This Lightened Up Coconut French Toast Casserole is a tasty breakfast or brunch recipe that can be prepped ahead of time for a crowd-pleasing morning meal. Made with unsweetened coconut, light coconut milk and chewy multi-seed bread, it’s a delicious and slightly sweet dairy-free dish that will have everyone coming back for seconds! Thank you to eureka!® Organic Bread for teaming up with me for this recipe!
I’ve always been a huge fan of coconut. I love chewy flaked coconut, coconut-flavored anything, creamy coconut milk… You name it and if it is made with coconut, I probably love it.
So why not start the day with coconut? That’s basically a sure-fire way to ensure a great day ahead, right? When it comes to my morning meals, prep-ahead dishes reign supreme over here since mornings seem to be a little more rushed than usual now that I have a baby in the mix. When I found out my sister and one of her coworkers were coming into town and staying with us two weeks ago, I wanted to have a tasty breakfast dish on hand to quickly heat up for them in the morning before they had to head off to work.
I prepped this lightened up coconut French toast casserole the night before they arrived so I could pop it in the oven when I awoke the next morning and they could have a tasty breakfast to enjoy to fuel them through their work day. (And the fact that I got to enjoy a breakfast that felt a little more special than usual on a weekday was clearly an added bonus!) When it comes to French toast casserole, the texture of the casserole makes a big difference for me. I’ve had French toast casseroles that taste too dense or too fluffy and I prefer a casserole that’s right in the middle. Slightly sweet and perfectly egg-y but with a little bit of crispness around the edges, too!
I used eureka!® Organic Bread‘s GRAINIAC® as the base for this casserole which was perfect because each slice of the bread is peppered with crunchy seeds that gave this casserole a rustic feel that I absolutely adored. Plus, the bread has a richer flavor than basic white bread and is made without any artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup.
Add in some chewy unsweetened coconut flakes and this lightened up coconut French toast casserole is full of texture and flavor and is also quite filling! If you have guests coming in town this summer, I think this recipe would be a crowd pleaser for any groups out there who love coconut!
Lightened Up Coconut French Toast Casserole
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 12 slices GRAINIAC® eureka!® Organic Bread
- 1 1/4 cup light coconut milk (from a can)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Directions:
- In a 9×13 baking dish lightly coated with coconut oil (or sprayed with cooking spray), layer bread slices so they’re just barely overlapping.
- Mix remaining ingredients and 1/3 cup of the unsweetened coconut flakes in a large bowl, whisking he eggs and stirring everything until fully combined. Pour over bread slices and lightly press bread down into egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap casserole and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove casserole and sprinkle with additional 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes. Bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until top begins to brown and middle is cooked through. (When done, a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole should come out clean and the casserole will puff up quite a bit. It will deflate upon cooling.)
- Allow to cool slightly. Slice, top with additional flaked coconut, fresh berries and maple syrup.
- Enjoy!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we did in our house!
For more information on eureka!® Organic Bread visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway
What’s your favorite “lightened up” breakfast treat? Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
Entry Instructions:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/27/16– 6/27/16
Be sure to visit the eureka!® Organic Bread brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!
Emma Desart says
I love 3 ingredient banana pancakes. Not bad for you at all but tastes like a treat!
Maggie says
I love making egg white strata for breakfast!
Leah H. says
I love making protein smoothies that taste like dessert or protein pancakes!
Emma says
I love indulgent overnight oats- chocolate chip cookie dough or peanut butter cookie dough. Yum!!
Rachel J says
I love three ingredient pancakes! So yummy!
Melissa says
Overnight Oats!
Annie Kreikemeier says
Raspberry chia seed pudding is my new fav, but I also love having a sweet potato bowl for breakfast!
Pam Cook says
I love greek vanilla yogurt with fresh berries.
Emily says
I love making frittatas with chicken sausage and lots of veggies!
Kat says
oat and egg pancake – so simple and so good!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says
I like to make protein pancakes with eggs, Greek yogurt and oats!
