Nutella Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast Bake

Lately I've played with various versions of baked french toast. The BEST french toast (I have to say right from the start that I'm not usually a fan) I've ever had is from The Griddle Cafe in Los Angeles. If you can make it there to get their 'peanut bubba' french toast, you should! This is my ode to that amazing "dessert-disguised-as-breakfast" dish. 

I've hosted a ton of brunches, and without a doubt my tip to success is advance preparation. You don't have the whole day to get a meal ready for breakfast...unless you start the day before. I try to make at least 2 entrees that are 90% ready to go the evening leading up to my gathering, and no matter how hectic things get in the early morning as I'm trying to finish on time, it helps to know I've got a couple things crossed off the list.  This french toast is also perfect for family mornings when you want to wake up, be lazy and still have a delicious homemade breakfast to eat. Let's be honest, this is more dessert than breakfast, but hey, who's complaining?

It took a couple tries to get the exact ratio of eggs/cream/milk for the batter, and now these measurements will give you soft, fluffy french toast with a crispy top. The graham crackers are a fun addition for flavor and texture. The first time I made this french toast it was a strictly peanut butter version (refer back to the first paragraph) and that's when I took the photos. It was amazing as is, but to please the weirdos in my family who don't approve of pb, I threw in the Nutella the next few times around and it was WOW. Complete pb and Nutella bliss. The cookie crumbles on top, freshly whipped cream, warm maple syrup...this is the breakfast that dreams are made of. 

Not a fan of peanut butter? This would taste sooo good if you swap out the pb for cookie butter! Leave it out and use only the Nutella (or vice versa) for other variations. Sliced bananas stuffed in with the filling would also be a nice touch. The possibilities are endless!

All prepped and ready to bake!

Makes 16 slices

Ingredients
-------------------
-3 eggs
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-2/3 cup cane sugar
-1 cup milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-3 full sheets graham crackers, finely crushed

-1 loaf french bread, day old preferred

-1/2 cup peanut butter
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
-1/3 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups Nutella

Optional toppings
------------------------------
-maple syrup
-fresh whipped cream
-sliced bananas

To make
---------------
-In a 13x9 baking dish,  crack your eggs and beat them with a fork or whisk. Add salt, vanilla, sugar, milk, cream and cinnamon and whisk the entire mixture. Set aside.
-Starting with a clean surface or cutting board, slice a loaf of thick french bread (or brioche) horizontally leaving the edge attached and lay open. Now your loaf will be split open like you are about to layer a sandwich.
-In a medium bowl whisk together peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla until smooth. Spread the mixture on 1 side of the split loaf of bread.
-On the other length of the split loaf spread the Nutella mixture in a nice thick layer. Make sure your peanut butter mixture and your Nutella extends all the way to the edges of the bread. Gently close the loaf of bread. Now you have a layer of peanut butter and a layer of nutella over it between 2 layers of bread.
- Using a serrated bread knife, carefully cut 16 slices out of the peanut butter Nutella loaf.
-One slice at a time, dip each piece of french toast into the egg mixture. Make sure you dip them on both sides so the bread can soak properly. After you dip the slices layer them in two rows across the baking dish.
-Coarsely crush the graham crackers over the top of the french toast. Cover and refrigerate 6 - 12 hours (overnight).
-When you are ready to bake the french toast, uncover and place it in a preheated oven  at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes on the lower rack of your oven.
-Remove your french toast from the oven and give it a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
-Serve with fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, and extra maple syrup on the side.
- Enjoy!

I'd love to connect with you! Stay updated on the latest posts through Facebook or follow savvy_chef on Instagram. Tag #savvychef with your re-creations!

Try these other brunch favorites!

Tisi'yeh/Fattet Hummus

Classic Banana Bread

Raspberry Oat Bars

Cheese and Parsley Pasta: Middle Eastern Mac n' Cheese

No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

This is one of those awesome treats that doubles as breakfast (oats and banana) and dessert (chocolate) with a special ingredient that ties them both together (thanks peanut butter!).

Whenever I can I like to brown the butter I use in recipes to give a depth of flavor and make my kitchen smell awesome in the process. The caramel-y and nutty notes of the browned butter are absorbed nicely by the oats and these bars don't end up feeling too healthy that way.

It's always a bonus when you can skip the step of baking, and by browning the butter and using the same pot to cook the oat mixture, these only require 1 pot to prepare. Less dishes and no baking time means you can get to eating a lot faster, and I don't know anyone who minds that ;)

Some days we'll grab these on the way out the door in the morning as breakfast, some afternoons they come in handy as a snack between meals and they're an awesome ready dessert to enjoy after dinner. I've served them for brunch and included them in school lunches. They last a while in the fridge and still hold up great flavor and texture, so give these a try and let me know what you think!

