Breakfast for lunch. A brilliant concept, especially for parents who don’t have the time to prepare meals on a busy week night…or for those nights (that we’ve all had) when one lacks the necessary creativity in the kitchen to prepare a proper family meal.
These coconut cinnamon french toast fries are a twist on the quintessential breakfast food, with a touch of earthy cinnamon, buttery coconut oil, and they’re the perfect size for little hands to grab and munch on. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and light and fluffy, as fresh french toast should be!
I prepared this caramelized banana maple compote as a dipping sauce for the fries, which the kids loved! (Nothing gets them more excited about eating than when it’s with their hands, right?)
The compote is easy to make (recipe below), and is a healthy way to add some natural sweetness to the dish, rather than adding refined sugars.
Staying true to the theme of ‘breakfast for dinner’ I served this french toast alongside some freshly made Mini Tex-Mex Frittatas (that the kids helped me prepare!).
Ingredients
4 slices bread of your choice
2 large organic eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground flax or wheatgerm (optional)
3-4 tbs. extra-virgin coconut oil
Caramelized Banana Maple Compote
(Yields about 1 cup)
1 small ripe banana, thinly sliced
1/2 cup organic maple syrup
crushed pecans or walnuts for garnish (optional)
Heat maple syrup on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until bubbly and thickened. Add the bananas and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened and well-coated with the maple syrup. The compote will have a slightly liquid consistency but will thicken as it cools.
Preparation
Whisk eggs in a small bowl with the cinnamon. In the meantime, heat the coconut oil in a large pan (large enough to fit all the slices of bread) on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly bubbling.
Dip each slice of bread (one at a time) into the eggs, turning to coat all sides. Add the slices to the frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly browned on both sides.
Set the french toast aside until cool enough to handle then cut into 1 inch strips.
Garnish with icing sugar (if desired), crushed nuts and/or fruit, such as bananas or blueberries as a fresh accompaniment to the french toast.
Drizzle the compote over the warm french toast or serve as a dipping sauce for the kids.
French Toast is one of my all time favorite comfort foods! It’s what my mom always used to make for me on Saturday mornings. I love to prepare it using challah. I feel like whipping some up right now!
Ooh, challah sounds amazing! Maybe I’ll use that next time 😉
Berlin is obsessed with french toast! I love the idea of adding the compote, I always make her just eat it with butter. 🙂 Pics looking good… 🙂
So are mine now! The compote is definitely healthier than butter, lol! Thanks for the compliment…I’m really trying! 😉
I love the presentation and new photos, Lisa! Never knew about caramelized banana maple compote- That’s so smart! This is so much healthier with banana and walnuts than just regular maple/syrup.
IT’s so much more decadent than just simple maple syrup with freshly cut bananas on top!
I believe I have all the necessary ingredients to try this tonight. I love french toast!
Yum! Now I’ll be thinking about these babies until I can make them myself. lol They really look tasty.
These are super cute and I’ve been looking for different ways to incorporate coconut oil into our diets. I mix mine into smoothies but it’s hard to find something the kids like it in….these are PERFECT!
Thanks so much! Breakfast for us tomorrow….and not just the kids 😉 lol
Great! I LOVE coconut oil!! I pretty much substitute it in anything I can (always for butter in baking recipes). I also use it on my skin, my face my hair…it works wonders!
I love, love, love the idea of these! So many great ingredients combined together in the perfect finger food.. seriously drooling now. I love your emphasis of cooking for kids – cute logo and site name, btw! I hope to be able to cook the same way for my future family~ 🙂
xo,
lauriel
EyeForElegance.com
Thanks Lauriel! Thanks for the feedback…I’ll have to spread the word to my husband (he’t my tech guy and calls all the shots, lol!).
Ohh this looks a bit drooling to me haha! Makes me want to give it a try as well!
Oh those strips would be handy for my kid! I never would have thought to put coconut on french toast sounds delicious!
I was thinking about adding additional coconut flakes but thought it might have been too ‘coconuty!’ I love the flavour the coconut oil gives to the bread. It gives it a nice crispy crust just as butter would too!
These look so yummy! i love that they’re cut up in strips and easy to eat. I haven’t had french toast in forever.. but first, I need to wake up early enough to eat breakfast.
No need to! That’s the point…’breakfast’ for dinner!!! lol! Enjoy your sleep in 😉
Wow this is just so unique! I love french toast and to have it in a stick form is so much easier to eat and love! thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Thanks Michelle! I swear, my kids probably wouldn’t have devoured this as they did had they not been in ‘stick’ form, lol!
I totally prefer cinnamon french toast sticks over just the plain bread. I’ve never had it with coconut before though.
I love coconut oil! The extra virgin quality tastes like fresh, sweer coconut. It’s a yummy, healthy alternative to butter!
Those are perfect. I love that you add flax or wheat germ. Sneak some goodness in there.
Always! Why not?! The kids don’t notice the difference in flavour, nor the fact that they’re eating such healthy food 😉
What a fun twist on the french toast. I bet this would go over well here for a Sunday brunch.
My hubby and I like to do breakfast for dinner. A LOT. These look amazing, I’ll have to try them out sometime!
Great! Hope you enjoy them 😉
oh wow this look great, I love french toast but not had it as fries in like forever. Thanks for this
Holy moly. It looks incredible. I love carbs, love powdered sugar, love your presentation!
Thanks so much!! I’m finally learning how to use my camera properly…I’m not there yet but I’m improving 😉
Omg these sound so delicious!!!! I love French toast! One Of my favorite breakfast foods 🙂
I used to be a fan of french toast but since going gluten-free I haven’t had it in ages! I’m going to make my own with some gluten-free bread next time I make these. I have another recipe for french toast that’s super easy; it’s a french toast sandwich with cream cheese and sliced strawberries in the middle, dip the entire sandwich in the egg wash then fry!!
I love the looks of these even though I don’t care much for french toast but my husband and other family love them so I still make them. I would love to try these out what a terrific idea!
Lol! They look so much more festive cut into ‘fries!’. Actually, the fries were an after-thought 😉
Oh wow, I love the sound of these! I know my other half and son would love these too as they love French toast. Such a great twist on the original 🙂
My husband loved these as well…and he’s a very traditional man (from Italy!). The mere idea of brunch or breakfast for dinner is weird to him. Having said that, he didn’t complain at all while he was eating these 😉
Oh my yummyness! And I just received a bottle of authentic Canadian maple syrup in the mail! This is on the list!
I love how you’re getting maple syrup delivered to you, and I’M getting Mirto, bottarga and Peretta delivered to me! Lol!
Haha! Hilarious and endearing at the same time. 🙂
I absolutely HATE coconut…what other oil could I use?
You can actually omit the oil altogether! I only used it to get that coconut flavour. As for frying the toast, you could use either a cooking spray or a little bit of butter to coat the pan.
Sounds delicious! Im going to try it as my breakfast repertoire needs a kick. Thanks L
Thanks! Can you find coconut oil there? We brought some with us this year! 😉