Linz @ Itz Linz says
Yum! My favorite lightened up breakfast is a smoothie! This casserole looks wonderful, especially for a crowd!
Hannah says
Protein pancakes are so delicious! We have them for dinner sometimes too 🙂
Nikki says
Oatmeal and PB
Joanna P says
Egg bakes filled with veggies!
Abbie says
Overnight oats – so versatile with different toppings, and really delicious!!
Lisa @ Life as Lisa Knows It says
I love to make protein smoothies.
Tara says
An egg white omlet with peppers, onions, spinach and goat cheese!
Holly Watson says
I love using Avocado instead of butter on toast, so much more filling and tastes AMAZING!!
Madalyn says
Omlets with lots of veggies!
Katherine says
I love making pancakes with cottage cheese and ground oats!
Kristen Coia says
Healthy pancakes! Usually some sort of oat, protein powder, banana, egg mix.
Heather @ Polyglot Jot says
I love making baked oatmeal and melting peanut butter on top. It feels like I’m eating a big dessert for breakfast! I also love that a little peanut butter goes a long way when its melted…so good!
Katie says
Definitely would have to be Greek yogurt and fruit parfaits.
Christy B says
My lightened meal is good ol fashion eggs – tons of protein to start my day!
Katy says
For something light and refreshing, Greek yogurt and berries for sure!
Rachel says
A smoothie is my go to lightened up breakfast!
Maria says
Protein pancakes for the win!!!
Molly says
Yummy! I actually have all of these ingredients on hand so this might be a good weekend treat. 🙂
Breakfast is my jam. A typical breakfast includes a “lightened up” version of sweet coffee (I used to be a cream and sugar girl). Instead of filling my cup with lots of unnatural chemicals, now I just drink it black with a splash of canned coconut milk. I store the coconut milk in a mason jar for a few days and it works great!
I also love making a “sweet” treat for breakfast so I’ll heat up the skillet and toss some banana slices in with coconut oil, top with cinnamon and drizzle with honey. If I’m in a hurry and need to grab something quick, I’ll heat up a whole wheat tortilla and spread almond or sunflower butter on it, and top with apple slices and cinnamon. So easy!
Taylor says
I love making a lightened up pancake recipe that I’ve used for years. It only has a few ingredients, easy clean up, cooks fast, and taste great!
Georgina says
Protein pancakes! Indulgent but much more filling & nutritious than the regular kind 🙂
Mami2jcn says
I like whole wheat pancakes.
Anne says
I love bircher muesli, whip it up the night before and then you are ready to go in the morning.
Mami2jcn says
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/737983457477939200
Danielle says
We make banana “pancakes” for a treat. Just eggs, bananas and cinnamon!
SJ says
Overnight oats layered with banana nice cream! My fave.
Melissa @ melissakolbeck.com says
I love all things coconut too, and any lightened up pancakes or french toast is my favorite!
Julie Wood says
I love my super healthy Scrambled Eggs With Beans, Tomatoes, and Pesto. So delicious!
Julie Wood says
tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/737986128347684865
Katie says
Sprinkle some dark chocolate in my oats to get my chocolate fix!
Nicole S. says
I love making frittatas – tons of veggies and volume, low calorie, lots of protein!
Kaitlin G says
My favorite lightened up breakfast is protein pancakes!
Allison says
Low carb breakfast pita filled with egg whites, spinach, tomato, mushroom, avocado, and siracha!
Leah says
I love a good protein waffle, drizzled with PB, and topped with bananas!
Renee says
Blueberry lemon muffins. Love lemon muffins of any kind!
Caroline says
Favorite light bfast right now: frozen mixed berries blended with chocolate protein powder & topped with coconut shavings. So good and so healthy!
kelly says
I make the paleo pancake all the time! Two eggs + banana + cinnamon, my favorite!
Giana says
Egg whites with banana, plantain, or kabocha on the side with nut butter!
Ashley says
I love greek yogurt with either berries or PB thrown in!
Allison L says
A crust-less quiche made with plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese instead of heavy cream. I also add in lots of peppers, onions and mushrooms to get a serving of veggies in the morning!