Healthy French Toast Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

French toast

• 1 whole grain baguette (220 g), cut into 24 slices 0.5 cm thick.
• 1 can (340 g) of unsweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup of milk with 2% fat content
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 4 large eggs

Topping

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. l. maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices diagonally in the pan, slightly overlapping them, in three rows. In a bowl, combine the unsweetened condensed milk, milk, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, salt, and eggs. Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices, coating them evenly.
2. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the foil from the baking dish and spoon the egg mixture over the slices to moisten them.
   
3. Topping:
   
   Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the bread. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of maple syrup and serve.