Gorgeous breakfast alert! You’re gonna want to show off a little bit with this recipe, so call your pals and plan a brunch. Then go grab the crustiest whole grain baguette you can find. We’re making a French Toast Bake dolled up with fresh berries and finished with a walnut crumb topping that makes it sweetly crunchy and perfectly beautiful.
To bring you this blog post, I’ve had the pleasure of *working with Nellie’s Free Range Eggs , a company dedicated to the humane treatment of its hens. When Nellie’s reached out to ask if I wanted to work with them to promote their certified humane eggs and celebrate their recent partnership with the Boston Red Sox, it was an easy decision. I’ve been a lifelong fan of both eggs and baseball, so I was quick to say yes.
Even World Champions come up short sometimes
Then the Boston boys of summer had an unexpectedly early end to their season. 🙁 Even World Champions can have an off game or 10. On the bright side, the Sox crew can re-fuel through the off-season with healthy, egg-packed dishes like this French toast bake. Athletes of all kinds need good nutrition, and this dish delivers on so many nutrients. There’s protein, fiber, choline, lutein, B12, vitamin C , antioxidants…and the list goes on.
But does this French Toast Bake deliver on taste?
The proof is in the pudding! The sweet berries, walnut crumb topping, and crusty edges make for all kinds of texture with that first bite, followed by a soft, maple-y french toast center. I’ve made many versions of French toast bake, and this is by far the best. I took some inspo for the walnut crumb topping from a Cooking Light version. The boost of nutrition from whole grain bread, walnuts ,and berries was a nice compliment to extra-delicious and nutritious certifed humane eggs.
All about Certified Humane hens
Did you know that hens raised on certified humane farms lead healthier lives and produce more nutritious eggs? Being certified humane means the farmers prioritize the health of the chickens. They must be raised in the highest of standards, including sun-lit cage free barns with outdoor access.
Nellie’s Free Range Eggs are raised in this manner on small family-run farms, many comprised of just a couple of parents and their kids. Sounds idyllic. They’re probably the happiest chickens on Earth. They certainly make gorgeous eggs – check out my breakfast!
Scroll down for the full recipe on the French toast bake, and save it for anytime you want to feast with your eyes as well as your mouth. I see this beauty of a dish gracing both our Thanksgiving weekend table, as well as on Christmas morning. But you don’t need to wait for a holiday to serve it up. Goodness, no. Get on it!
*I received free goodies from Nellie’s Free Range Eggs in exchange for creating a recipe and post. As with everything I publish on Juggling with Julia, all words, thoughts, photos, and opinions are my own.
Whole Grain French Toast Bake with Berries
This French Toast Bake is dressed to impress with vibrant berries in reds and blues. Whole grain bread and certified humane eggs from Nellie's Free Range Eggs means it's tops in nutrition too.
Ingredients
- 1 whole grain baguette day old, slightly stale
- 1 1/4 cups 1% lowfat milk
- 6 eggs, certified humane like Nellie's Free Range Eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup strawberries, quartered
- 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Instructions
-
Slice the baguette into 1-inch cubes, to make approximately 10 cups of loosely packed cubes. Add to a 9×13 pan. The bread should fill the pan, but not to overflowing.
-
In a medium bowl, add the milk, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until frothy and well combined. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, and toss to coat.
-
Sprinkle the blueberries and sliced strawberries over the top of the mixture. Cover with foil and leave refrigerated for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
In a small bowl, combine the chilled butter pieces, brown sugar and chopped walnuts. Using your fingers, combine the ingredients using a pinching technique. Break up each of the butter pieces between your fingers, simultaneously combining it with the sugar and walnuts. The mixture will have a somewhat pebbly texture once you're done.
-
Remove the chilled bread mixture from the refrigerator and sprinkle the walnut mixture over the top of the bread. Cover again with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden.
-
Remove from oven, and allow the casserole to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Top with more berries and additional maple syrup if desired.
Recipe Notes
*Substitute frozen berries if fresh berries are not available.
Leave a Reply