Have you ever come across a recipe that can be prepared in a shaker cup?
Yes, the same shaker cups that you make protein shakes in. Or if not you personally, that you have a 9/10 chance seeing in a gym at any given time. And that’s fine if you don’t have one; any sort of food storage container with an airtight lid will do the trick!
One of the best ways to start a day off on the right foot is through a yummy breakfast. And this Protein French Toast is no exception. It’s absolutely oozing with flavor from the cinnamon, protein powder, and Mexican vanilla extract (which Mexican vanilla to be exact is the secret ingredient that takes sweet recipes to the next level – plus on Etsy it’s far cheaper than store-bought vanilla). Paralleling the flavor is the texture: remarkably tender and almost spongey on the inside with a crisp, cinnamon-speckled golden shell on the outside.
And the protein is an added bonus. Not only do the egg whites and protein powder offer more protein than regular French toast, but the bump in protein turns the recipe into a really well-rounded meal; meaning that the French toast alone provides a hearty supply of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lean protein.
Talk about an ideal breakfast (or breakfast for dinner!) that can be made into classic slices, dipping sticks, or even bites and topped off with countless possibilities (ideas to help with brainstorming are outlined below). It’s hard to believe that a recipe can be this tasty, healthy, and easy – but once you try it for yourself, you’ll see that it’s not all talk.
Protein French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ C liquid egg whites
- 2 TBSP vanilla
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. stevia or sweetener
- ⅔ C unsweetened dairy-free milk any kind
- 2 scoops of protein powder*
- 6 slices of whole wheat bread*
- Optional, for added warmth and flavor: pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except the bread in a shaker cup or large airtight container and shake until it’s smooth and clump-free (especially the protein) – see the notes for the order of ingredients in a traditional mixing method*
- Preheat a pan over medium heat
- Take a shallow dish or container and pour enough of the protein mixture to lightly cover the bottom, about ½“
- Place 1 piece of bread (equivalent to 4 sticks or a handful of bites) into the bottom of the container, let the bread soak, flip, and add additional liquid if needed
- Spray the pan with cooking spray or a light drizzle of oil, transfer the soaked bread to the pan, and cook each side for about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown
- As the bread is cooking, prepare the next slice (or batch of sticks or bites) by repeating steps 4 and 5 for the remainder of the bread, being sure to spray the pan between each slice*
Notes
- *Protein powder: a lean protein powder (less than 4 grams of carbohydrates and fat and 15 or more grams of protein per serving) is recommended and any flavor works – vanilla and vanilla chai are my personal preferences
- *Bread: seeing as bread is the base of French toast, the type of bread does matter. What type of bread makes for fluffy, scrumptious French toast? Brioche, French baguette, challah, sourdough, regular white, thick whole wheat, and even stale bread as it can absorb the batter mix better. Currently, I use gluten-free bread but prior to my gluten sensitivity, Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted Thick Sliced Multigrain was my go-to for this recipe!
- *1. Whisk the egg, egg whites, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Then mix in the cinnamon, sea salt, and stevia. In a shaker cup or with a milk frother, combine the dairy-free milk and protein powder until it’s smooth and clump-free. Stir the protein mix into the rest of the ingredients.
- *6: I soak the bread one piece at a time so it doesn’t get too soggy or fall apart when transferring to the pan – by starting to soak the next piece when one is cooking, they’re both usually done around the same time so the process feels quite seamless
- For sticks and bites, make 3 vertical cuts in the bread for 4 sticks and for bites, do the same as for sticks then make 2 horizontal cuts so that 1 slice yields 12 bites
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge
Fun fact? What could be dubbed as the OG version of French toast, Pan Dulcis dates as far back as the 4th century in ancient Rome where stale bread was soaked in a milk mixture and then fried. It’s remarkable how similar Pan Dulcis is to what we now know as French toast – and how the basics of the recipe have stayed relatively consistent despite two plus millennia passing. Imagine all of the variations that have been made over the years! While it’s difficult to comprehend just how many clever versions of the dish have come about, here are some flavor and topping ideas to get the ball rolling so you can add your own creative flair to French toast:
- Traditional powdered sugar and maple syrup
- Peaches and coconut cream or whipped cream
- Nutella or Nutiva (the same used in these PB Nutella Bars) and banana slices sandwiched between each piece
- Turkey bacon and maple syrup for a little sweet + salty action
- Use banana bread (stale is even better) as the bread
- Dress up the French toast the same as you would a stack of pancakes
- Cookies and cream with whipped cream and crumbled Oreos or cookies (and to really commit to the flavor, use cookies and cream flavored protein powder)
- Chocolate chips with melted peanut butter
- Fresh fruit or homemade berry jam
- Turn it into bressert (breakfast + dessert) by dipping the sticks into Chocolate Fudge Icing
There are a plethora of options but no matter what you go with, this soft and fluffy French toast with the gooey, custardy center encapsulated by a golden shell is sure to satisfy your early morning sweet tooth while bringing some joy to your morning!
For another super easy breakfast recipe that also reduces food waste, check out this Single Serve French Toast Casserole!
If interested, the macronutrients are below. They are kept separate at the very end of each recipe blog so that this can remain a safe, positive space for all as not everyone wishes to see the nutritional information.
Macros per slice (without toppings): 21.3 C | 4.3 F | 15.2 P
If you make sticks (4 sticks per bread slice), the macros per stick are: 5.8 C | 1.1 F | 3.8 P
And for the bites (12 bites per bread slice), the macros per bite are: 1.9 C | 0.4 F | 1.3 P
Based on the specific brand of protein powder, bread, and number of slices used (you may be able to squeeze out an extra slice or two depending on the type and size of the bread and how long it’s soaked for – I can sometimes stretch the mix to make 8 slices of PFT), there will be variances in the macros.
To determine the macros using a different bread or protein powder, add the macros for your bread and protein powder to the recipe macros (sans bread and protein) below. Then divide that total by the number of slices, sticks, or bites made for the macros per piece.
Whole recipe, without bread or protein powder: 8.9 C | 11.5 F | 31.1 P
The macros for recipes are also available on MyFitnessPal. Simply search the name of the recipe followed by “ – SUNutrition” (so for this recipe, search “Protein French Toast – SUNutrition”).
Thanks.
You’re welcome! 🙂
Sam’s recipes are always so creative, and delicious! Having her recipes make eating items like this make you feel less guilty about indulging in something so tasty!
Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!