If I am not mistaken, one of the first dishes I ever learned to cook for myself was French Toast. It’s always been one of my favourite breakfast items, and for a kid just learning the ways of the kitchen, it’s a relatively straightforward dish. Crack some eggs, whisk with cream, dip the bread and fry it up. Slather in butter and maple syrup, and you have yourself a delicious breakfast. I’d make it every chance I got, which is to say almost every weekend. I mostly just used the whole wheat sandwich bread we always had on hand, although sometimes I used my mother’s amazing, dense, healthy homemade bread. That’s the wonderful thing about french toast…as long as you can get that bread to soak up the eggy batter, you can use whatever bread you like best.
Obviously, conventional french toast made with wheat flour bread is no longer an option for me. But I’ve really been craving some of late. We’ve done a few breakfasts out with the kids, and I covet their thick, fluffy slices of french toast with the maple syrup dripping over the sides. I think I miss the comfort in what used to be one of my favourite breakfasts. So I decided I had to take matters into my own hands. For a while now, I’ve been thinking of making a plain almond flour quick bread, one that could be used for sandwiches and toast. I miss my toast slathered in peanut butter almost as much as I miss french toast, and I needed a plain-tasting bread to serve as the vessel to get my beloved PB to my mouth. The possibility of making it into french toast as well was all the motivation I needed.
One ingredient I had to purchase before I could make the bread was some unflavoured whey protein powder. Whey protein is so useful in low carb, gluten free baked goods, as it serves in part as a replacement for gluten, giving the bread or muffins some structure and helping them rise properly. But most whey protein has some added flavouring, usually vanilla or chocolate, in the assumption that it will be used in protein shakes and smoothies. I’ve noticed that the vanilla flavouring can be very strong, even in small doses, and can even overpower other flavours s. It’s also quite sweet and I wanted the quick bread to be very plain and not sweet, so that it could pair well with savoury foods like meat and cheese. I also decided to try out some oat fiber, a low carb ingredient I’ve just recently purchased, in this recipe. Do note, this is not the same thing as oat flour, as it is made purely from the fibrous portion of the oats. In essence, it has zero net carbs as it is pure fiber.
The Results: I am really, really pleased with this quick bread. It is quite dense, in part I think from the oat fiber, but it holds together beautifully when sliced. And although I wanted it to be quite plain, so I could top it with my favourite things, it had a very nice flavour on it’s own. It had a touch of sweetness, because almonds themselves can be a bit sweet, but it went nicely with cheese too. I really liked it just toasted with a bit of butter on it.
As for the french toast, it’s lovely that way too. The trick to making this work is to really dry out the slices of bread prior to dipping them into the batter. Since the bread itself is dense and fairly moist, it won’t soak up the batter as a wheat bread would, unless it is dried out first. Simply slice the bread and let the slices dry out in a warm oven ahead of time. Although it doesn’t taste identical to conventional french toast, I really enjoyed it and was impressed with how the batter browned and crisped on the outside. It certainly satisfied my hankering for one of my all-time favourite breakfast foods!
Almond Flour Bread
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup oat fiber
1/4 cup unflavoured whey protein powder
1 tbsp granulated erythritol
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz Greek yogurt
6 tbsp butter, softened
4 large eggs
6 tbsp almond milk
Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oat fiber, whey protein, erythritol, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.
In a large bowl, beat together yogurt and butter until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time and scraping down bowl and beaters as needed. Add almond flour and beat until well combined. Beat in almond milk until thoroughly combined.
Spread batter in prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Almond Flour French Toast
8 slices almond flour bread, about 1/2 inch thick
2 large eggs
1 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp butter or coconut oil
Preheat oven to 200F.
Arrange slices of bread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and place in oven. Let dry out for about 1 hr.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and cinnamon until well combined. Pour batter into a large shallow dish Place two slices of bread into and let sit 30 seconds to 1 minute to soak in mixture. Flip over and let sit another 30 to 1 minute seconds.
Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and cook until butter just begins to brown, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Remove bread from batter and shake lightly to remove excess batter. Place in skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to wire rack and keep warm in oven while repeating with remaining bread.
Top with butter and sugar free syrup.
BREAD: Serves 15. Each slice has a total of 8.4 g of carbs and 5.5 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.9 g.
FRENCH TOAST: Serves 4 (2 slices). Each serving has 5.8 g NET CARBS.
this looks amazing
Beautiful job with this gluten free french toast. So often these kinds of breads don't hold together when you dredge them in liquids. I'll be passing this recipe along to my daughter-in-law who as to eat GF.
awesome breakfast!
Pretty cool 🙂 I couldn't bake bread if my life depended on it so seeing it made low-carb friendly is like magic science stuff to me!
So glad you were able to come up with a low carb quick bread so you could enjoy some French toast! I've never used whey protein in cooking/baking so it's interesting to learn that it helps give this some structure and helps the bread rise.
This looks great. Thanks!
looks wonderful. French toast is one of my all time favorites!!!
I'm VERY intrigued by your recipe, but I've never used xanthan gum or erythritol, are these chemicals? What effect do they have on this bread? Is there something I could use instead?
This looks amazing, nicely done with the low carb bread! I don't have french toast nearly enough.
I love french toast but have never tried it using a bread made with almond flour. It looks 'frenchy' crisp and delicious!
This sounds so great! I have a question too. Is oat fiber the same thing as oat bran? I know where to get that, but have not heard of oat fiber. Thanks for the great post and recipe. I can't wait to try this!
I've been playing around lately with almond flour and I really love it. I've been wanting to try and make a bread with it so thank you for this!
I remember the first time I made french toast! My dad used to dye the batter different colors and call it "rainbow french toast". This recipe sounds lovely- especially with the almond flour bread. Love how brown it got!
This breakfast is making my stomach growl…I still haven't eaten breakfast and now french toast is sounding like the way to go!
Hi Wendy,
Neither of these are chemicals. Xanthan gum is a common food additive that is actually made from the outer casing of a bacterium (sounds gross, I know, but it's not a bad bacterium!). It is used in a lot of gluten free baking to help bind the food together. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (not the same things as regular alcohol) which occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods and is about 70% as sweet as sugar.
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
I did it!!! I finally was successful at making bread!!!! I’m SO EXCITED for my little guy to try it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
So glad you like it!
No, oat fiber is not the same as oat bran. It is really just the fiber from the oats, and it has to be specially ordered. Netrition carries it, as does Honeyville. It's really a low carb specialty item.
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Oh and should I store this in the refrigerator?
Sure.
I adore french toast as well and this looks amazing! The bread alone is fantastic and would indeed be perfect for toast with a lovely nut butter 🙂
This looks yummy!
The bread is amazing.. I am not sure it would even make to the next day for french toast, lol!! yummy!!
MMMMMMM! And I'm not even a breakfast person.
Wow. I am intrigued by this almond flour bread! And french toast with it, yum!
So simple and so perfect! Yammy! Thanks for sharing!
This really looks intriguing. I've been trying to cut back on 'white' bread, and go more towards whole grains, but this goes in a whole new direction.
I don't have any oat fiber, but I have Hi-Maize Resistant Starch from Honeyville Grains. 1 tablespoon has 9 grams of fiber. Do you think I can use this in place on the oat fiber?
I think it's certainly worth a shot. Oat fiber is a bit like coconut flour, in that it soaks up a lot of moisture. So you may find you need more of the Hi-Maize. Add it a bit at a time and see what the consistency is.
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Lovely recipe-want to try it, since I have GD at present. Where do you get almond flour from? I mean other than online. Thanks
You can find Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour at some grocery stores. Definitely at Whole Foods.
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Would coconut flour work instead of oat fiber? I have coconut flour but no oat fiber. And I'm trying to stay away from all grains. Would oat fiber be in the same category as grains? Would arrowroot powder do the same in this recipe as the whey powder? I'm diabetic, and simply going GF to bring my blood sugar under control wasn't working.
