This healthy Stuffed Pumpkin French toast packs in over 20 grams of protein per serving, is super easy to make and less than 500 calories! The best healthy french toast recipe is crisp around the edges, soft in the middle, and they only take 10 minutes to make.
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you'll know that breakfast is my favorite meal. From all the breakfast foods that I regularly enjoy, my childhood favorite was definitely french toast! The problem is, most french toast recipes out there are loaded with sugar and high in calories, making it a poor choice to consume often. What's worse, after eating those same recipes, you will still want more.
What you’ll need to make the best healthy french toast.
This easy french toast recipe can be made a little bit lighter, using more nutritious, healthy ingredients but still tastes just like the traditional french toast you know and love. Or if you are having friends and family over and want it more flavorful, then you can always swap out the bread for your favorite brioche bread! Or in this case, you can always use a pumpkin brioche bread.
Eggs: you’ll just need 2 eggs in this recipe to cook up the french toast.
Milk: Most of the time, I use almond milk to help cut down the calories, but you can absolutely use whole milk or even a little cream. Again fat is flavor!
Spices: This recipe uses cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
Bread: the star of the show! You’ll need 6-8 slices of thick cut bread. If you want to make this a little more nutritious and healthy, go for a sprouted, whole grain bread!
Other Ingredients: This recipe calls for pure pumpkin. I=
Sweeteners: We are sweetening this recipe with the protein powder and some vanilla extract. But if you want, add in a tablespoon of brown sugar and/or maple syrup to add a bit of extra flavor.
Stuffing: In this recipe, we are using a cream cheese frosting sweetened with a vanilla extract and some monk fruit sweetener.
Toppings: Feel free to be as creative or plain as you want! I love adding in some crushed walnuts, chocolate chips, fresh berries and either a sugar free syrup or fresh maple syrup.
What makes the Lemon Kitchen french toast better?
If you have followed my blog for any period of time, a trend does emerge. Foods that I make are full of flavor, without added sugar or unhealthy ingredients. And while there certainly is a place for sweets and treats, if you are trying to get healthier and/or lose weight, then those foods will have to be an occasional treat. Better yet, the Lemon Kitchen Stuffed Pumpkin French toast packs in over 20 grams of protein per serving containing less than 500 calories with not added sugar!
Why is protein important for breakfast?
It is no secret in the fitness industry that protein is a critical component of your diet. As described by the National Library of Medicine, every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women.
The saying goes, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". And while that isn't technically true, having a filling breakfast will help you make better decisions throughout the rest of the day. If you look at studies, they consistently rate protein and fiber at the macronutrients that fill you up the most.
What kind of protein powder do you recommend?
I have been cooking with protein powder for almost ten years now. Over that time, I have discovered that you need a protein powder that mixes easily. In general, a whey/casein blend tends to be the best type of powder. My favorite brands are PEScience and Quest Nutrition.
Do you need protein powder?
If you do not like protein powders or don't have them in your house, you can easily swap some of the eggs with some egg whites. But I have found, that you at least want to keep one of the eggs because fat is flavor and it helps with making the french toast get that crisp outside.
Is this recipe gluten free?
It certainly can be! The only thing that contains gluten in my recipe is the bread I use. I use 647 Schmidt Italian bread because it's only 40 calories a slice and contains 6 grams of fiber per slice. The bread can easily be swapped out for a gluten free version that you prefer to make the entire recipe gluten free.
Any tricks or hacks to make the french toast?
If you want to make the french toast have a little less calories and slightly more protein, you can replace the eggs for egg whites or 1 of the eggs for some egg whites. Also, I believe fat is flavor, and whole eggs make this recipe a little bit more crispy and delicious. If you want to add in a little more taste, simply add in some sugar free syrup. It will kick up that flavor an extra notch!
Can you store or meal prep with this recipe?
You can! Simply make enough for 3 or 4 days and put them in meal prep containers. You can heat them when you are ready or eat cold.
How to make this healthy Pumpkin French Toast?
There are 4 simple steps to making this healthy pumpkin french toast!
Make the egg mixture. Whisk together the eggs, pure pumpkin, vanilla extract, then add the rest of your spices together in a large shallow bowl.
Make the cream cheese filling: Mix together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and monk fruit.
Heat your griddle. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of butter or cooking spray. I use cooking spray to help reduce the calories a bit. But if I am
Dip, cook & enjoy! Lastly, dunk both sides of a slice of bread in the egg mixture for no more than 10 seconds total and place on your skillet golden brown on both sides.
So instead of belaboring this, let's get a fryin'!
Healthy Pumpkin French Toast Recipe:
4 slices of Schmidt 647 bread
2 whole egg
2 oz almond milk
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup (60g) pure pumpkin
½ scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp vanilla extract (divided)
6oz cream cheese (softened)
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup of monk fruit
Directions: Preheat the griddle to 350°. Thoroughly mix the eggs, pure pumpkin, cinnamon, protein powder, pumpkin spice and half the vanilla extract. Dip bread mixture and add to the griddle. Cook for a few minutes on each side until a nice golden brown crust is formed. In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, the vanilla extract, and the monk fruit sweetener. Use a hand mixer and mix thoroughly.
Nutrition:
Calories: 435
Protein: 21.1g
Fats: 27.2g
Carbs: 43g
Fiber: 21.1g
Net Carb: 21.9g
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