Oven Baked French Toast with Vanilla Maple Cream and Blueberry Sauce

My son loves breakfast and is so appreciative when I make something, which is usually on Saturday morning when I have more time. I enjoy baking anyway, but his appreciation is so sweet that I really enjoy these leisurely weekend mornings together.

This casserole is a regular in our rotation of favorites. Once you have the garbanzo bean flour, most of the other items are staples (for vegans anyway - I think?). It is a great way to use up some extra bread that might be getting stale, but I don't wait for stale bread....I make it whenever the mood strikes.

Oven Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast Ingredients:

9 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread cut into cubes (makes about 8 cups of bread cubes)

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I prefer soy)
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour - I know it sounds wrong, but it really works!
2 tbsp maple syrup
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 tbsp natural granulated sugar

Blueberry Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup water
2 - 3 tbsp natural sugar (depending on how sweet you like it and how sweet your berries are)
1 tbsp cornstarch

Vanilla Maple Cream Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp maple syrup

Oven Baked French Toast Directions:

Spray an 8" by 11 1/2" casserole dish with cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Slice your bread into 1 inch cubes. I used regular sandwich bread and cut it into four strips and then those strips into thirds. Put the cubes of bread in to your greased casserole dish. In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk the soy milk, vanilla and cornstarch until the cornstarch is incorporated without any lumps. Then mix in the garbanzo bean flour, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk again to incorporate together. It is okay to have a few clumps of the garbanzo flour. Pour the wet ingredients over the bread crumbs, try to distribute it evenly and then sprinkle the sugar over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Blueberry Sauce Directions:

Heat the blueberries, water, sugar and cornstarch over low heat. Stir constantly until it thickens. This does not take long at all. Set aside.

Vanilla Maple Cream Sauce Directions:

Whisk the soy milk, cornstarch, vanilla, and syrup in a measuring cup to incorporate all of the cornstarch without any clumps. Pour into a saucepan and heat over low while stirring constantly. You want it to start to thicken. It does not take long. Set aside. This continues to set up after you take it off the heat, so err on having it too runny.

Serve the french toast with the vanilla sauce and the blueberry sauce layered on top of it. You can also just have the french toast with a dollop of vegan margarine and maple syrup.

For 8 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 181 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  251 Calories from Fat  36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  4.0g 6%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  591mg 25%

Potassium  122mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates  45.5g 15%

Dietary Fiber  4.3g 17%

Sugars  18.1g

Protein  7.0g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 3% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade C-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet