Apple and Sweet Potato French Toast Bake

Apples are my favorite fruit in the world. I eat a raw apple almost every day during fall, but this week I decided to switch it up by baking my favorite snack into a hearty and lightly sweetened French toast. I first got the idea for this apple and sweet potato French toast bake last fall, but it turned out terribly the first time I tried to make it. The sweet potatoes were wayy under cooked and the whole affair was pretty dry and bland. Instead of trying another batch after this fiasco, I opted for using my apples and sweet potatoes in a salad instead and moved on with life. 

This year, I was ready to give my sweet potato and apple breakfast dreams another go. I adapted this recipe from Cookie and Kate's baked banana French toast and Minimalist Baker's baked apple French toast, both of which are absolutely scrummy recipes. In my rendition, I replaced half the eggs with flax eggs. This swap was partially due to my running out of eggs and partially due to my wanting to cut back on animal products. I'm glad I made this change because most french toasts are too eggy for my liking. The flax eggs still provide some structure and moisture without adding the taste or texture of scrambled eggs to the bake. 

Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Makes: One 9-inch by 13-inch casserole 

Serves: About 9 people

Time: 1 and a half hours

Ingredients

• 7 cups cubed day-old whole wheat bread (from about 1 loaf)

• 4 tablespoons butter 

• 4 cups peeled, chopped sweet potato (from about 2 medium sweet potatoes)

• 4 cups peeled, chopped tart apples (from about 3 medium apples)

• 7 large eggs

  • You could use 7 chicken eggs, but I prefer to use 4 chicken eggs and 3 flax eggs. To make a flax egg, combine 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water.

• 2 cups milk (I used unsweetened vanilla cashew milk)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Chop bread, sweet potatoes and apples into 1-inch cubes. If you're bread is not stale, arrange the bread cubes in an even layer on a large baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, or until dry. 

2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons butter with the chopped sweet potatoes, stirring until the butter has melted. Place a lid on the pan and let sweet potatoes sauté until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally. This should take about 15 minutes. Add chopped apples and remaining butter to the pan, stirring to combine. Cover and let the whole mixture sauté until the apples are almost tender. This will only take about 4 more minutes. 

3. While the apples and sweet potatoes are sautéing, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside. Arrange bread cubes in an even layer in an oiled 9-inch by 13-inch pan. Pour the milk mixture over the bread cubes and press down gently on the bread to submerge. Let this sit while you continue with the apples and sweet potato. 

4. Once the apples are almost tender, turn off the heat and move the pan off the heat. Add the maple syrup and salt to apple and sweet potato mixture, stirring to combine. Let this mixture sit until cool enough to handle. Then, add the apples and sweet potatoes to the bread cubes, using your hands or a small spoon to wedge the apples and potatoes between the bread. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through and beginning to brown. Top with maple syrup, dipping sugar or powdered sugar and dig in! Store in the fridge for up to a few days.

Sustainability Tips

• Butter and milk: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also use vegan butter and milk options, like margarine, coconut oil or nut milks, to cut back on dairy.

• Sweet Potatoes and Apples: Make sure these pups are in season when you make this dish (late summer to early fall is perfect in most places). This will make it easier to buy organically and as locally as possible. Buying organically and locally will ensure that your produce doesn't contribute to pesticide contamination or excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.

• Syrup: Go for local syrup! This will decrease GHGs from travel and may even help you get to know your local syrup producers. Read all about it in my liquid sweeteners post!

• Egg: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. You can also replace up to half the eggs with flax eggs (formula listed above) in this recipe.