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients
--------------
-4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
-3 cups old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium sized RIPE bananas)
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon powder
*optional: add 1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds to give these a nutritional boost*

-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)


To make
------------
-Heat a pot and add butter. Let the butter melt and whisk over medium heat until the butter foams and turns a light brown color. You will be able to smell a toasty and caramel like flavor, that is when your butter is browned. Be careful not to burn the butter.
-Add the oats, brown sugar, salt, mashed banana, vanilla and cinnamon powder (plus optional flax or chia seeds) to the pot of browned butter and cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the oats are soft and have partly broken down.
-Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture and press the rest of the oat mixture into the pan, making sure to pat it down into an even layer. I butter the back of a silicon spatula and use it to press down the oat mixture. Place the pan in the freezer to firm up the bottom layer while you prepare the chocolate.
-Using the same pot you used to cook the oat mixture (make sure its empty) add the chocolate chips and peanut butter and cook on the lowest heat until the chocolate is melted and they are mixed together. Spread the chocolate mixture over the oat layer and smooth out to even.
-Using the reserved oat mixture, dallop in pieces over the chocolate. Alternatively (this is how I make it but it is a little more difficult), butter you hands and take chunks of the reserved oat mixture and flatten with the palm of your hand. Carefully lay the flattened pieces on top of the chocolate until you have covered the entire surface. Sprinkle with optional mini chocolate chips
-Cover and refrigerate or freeze until the mixture is firm. In my freezer it takes less than an hour.
-Cut into 4 rows diagonally and horizontally and serve.
-Enjoy and tag #savvychef in your instagram pictures to share :)

Try these other popular oat bar recipes! 

Raspberry Oat Bars

Nut and Seed Granola Bars

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Nut and Seed Granola Bars

 I like to call these my energy power bars. They are LOADED with (healthy) fat so I treat them as a meal or substantial snack...in other words, I don't just munch on these. When I have a bar I'm full for hours, making them an ideal on-the-go meal for a busy day.

In an effort to be awake as little as possible during suhoor this Ramadan, I've prepared these for our early morning meal. I love that they're nutritious, filling, extremely satisfying and will not make us thirsty throughout the day!

I wanted to stay true to the essence of these nut bars and chose to omit any dried fruit, but you can easily customize these to your taste. Some delicious add-ins include: shredded coconut, dried fruit (chopped apricots, figs, cranberries, cherries, raisins...), and a dash of cinnamon would make these super yummy.  Try your favorite combination of nuts, anything should taste great! Of course it should go without saying that the addition of chocolate chips would be divine ;)

I made my own almond butter, but if you prefer you can use 1/2 cup of ANY nut butter in place of the 1 cup whole almonds I used below to make my nut butter.

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients
--------------
-1 cup old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup honey roasted slivered almonds (Trader Joe's)
-1/2 cup whole almonds
-1/2 cup pepita seeds
-1/2 cup sesame seed cashews (Trader Joe's)
-4 tablespoons chia seeds
-2 tablespoons flax seeds

-1 cup whole almonds
-1/2 cup maple syrup (sub honey)
-1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional, will make the bars more moist)
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/4 teaspoon salt

To make
-----------
-Turn oven on to broil setting. In a large roasting pan, combine oats, slivered almonds, whole almonds, pepita seeds, cashews, chia seeds and flax seeds. Roast on LOWER RACK of oven (to prevent burning) in 5 minute intervals, checking and tossing the mixture around to get an even roast. I roast mine for about 10-15 minutes.
-Meanwhile, combine whole almonds, maple syrup, optional coconut oil, vanilla and salt in a powerful blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
-Line a 7x11 inch pan with parchment paper and give it a light spray with non-stick spray. Add the creamy almond butter to the roasting pan with the nuts and use your hands to mix together well. The mixture will be sticky, but keep combining until everything is well coated with the almond butter. Taste your mixture and adjust maple syrup content, adding more if you feel it isn't sweet enough.
-Press the mixture tightly into the prepared parchment lined pan until you have an even layer. Cut into bars and enjoy. I keep this out of the refrigerator for about 3 days then transfer to the fridge. It will keep for weeks when refrigerated.

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are often deceptively high in fat, because oats tend to yield a dry and unappetizing lump of dough. Swapping out the butter for peanut (or any other nut) butter makes these soft, moist and chewy. These cookies are perfect when you want a peanut butter cookie that tilts to the healthy side. I LOVE that NO CHILLING is required since there is no flour! The oats give them a nice chewy texture and the slight amount of cinnamon is delicious with the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Use the best chocolate you have access to. I typically use Guittard chocolate chips or I chop up some creamy milk chocolate from the 1 pound sized bar found at Trader Joe's.

