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
- Chia, Flex and Hemp Seeds
- Toasted Nuts, such as Almonds, Hazelnut, Pecans, Peanuts, or your other preferred nuts
- Dried Cranberries, Blueberries, Raisins and so on
- Lemon, lime or orange zest, or a combination of the three to make a citrus aromatic french toast. You can also add lemon zest to the batter if you’d like.
- Low Fat Whipping Cream
- Powdered sugar
- Make it Sweet & Savory! Poached Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Sliced Avocados, Smoked Salmon, Ham and Cheese
- Pure Maple Syrup. Even though pure maple syrup is one of the natural sweeteners, maple syrup can be loaded with calories. Beware of this!
The Healthy French Toast Recipe I Can’t Stop Eating
Ingredients
- 8 slices whole grain bread thickly sliced
- 4 pcs eggs extra large
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp stevia
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- ¼ tsp nutmeg ground or freshly grated
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, unsweetened almond milk, Greek yogurt, applesauce, stevia, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add coconut oil.
- Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, ensuring both sides are well coated.
- Add the bread slices to the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping once. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Serve hot with your favourite toppings such as fresh fruit, mixed berries, sliced bananas, or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
- Use day-old bread slices to make french toast. If you don’t have any, you can use fresh bread. Make sure to use thick slices of bread for the french toast to avoid oversoaking and also, you would be able to taste better the cooked egg mixture that binds the french toast together!
- To avoid soggy french toast, do not oversoak the whole grain bread in the french toast batter. Not draining the excess egg mixture can also create a layer of liquid between the bread and the pan, resulting in soggy French toast. Lastly, if the French toast is not cooked long enough or at a high enough temperature, it can remain wet and mushy in the middle.
- If you have leftover egg mixture, you can store it in an airtight container and use it for the next day’s breakfast. Alternatively, you can also meal prep and make extra of these healthy french toasts and freeze them. Freeze healthy french toast slices on a sheet tray and store them in zip-lock bags. Frozen french toast slices can be reheated in the oven or air fryer for those busy mornings.
