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 love using a seedy bread for this recipe, both from a flavor standpoint and for added texture and nutrition. Sprinkle in in some chewy unsweetened coconut flakes and this lightened up coconut French toast casserole is a crowd pleaser for anyone out there who love coconut and French toast.
Here’s everything you need to make this overnight french toast recipe:
- Whole wheat bread (white bread will also work, but I prefer a seedy whole grain bread in this recipe)
- Eggs + Egg whites
- Coconut milk (from a can — this is key for flavor!)
- Maple syrup
- Coconut flakes (I prefer unsweet but if sweetened coconut is more your style, do your thang!)
- Vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: I love to sprinkle coconut on top of my French toast and I’ll never say no to a little whipped cream and powdered sugar
And below you’ll find the full recipe breakdown for this coconut french toast casserole!
Coconut French Toast Casserole
Coconut French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes + overnight
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: oven
Ingredients
- 12 slices bread (I love a seedy whole grain bread)
- 1 1/4 cup light coconut milk (from a can)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- 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 the 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 do in our house!
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My favourite lightened up treat is banana waffles made with only ripe banana, egg, whole wheat flour, cinnamon and water and they are amazing!
Greek yogurt pancakes with fruit on top!
Eggwhite protein pancakes!
I am a big fan of baked egg white omelet “muffins” throw in a ton of veggies and they are a great grab and go when you’re in a rush!
My favorite breakfast treat is a bagel with peanut butter and hot eggs on top! 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!
Turkey bacon with a mix of egg whites and one egg with some roasted diced butternut squash.
I eat a whole wheat English muffin with avocado
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/missfrugal/status/738371968471289857
I love buckwheat pancakes- not sure if they’re “lighter” per SW but they have more fiber than traditional pancakes.
I love a good overnight oats “sundae” desert thing!
I am not a huge lover of foods that are titled as “diet” food, but I am definitely a fan of breakfast and I am sure that the SAAA-Wheat bread would make for a delicious egg breakfast sandwich before work.
I love making Chia pudding the night before and letting it soak in the fridge all night long and add berries in the morning!
https://twitter.com/hills14337/status/738416342701854722
Tweeted!
Banana pancakes made with 1 banana + 2 eggs might be my favorite ‘indulgent’ guilt-free breakfast. Otherwise I typically just have 2 eggs every morning for a kick of protein and substance. 🙂
I make a lighter version of a breakfast sandwich by putting one egg, and slice of cheese on a thin bread sandwich thin and it tastes just as good !
My favorite lightened up breakfast is old fashioned oats with chopped apples, raisins, candied pecans, chia, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup…Apple Pie Oatmeal for short!
I shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/738742649813897216.
My favorite is a protein smoothie, but this looks delicious!
I love green smoothies in the summer. Especially when they’re packed with chia seeds and protein and all my favorite berries!
https://twitter.com/krissy_kp/status/738775143971991552
I tweeted!
I am not really a breakfast person, I usually skip it.
protein pancakes!
https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/738920527755116544
Mini bagels with cream cheese.
My favorite “lightened up” breakfast treat is overnight oat or Asian style milk toast. 🙂
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/739300974829789184
amy [at] utry [dot] it
I love overnight oats topped with slivered almonds and blueberries ❤️
Ps. This lightened up French toast is in my oven right now and I can’t wait to try it!!
I like to make egg white omelets.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/739445807946960896
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
I like oatmeal with peanut “flour” and berries for a lightened-up breakfast.
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/739550157490946048
Overnight oats!! Yummy
I love protein pancakes! Equal parts cottage cheese, eggs or egg whites, and oats we normally do one cup of each for my husband, 1 year old, and myself. We put blueberries or chocolate chips in them. They are super filling, really yummy, and don’t taste like cottage cheese at all.
I tweeted too! https://twitter.com/jessrwarfield/status/739909502292660224
I love pretty much any kind of crust-less quiche. Mixing healthy veggies with protein-rich eggs and some cheese is the way to my heart!
Gluten free flaxseed waffles topped with thinned almond butter, banana, chia, and a touch of maple syrup!
I make really healthy avocado brownies with stevia and I love them with berries for breakfast, so fudgy 🙂
https://twitter.com/vicmckinnon/status/740618202275811328?lang=en-gb
I love to make a Greek yogurt parfait! Nutritious and it feels fancy haha.
A egg white and grilled veggie omelet with a sprinkle of low fat cheddar. 🙂
https://twitter.com/RachelGriesmer/status/741405412788981760
I love chocolate banana spinach smoothies in the morning .
Thanks for the chance to win
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/allisonrswain/status/741737208055508992
I love cinnamon raisin bread pudding. thanks for the chance truckredford(at)Gmail(dot)com
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/742081445561126912
My favorite lightened up breakfast is a strawberry banana smoothie!
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/742459347582607365
I really hope making smoothies with yogurt counts as “lightened up” because they are my favorite!!! 🙂 Well, they were, until I saw this! YUM!!
Tweeted 🙂 – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/743321616206094337
My favorite “lightened up” breakfast treat is Vanilla Greek yogurt, topped with granola and fresh fruit. 🙂