This granola French toast is made with KIND raspberry clusters with chia seeds and topped with a simple raspberry mash. It’s a healthy way to jazz up French toast!
If you asked me today what national chain restaurants I’d rate the absolute worst in this country, Perkins would be on that list (along with Applebee’s and Denny’s (shudder) for sure).
But as a 5 or 6 year old, I didn’t complain when we ended up there for Sunday brunch after church once a month.
The menu was completely unnecessary because there was only one logical choice: strawberry french toast piled high with whipped cream and a huge bottle of that fake, bright-pinkish/red “strawberry” syrup on the side.
It wasn’t off the kids menu and yet I finished every last adult-portioned bite.
Looking back at how I ate, it’s a miracle I didn’t end up 300 pounds by the time I was 10.
Time moved on though, we moved to an area sans Perkins, I stopped going to church and the French toast days came to an end.
I love breakfast, it’s easily my favorite meal of the day. Ulys and I will have conversations in bed at night solely around what we’re going to eat the next morning and yet, I think I’ve made French toast maybe twice in our entire married life.
I have no idea why pancakes, waffles and breakfast bakes get all the attention but not French toast, it makes no sense.
1. Bread = gooooood.
2. It’s way simpler than all those other options.
So with my venture back into French toast world, I decided to go all out.
Finding out KIND now makes healthy grains clusters was honestly the highlight of my year so far. I’m not sure if that’s pathetic or just a testament to how much I love KIND and all of their products.
They’re pretty much the only snack bar whose ingredients I know and love that I can find anywhere (even sketchy gas stations in the middle of nowhere).
I can’t tell you how many times a dark chocolate nuts and sea salt bar has saved my starving self on a road trip.
The healthy grains clusters follow suit. The raspberry chia seed variety I used in this granola French toast is packed with 5 super grains (gluten free oats, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa), dried raspberries, cranberries and chia seeds.
What better way to jazz up French toast than with a crust of all that goodness?
The crunchy addition not only makes this French toast taste amazing, it leaves you satisfied a lot longer than the traditional carb-fest of a breakfast would and the raspberry mash on top sure beats the food-dye fake syrup from your favorite breakfast joint. Enjoy it with some fresh raspberry iced coffee on the side and indulge!
Love this raspberry granola french toast recipe?
Try these other granola recipes: Strawberry Granola Rose Hip Ice Cream, Tart Cherry Chocolate Granola, Raspberry Granola French Toast, Dark Chocolate Granola Bark, and Apple Cinnamon Granola Bars.
Raspberry Granola French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 thick slices cinnamon raisin bread
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces KIND Raspberry Clusters with chia seeds
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- butter or coconut oil for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Place the clusters in a plastic bag and gently crumble using your hands. You want to break up any big pieces and create some uniformity to the size of the granola. Place in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Grease the skillet then dip one piece of bread into the egg mixture, let the excess run off then coat in the granola.
- Place the coated bread onto the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes per side until slightly browned.
- Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining slices of bread.
- Combine the raspberries and maple syrup in a small bowl and gently mash with a fork.
- Serve French toast with the raspberry mash and extra maple syrup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*This post is sponsored by KIND. All opinions and content are my own.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
What a great idea! I LOVE the added raspberry and granola! I’ll have to give this a try!
If I have a choice at a restaurant for breakfast I always pick French toast over pancakes or waffles. I love all that granola crunch coating the outside of these!
I love that you use cinnamon-raisin bread for this recipe. I bet it really oomphs up the flavor even more.