I'm new to your blog and am excited about exploring here. Thank you.
Hi Lynette, did you try the recipe with the coconut flour? I am in the same pickle and ordering oat fiber online is so expensive!!!
Hi Amy…I’ve started to use coconut flour in place of oat fiber. My rule of thumb is about half the amount of coconut flour. But if your batter seems to thick with that, add in a touch more liquid. I hope that helps!
Awesomeness. 🙂 I will be making it with the coconut flour and sans xanthan gum. I will let you know how that turns out!
Just be sure to let it fully cool before attempting to slice. Gluten-free things hold together much better after they are cool.
Hey Carolyn! Tried it, but it fell apart when I took it out if the pan because I didn’t line the pan with parchment paper! Augh! I let the part that did not fall apart cool and sliced it, and that part was perfect!!!
I will be trying it again very soon. 😉
Awesome recipe.
Parchment paper is a home cook’s best friend!
Hi there.
I think coconut flour instead of oat fiber might work, but go lightly on the coconut flour. It soaks up a lot of liquid and you don't want your batter to become too thick. No, I don't think arrowroot would work in place of the protein powder…is there another sort of protein you can add (hemp maybe?). It's the protein from the gluten that you are trying to replace, and arrowroot starch actually has a lot of carbs.
How much coconut flour would you suggest to add to this to replace the oat fibre? I can’t seem to find oat fibre anywhere here in Ontario!
Hmmm, I’d say maybe a quarter cup coconut flour would do it.
Could you use phsyllium husk powder instead of the oat flour? Could you use heavy cream instead of almond milk?
Yes to the psyllium husk, I think. I’ve never worked with it but it sounds like a good replacement. No to the heavy cream…you need something thinner for the liquid here. YOu could do half cream half water.
Great! Thank you! I’m going to try this recipe this weekend!
If the psyllium makes it too thick, add more liquid and a little more protein. I just can’t say for sure since I’ve never worked with it.
I think I saw the low carb grocery in Scarborough has it. They have a site.
Wow what a recipes. I just made the Bred and it tastes delicious! Thank you for an inspirering blog. Greetings from Tanja in Denmark 🙂
Glad you liked it!
Where did you find the xanthan gum and the oat fibre? I can’t find either here in Denmark
When I first saw this recipe, I went to a couple stores looking for oat fiber and no one knew what I was talking about. I had to order it on the internet.
Made the bread last night… made the French Toast this morning. FABULOUS!
THANK YOU!!! My husband and I have been wheat-free since last summer after reading Wheat Belly. Have been making the bread from the Wheat Belly Cookbook, but he doesn’t like it 🙁 So I ordered unflavored whey protein, xanthum gum, and xylitol, and made this bread! Instead of oat fiber, I used 1/4 cup coconut flour (after reading one of the comments above), and 1/4 cup golden flax. It just came out of the oven, and we both think it’s awesome. There is so much flavor!! And it feels and tastes like real bread!! Gah!!
I am so glad you like it. I’ve heard that the bread from Wheat Belly isn’t very good, so I am glad you found mine to be a good substitute!
BECCA – DID YOU USE GOLDEN FLAXSEED MEAL?
What brand unflavored whey protein powder do you use?
Jarrow. They’re my fave. They have an organic line that I really like.
Thank you!
Is there something I can use in place of the yogurt?
Are you dairy free? Use some coconut milk yogurt or something to get the right liquid/dry ratio
This bread looks quite dense. Has anybody tried to lighten it by incorporating whipped egg whites?
Hi. Are there any substitutes for the oat bran? I’m trying to avoid grains. Thanks!
It’s oat fiber, which is a bit different than oat bran. However you can sub in some coconut flour in half the amount.
Hi Carolyn,
This bread looks amazing! I justbread in the comments that I can replace the oat fiber with coconut flour. That’s great news 🙂 what about the Greek yoghurt ? Could I replace that one with full fat coconut milk or do you have another suggestion for a diary free bread? Thanks, Nadine
I *think* full fat coconut milk would work but you need less of it than the greek yogurt because it’s thinner. Start with half the amount and then see how thick the batter is.
