So you’ve found yourself hosting a brunch. Maybe it’s a bridal or baby shower, maybe it’s Christmas morning, or maybe you’ve just got company you feel like impressing. Whatever the occasion, this banana fosters french toast goes above and beyond crowd pleasing. Healthy? Well that’s debatable.. but I have modified it quite a bit to make it less detrimental to your waist line. If slimming down is your goal, I suggest taking a look at my gluten free banana bread instead. If your aim is more ‘decadent indulgence that will leave people fanning you with praise and compliments,’ then keep reading. 
Ingredients:
3 bananas
1 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter (*healthy swap: sub coconut oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp maple syrup (*healthy swap: use grade A Vermont)
1 loaf Challah Bread cut into 1/2 inch pieces (*healthy swap: whole wheat)
6-8 oz light cream cheese (*healthy swap: thick double strained plain greek yogurt)
6 eggs
2/3 cup milk (*healthy swap: use almond or coconut milk)
2 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar (*healthy swap: 1/4 C sugar, 2 packets stevia)
Directions:
1. Heat butter (or coconut oil), and brown sugar on the stove top until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and 1 tbs cinnamon. Pour mixture into well greased pan.
2. Add sliced bananas evenly on top of the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Gently mix in bread pieces.
4. Layer 1/2 of the bread pieces carefully atop the bananas. Take cubes of cream cheese (or dollops of yogurt) and distribute evenly on top of the bread crumbs. Pour the remaining bread crumbs on top.
5. Cover with tinfoil or saran wrap and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
6. The next morning, heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Let the dish cool completely before flipping it onto a serving plate. I suggest taking a knife and gently moving the bread away from the edge of the pan before flipping to ensure it comes out as one piece!
Perfect by itself, but great paired with whip cream and extra syrup!
