Healthy French Toast

Oh boy, do I miss French toast!  Remember those Sunday mornings growing up when you’d come home after church and your parents got together in the kitchen making French toast and bacon?  Heavenly!  Well, guess what – I’m bringing you a new healthy version that will put it on your table again and your kids can gobble up all it’s healthy goodness!

 This could be perfect for Easter brunch whether it’s for 2 people or twenty.  It’s quick and easy and you can let your guests spoon on the berries and ricotta (yes, that’s ricotta cheese you see – not ice cream!) and top it with a little sprinkle of cinnamon.

I was first inspired to make this dish when I saw it on Popsugar and after tweaking it to make it healthier, I was thrilled with the result – it’s so darn delicious!   All of the ingredients for this dish came from Nicholyn Farms and Barrie Hill Farms.  I’m so lucky that I have access to farms with fresh fruits, veggies and meat all from local producers.

I’ve used egg whites instead of the whole egg, whole fresh milk, maple syrup instead of sugar and if you want to be decadent with the adult servings, add a little Bailey’s Irish Cream for fun.  The addition of toasted almonds adds a little crunch and because ricotta is not aged and generally does not contain added salt, it has a very light and sweet flavor reminiscent of fresh milk. The curd is small and almost granular, which traps air and provides a light, fluffy texture.  Perfect for breakfast!

I used raspberries and boysenberries but feel free to add the family favourites.  Blueberries would be delicious with this.  It was such a delight to open up the frozen berries from Barrie Hill Farm and smell that freshness.  Best of all, the berries are all in one piece, not a broken pile of mush that you get from so many of the big supermarkets. The taste?  The same as the ones I picked fresh last summer in the fields.

Everyone will be happy with this lighter version of French toast and when they ask for the maple syrup, you can tell them it’s already in there!  Cheers!