Need a make-ahead Easter brunch idea? Look no further than my carrot cake overnight French toast.
Breakfast is by far my favourite meal of the day—I would have breakfast foods for every meal if I could, and make it a habit to have “brinner” (breakast for dinner) on busy weeknights because it’s not only easy and delicious, but my kids think it’s fun too.
I love make-ahead anything – especially breakfast! Overnight French toast is one of our favourites – it’s delicious and really easy to throw together the night before. As a busy mom, I can tell you that it feels pretty amazing have everything prepped and ready to throw into the oven right before guests arrive for brunch. Throw together a colourful fruit salad, and you’re good to go!
These are the best types of meals to make with your kids, because you’re not in a rush or stressed about time—my daughter loves to crack eggs more than anything, so I let her do that while I sliced the bread and got the other ingredients ready. And of course, mixing is a favourite job too.
The Dietitian in me loves that this version of overnight French toast is so nutrient-rich and filling—it’s full of eggs (which are loaded full of protein and vitamins and minerals), carrots and pineapple (both rich in nutrients, and adding some natural sweetness). I used whole grain French bread (a couple days old is best), to boost the nutrition factor even more, but you can use white if you prefer. This recipe is perfect for a crowd on Easter morning (or any morning), or makes for a great weeknight dinner option too.
We also included two cups of milk, which doesn’t only contain 16 essential nutrients, but is also loaded full of high quality protein, adding to the satiating effect of this dish (and helps to keep it nice and moist!). And the leftovers are even better – pair it with Greek yogurt and fruit the next day, and it makes for a delicious and filling lunch!
Carrot Cake Overnight French Toast
Overnight French toast is not only delicious, but it feels pretty great as a parent to have everything prepped and ready for the oven the night before.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
- 1 loaf whole grain French bread, cubed
- 1 19 oz (540 ml) can of pineapple bits (juice and fruit)
- 2 8 oz (250 ml) blocks of cream cheese, cubed into small pieces
- 12 eggs, whisked
- 2 cups (500 ml) milk
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) brown sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) grated carrot
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
- 2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 ml) nutmeg
Instructions
NIGHT BEFORE
- Grease a 9x13-in (22x33cm) pan with butter. Spread half of the whole grain French bread in greased pan, and then sprinkle one 8 oz (250 ml) block of cream cheese cubes amongst the bread. Sprinkle 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated carrot on top. Top with remaining bread, the other block of cream cheese, and the remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated carrot. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine whisked eggs, pineapple bits, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and spiced. Mix well. Pour over bread and cream cheese mixture evenly and press down on bread gently to soak up the liquid mixture and pack it into the pan. Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
MORNING OF
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Bake until golden brown and mostly set, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with fruit and maple syrup.
![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
Comments
sarah says
just curious it says to sprinkle cream cheese? How exactly do you sprinkle cream cheese? just sort of like chunks of it everywhere? thanks so much 🙂 looking forward to making this
Sarah Remmer says
Yum. So happy you are making this! Yes, sprinkle cubes or chunks of cream cheese :). Enjoy!
Lucy says
I love carrot cake! This will be perfect for my Easter brunch! Thanks for sharing 🙂
hellen says
this is just amazing
Riddhima Nair says
Thanks for the delicious recipe.
Sam says
Hello Sarah,
Very nice recipe!
I was looking for an amazing and healthy carrot cake recipe and then I found your website. I will definitely try this recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Sarah Remmer says
Your welcome!
Nutrition a la Natalie says
Carrot cake and French toast together? YES PLEASE!
Amy Gorin says
This recipe looks delish! Thank you for sharing!
Abbie Gellman says
This looks fantastic!
EA The Spicy RD says
I love making overnight French Toast for my family. Love your carrot cake version-so fun!
Catherine Brown says
This looks perfect for Easter brunch or any breakfast treat!
Rebecca Adrianna Livingstone says
I love carrot cake so much so this is truly tempting… cream cheese drizzle maybe?
marutz says
Great recipe, thanks for posting and keep posting the videos! I’m trying to get in shape this spring. I’m training for a half marathon with SportMe running app which calculates pace, time, altitude and calories burned.
Bridget @EatRightMama says
Sarah, you had me at carrot cake! What a great twist on French Toast casserole. Will have to give it a try!
Abbey Sharp says
Mmm love that you can wake up to a delicious breakfast without a fuss! Awesome recipe love
sh imran says
How much calories. Kindly provide details about calories. Thanks
Susan McKenne says
I love your idea of carrot cake for brunch. I’ll definitely have it this Sunday! Please include the recipe card as well since I find it easier to follow the recipe step by steep with the card as I make it instead of playing and pausing the video as I perform every step.