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Simple ingredient swaps and cooking techniques can make an indulgent recipe transform into a healthy recipe, while still keeping their indulgent flavors. Start with these Pumpkin French Toast Roll Ups.
I hope you aren’t sick of pumpkin yet! I still have quite the stash in my pantry that I’ve been using up.
The other day I was paroozing Pinterest and so many indulgent breakfasts were popping up on my feed. I’m all for a splurge kind of breakfast here or there, but they can be easily lighted up with a few twists and tricks.
Lately, at work that is exactly what I’ve been doing. Clients have been submitting their favorite holiday recipes and I’ve been making healthy suggestions of how to lighten them up.
One recipe I was recently asked to lighten up was a full on dessert for breakfast. It was a stuffed french toast with challah bread stuffed with mascarpone cheese, vanilla frosting, pumpkin, and caramel, then coated with crushed frosted flakes. Holy sugar rush to start the day.
I typically just make little notes to the clients of where they could possibly make substitutions, try a different cooking method, add other ingredients, etc. but that recipe makeover inspired me to create this one.
Swapping out challah for whole grains, stuffing with a lower fat, higher fiber and higher protein option for the filling, and keeping a crunch factor of walnuts on top.
I have another batch of this recipe waiting in the freezer to be baked Christmas morning!
Pumpkin French Toast Roll Ups
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 12 slices) whole wheat bread
- 1/2 cup whipped cottage cheese (see note)
- 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon, divided
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 3 eggs
- (optional toppings) chopped walnuts, syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside until ready to use.
- In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, pumpkin, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together, set aside.
- Remove the crust from the slices of bread. Working one at a time, use a rolling pin to flatten bread to about 1/4-inch thickness. Spread a thin layer of the cottage cheese and pumpkin mixture on the piece of the bread, leaving a little room at the edges. Carefully, roll up the bread (not too tight, or the filling will come out.). Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
- Dip french toast roll ups into the egg mixture and line at the bottom of the baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon.
- Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, until french toast roll ups are golden brown.
- Top with maple syrup and chopped walnuts, if using.
Notes
*Don’t have whipped cottage cheese? Simple put small/large curd cottage cheese in a food processor or blender.
*A simple swap for whipped cottage cheese could be ricotta cheese.
mmm these look so yummy! I’ve made a few versions of FT rollups so far and my pumpkin version is still my fav! I love how you used cottage cheese!
I love this and will totally be making it soon! It looks so delicious and all your subs are so perfect!
Wow! I’ve been playing with french toast roll-ups, this is something I would make all the time!
I haven’t had french toast in a million years – this looks SO delicious and I can’t wait to try it 🙂 Pinned!
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