Dinner: Baked Apple French Toast Casserole

Recipe by LorenWSmith The biggest challenge you will have with this recipe is that there is usually never enough. It makes an 11x7-inch pan, and is easily devoured by me and my wife and son. Quick, easy, and oh-so delicious. Top with maple syrup and powd

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Apples

Health benefits of Baked Apple French Toast Casserole

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

cooking spray
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) loaf French bread, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup butter
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and cut into small dice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 7x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Beat eggs, half-and-half, milk, white sugar, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl; add bread cubes and stir to coat. Let soak until bread is moist, at least 10 minutes.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir apples and brown sugar into the melted butter to moisten the sugar completely; add cinnamon and cook, stirring regularly, until the apples are warmed yet still firm, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir apple mixture into the bread mixture; pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until golden on top and still somewhat soft in the center, 35 to 45 minutes.