Could you use sour cream?
Yes I think so.
I made this today and it is uber delicious….used oat bran….added more almond milk….yummy and toasts well.
Carolyn, do u think I could substitute the Oat Bran with psyllium husk powder? I live in a remote area of California and don’t have many resources available to me. I order most things online.
Yes, that should be fine.
This bread saved me over the holiday weekend. Thank you, so much. It’s delicious and filling and made a world of difference in my attitude. Haha I will make this weekly.
That’s a wonderful testimony! 🙂
Not to keep on rambling, but seriously… I’ve finally found “the bread”. And with your raspberry chia seed jam? Forget about it! I didn’t feel deprived at all. This is monumental. 🙂 Thank you so much for your hard work. I am feeling healthier and stronger every day, while not turning into a bear. Good news for all involved. 😉
This looks so good! can I exclude the oat fibre?
Sub about half the amount of coconut flour to give it the right consistency.
Oh this bread is exactly what I’ve been looking for! The hardest part of eating low carb fir me is missing bread but the packaged low carb breads I’ve tried have been awful. This really tastes and feels like bread!! Thank you so much!
I made the bread today..it is absolutely divine..did not hav whey not oat fibre ..jst substituted both for 1/2 cup gluten free self raising flour,as i did not have those in stock…it is the best,neutral flavored bread ever ..thank u
I made the bread today..it is absolutely divine..did not hav whey not oat fibre ..jst substituted both for 1/2 cup gluten free self raising flour,…it is the best,neutral flavored bread ever ..thank u
I used this recipe in a hamburger bun pan and it made 13 really great buns. I think I baked for about 20 minutes.
Hi. Where did you buy your unflavoured whey protein powder?
Thanks!
This is good bread! Flavorful. Nice, dense texture, easy to cut, and it doesn’t fall apart even with cutting thinner slices. It toasts up nicely. I’m very pleased and will be making this again. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’ve been on the hunt for this very thing. Now to try the French toast. :c)
I am planning on making this recipe with Psyllium Husk but am confused if I should could the calories when I add it because all the calories are purely fiber. Should I include those calories in my calorie goal or could I omit them???
I don’t count calories so I don’t really know.
I have contacted many companies about oat fiber but none of them will guarantee me that they are gluten-free. What brand do you use and is it gluten-free?
I love this bread according to your recipe, unfortunately my doctor wants me to avoid whey protein and greet yogurt. Heavy sigh. May I substitute soy protein and goat yogurt? The goat yogurt is very creamy in texture. Fingers crossed that these changes will work.
I sub sore cream for the yogurt, if thats an option for you.
that would be sour not sore. oops.
You rock! Thank you for creating this masterpiece..made it today for the first time and it was awesome!!!
I have to say that after putting off make this recipe for a couple of years, I finally made it and I love it! My husband who is learning to enjoy the low carb (or starve) loved it too. I actually had to ask him to save me some. He said it’s the best “bread like” bread I’ve made and I’ve made a few. Love many of your recipes.
Incredible recipe, best low Carb bread I’ve tried yet. The French toast was SO good. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Do you know how many calories there are per slice?
Has anyone used coconut oil instead of butter for this recipe?
Is there anything you can substitute for oat fiber? I tried using 1/4 coconut flour instead of oat fiber, but the bread didn’t rise.
Try doing only 2 tbsp of coconut flour, because it’s so much more absorbent than other flours.
I just made this bread exactly as the recipe stated and it is amazing! We toasted it for eggs over easy. It is wonderful even without toasting or butter. It kind of has an almond shortbread cookie flavor…very light. Thank you for the recipe. We will be making the French toast this week:)
Carolyn, love your web site and this recipe. I have a repetitive motion illness. Can I use a bread machine? Margaret
I have never used a bread machine, I am sorry. Wish I could help!