I don’t know about you but I LOVE breakfast!!! With a choice of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, toast, biscuits, hashbrowns, or waffles, there is literally something for everyone. Or in my case, MANY somethings. The only problem I honestly have with breakfast is the time of day it is consumed. I have no shame in confessing that I’m not a morning person. I’ve always been a night owl since I was a kid and that hasn’t changed a bit into my adulthood. So what do you do if you love breakfast but hate waking up even earlier in order to make it? Well…you meal prep of course!
Meal prep, in my opinion, is ESSENTIAL for those needing to save time and wanting to stay healthy. It ensures you always have clean, nutritious foods on hand for those moments when you may not feel like preparing a meal, which for me, is usually at breakfast. To prevent the need for making a meal every morning, I usually just whip up a batch of muffins during meal prep, as it lasts me an entire week. This works for awhile but there comes a point when you need a change. This recipe was my answer for that needed change.
It all started with a bunch of spotted bananas and a loaf of raisin bread at its sell by date. If you know me personally, or have followed me for a while, you know I’m a big stickler when it comes to food waste. Sure I could have easily polished off the raisin bread on my own, but sadly, it would never fit my macros. Therefore, I had to find a way to use them both. That is when I came across a french toast casserole recipe and decided to modify the heck out of it to fit my nutrition goals.
The results were absolutely delicious. A big thumbs up from my husband and youngest daughter. They had no idea this was fit food. By exchanging refined white bread with whole-wheat cinnamon raisin bread, I was able to add nutrition and flavor. I then topped the first layer of bread with sliced bananas before covering with more bread and an egg/milk mixture. To add a touch of sweetness and texture, I sprinkled the top with an oat crumble before allowing the casserole to soak overnight. Quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious meal. If you love french toast but want to save time in the morning, you MUST give this recipe a try!
Overnight Cinnamon Raisin & Banana French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup Old-fashioned Rolled Oats
- ¼ cup White Whole-Wheat Flour
- 5 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar; divided
- ¼ tsp. Sea Salt
- 3 tbsp. Unsalted Butter; melted
- 14 slices Whole-Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- 3 small Bananas; sliced
- 6 large Eggs
- 3 ¾ cups Whole Milk
- 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
Directions
- Coat a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, 3 tbsp. brown sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter and stir until moistened. Set aside.
- Arrange 7 slices of bread in a single layer in the prepared pan (2 rows. 3½ slices per row). Top with banana slices in a single layer and then top with the remaining 7 slices of bread in a single layer.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and remaining 2 tbsp. of brown sugar. Pour mixture over bread and then sprinkle evenly with oat mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Remove foil and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until bread is puffed up and egg mixture is set. A small amount of liquid in the center is okay as it will firm up as it cools. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Honeybee's Patisserie 