I figure it’s nice to start of a Monday with breakfast. Maybe so you can have something new to look forward this week. Because you should definitely make this, this week. While you’re at it, make a few extra and pop them in the fridge.

I’m not sure if my favorite thing about this breakfast was the flavor or the texture.

The texture was addicting. Is that weird?

Well it was.

Short grain brown rice has such an amazing chew. Then, bake it together with egg so it holds together? Even chewier!

Add cinnamon, milk + a little sugar?

Well now it tastes like French toast.

Or is it rice pudding?

Baked rice pudding that tastes like French toast? Yes, that would be THIS.

Gluten free but delicious for all.

I got the idea for this breakfast as a spin off my Quinoa + Eggs Veggie Bake.

My thoughts were…

How can I turn this into a sweet breakfast instead of savory?
What other grains would also work besides quinoa?

For this recipe, short grain brown rice seemed like the winner. And it was. While you could surely use millet, quinoa or another rice, this little plump grain is the best for the job.

I made a big batch for dinner last week, infusing it with a little coconut oil and cooking with 1/2 water and 1/2 milk. [Creamy Coconut Brown Rice] While you don’t have to do that at all, it’s just what we had leftover. You know how I like my leftovers.

Brown Rice French Toast Pudding Bake [serves 1]

1c short grain brown rice, pre-cooked
1T unsweetened almond milk
1T oat flour
1 large egg + 1 large egg white
1t sucanat
1/2t vanilla
1/2t cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350*.
Grease or line a small baking dish with parchment paper. *My dish is appx. 4” wide by 1.5” deep. You can also use 2 ramekin dishes or 3 muffin tins.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs.
Whisk in the milk + vanilla and then the flour, cinnamon + salt.
Stir in the pre-cooked brown rice.
Pour into greased or lined baking dish and bake for 30-35min, until set. The top will be golden brown and not wet/soft if you test it with your finger.

*I kept it to 1 egg + 1 egg white so it didn’t taste too egg-ey.

*You can also sub in whole wheat pasty flour [not GF] or buckwheat flour instead of the oat flour.

This was fabulous hot, but I would have also enjoyed it cold out of the fridge, slathered with nut butter. So if you’re looking for a quick morning breakfast, double this recipe + pour the batter into muffin 6 muffin tins. [cook time with be shorter, so watch them] Cool, wrap and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Pull out + heat up or just eat cold.

Calculated using Calorie Count.

This includes: All ingredients in the recipe list plus 1.5T maple syrup, 1/2 small banana, 1T almonds

I love eggs.

I love brown rice.

I LOVE French toast.

So this only seemed natural.

Guess what else today is besides, delicious breakfast Monday?

THIS guy’s birthday!!!!

A huge Happy 28th Birthday!!!!! to my amazing husband, Chris.

The guy who keeps me sane.

The guy who pushes me to do what I love.

The guy who will do anything for me.

The guy who tries all of my crazy kitchen creations.

The guy who I sometimes bug to death.

The guy who fixes hornet-filled mailboxes.

The guy who walks the dogs with me.

The guy who loves the outdoors with me.

The guy who I love and who loves me back.

I’m so lucky.

Now go eat your breakfast!

Ashley

Let’s go backwards a little bit.

To the start of the birthday celebration.

Breakfast.

If you live 4 blocks away from me.

And it is your birthday.

I will make you breakfast.

Apparently I’m obsessed with sprinkles. I feel like I just discovered their existence. It seems like I’ve been putting them in + on everything, but really it happened all in 1 day.

So how do you make birthday breakfast extra special, while still staying super healthy?

OAT BAKE BIRTHDAY BAKES

In 2 varieties.

Because, well, I like variety and I know the birthday girl does too.

So what do we have here?

BAKE #1 – Vanilla “funfetti” Oat Bake

My favorite cake for years, was the Pillsbury Funfetti vanilla cake. Right mom? I’ve always been obsessed with all things vanilla. That’s not going to change.

Bake #2 – Lemon Oat Bake

The oat flour gives the bakes a little softer + sweet texture in comparison to the buckwheat bakes. I thought it would make a much better “cake” texture, while still being super healthy. It worked! Very cake-like!

Vanilla “Funfetti” Oat Bake [serves 1]

1/4c oat flour [freshly ground from whole oat groats or steel cut, in a blender]
1T chia seeds
2T unsweetened applesauce
3T unsweetened almond milk
1T raw buckwheat groats
1 large egg
1/4t baking powder
1t vanilla extract
1.5t sucanat [opt]
1T sprinkles [opt]
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350* + grease a small baking dish. [~4-5” diameter 1-2” deep, or 3 muffin tins, or 2-3 ramekins]
In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
Whisk in applesauce, vanilla + almond milk.
Mix in oat flour, groats, chia seeds, sucanat, salt + baking powder until just combined.
Stir in sprinkles, if using.
Pour into well-greased or parchment lined baking dish, spread evenly, and bake for 32-36min, until a toothpick comes out almost clean.
Slide a knife around the edge and flip out onto a plate.

Lemon Oat Bake [serves 1]

1/4c oat flour [freshly ground from whole oat groats or steel cut, in a blender]
1T chia seeds
1/2 banana
3T unsweetened almond milk
1T raw buckwheat groats
1 large egg
1/4t baking powder
1/2t vanilla extract
1/2t lemon extract
1.5t lemon zest
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350* + grease a small baking dish. [~4-5” diameter 1-2” deep, or 3 muffin tins, or 2-3 ramekins]
In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork, until egg-like.
Whisk in the egg.
Whisk in vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest + almond milk.
Mix in oat flour, groats, chia seeds, salt + baking powder until just combined.
Pour into well-greased or parchment lined baking dish, spread evenly, and bake for 32-37min, until a toothpick comes out almost clean.
Slide a knife around the edge and flip out onto a plate.

*For high altitude set your oven to 375*

*I didn’t add any extra sweetener in the lemon version because the banana helped sweeten, without leaving much, if any, banana flavor.

*Feel free to sub raw buckwheat flour instead of oat flour, but add 1T extra almond milk.

The next question was, what to top them with?

Local + organic peaches? Yes!

Banana? Yes again.

Cake Batter Cashew Butter? Ohhh yes.