Get creative and add your own touch: dried fruit, m&m's, nuts...the flavor combinations are endless. I'm providing a base recipe that is easily adaptable, but I recommend staying within the measurements given.

Get yourself a cold cup of milk and get ready for a healthy and sweet treat! You're one bowl, a couple ingredients and 30 minutes away from something delicious ;)

Makes 20 cookies

Ingredients
-------------
-2 eggs
-3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, if using salted pb skip the salt addition below
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-pinch of salt
-2 cups rolled oats
-1 cup chocolate chips (this is a generous amount, you can use 1/4 cup less)
-1/2 cup shredded coconut
-2 tablespoons flax or chia seeds (optional)

To make
-----------
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-With a spatula or in a mixer, stir together eggs, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.
-Add baking soda, cinnamon and rolled oats and mix until well incorporated.
-Stir in chocolate chips, coconut and flax/chia seeds.
-Place rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until the tops look a little dry but the cookie remains soft. Remove from the oven and let cool.
-Store leftover cookies well sealed at room temperature for up to 1 week.
-Enjoy!

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag @SavvyChef in your creations  :)

Try these other healthy sweets!

Banana Oat Muffins

Raspberry Oat Bars

Peanut Butter Oreo Truffles

The only thing better than chocolate? Chocolate + peanut butter. Peanut butter lovers rejoice at this addition to the classic Oreo balls, and peanut butter haters are also pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors mix together. My daughter refuses to eat anything with PB but makes an exception for these truffles. Don't be discouraged if you're completely anti the peanuts, I've included the measurements for traditional Oreo truffles as well.

These are easy to make and are a good activity to involve kids in the kitchen because there is no stove top or oven required to make them. The hardest part about making these truffles is not eating the mixture before its complete, because it really tastes that good! The flavor of the Oreo mixture intensifies the longer it mixes with the cream cheese, so these are a GREAT dessert to make ahead of time! You can even keep the mixture in your freezer (as a whole portion of dough or pre-sized balls) and just dip them in chocolate when you're ready to serve.

A variation to dipping the mixture in milk chocolate is to use white chocolate chips. It tastes incredible...however white chocolate is annoying to work with and if the Oreo truffles are not super firm when you dip them in the chocolate the truffle dough will mix with the white chocolate as you dip them. Milk chocolate is much easier to dip, so for the sake of ease I've included the measurements for that here. When I have extra time I like to dip half my truffles in milk chocolate and half in white for the variety and color contrast :)

Ingredients
--------------
-36 Oreos (chocolate wafer cookies filled with cream)
-8 ounces cream cheese ( I always use reduced fat)
-2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
-1/4 teaspoon vanilla
-1/8 teaspoon salt (if using salted peanut butter don't add extra salt)
**You can make regular chocolate Oreo truffles by reducing the amount to 30 Oreos with 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Leave out the peanut butter and salt**

-1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (my favorite brand is Guittard)
-1 tablespoon vegetable oil

-1/3 cup peanut butter chocolate chips (I usually buy the Reese's brand or buy them during the winter season from Trader Joe's)
-1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil (I've found it takes more oil to make peanut butter chocolate chips smooth than it does for regular chocolate chips)

To make
------------
-Using a food processor (not necessary but this will give you the smoothest texture) grind the Oreos until they turn into a fine crumble. Add cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla and salt and pulse the mixture in your food processor until smooth and well mixed. Place mixture in your freezer for about 30 minutes to set. You can leave it in your food processor bowl or transfer it to something else if you like to add more dishes to your sink ;) (Alternatively you can skip this step of freezing the mixture if you're pressed for time and move on to the next one, but your shaped truffles may not be as smooth because the soft mixture is sticky and messy).
-Remove your Oreo mixture from the freezer and shape into balls using a tablespoon scoop. Place the rounded truffles on a tray lined with parchment paper and refreeze for another 30-60 minutes until the truffles are firm.
-Place milk chocolate chips in a bowl with vegetable oil and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and melted.
-Remove frozen truffles from the freezer and dip each ball in the chocolate and gently remove with a fork and tap off the excess chocolate, then place on the parchment lined tray. Repeat the process until all your Oreo truffles are coated. As the truffles start to come to room temperature dipping them will get messier, so try to work as fast as possible.
-Place the peanut butter chocolate chips with the vegetable oil in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until well melted. You may need to add more vegetable oil to get a smooth consistency. This mixture needs to be thinner than the milk chocolate coating. Place the melted peanut butter chips in a ziploc bag and close tightly, letting out the extra air. Snip the bottom of the bag and drizzle neatly across each truffle, until your truffles are all coated.
-Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These keep well for about a week.
-Enjoy!

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)