Strawberry and Greek Yogurt Stuffed French Toast

As much as I love pancakes, I love me some French toast!  I try to make my pancakes and French toast healthier without sacrificing flavor.  I think I struck the perfect balance with my strawberry and Greek yogurt stuffed French toast!

I came up with the idea when I looked in my fridge and found slim pickin's some strawberries, 1/2 a lemon and an almost empty container of plain Greek yogurt.  I  had some whole grain Ezekiel (my favorite!) bread in the freezer so I took out four slices and let it defrost while I made the filling.  The filling was made of plain Greek yogurt, agave, lemon zest and lemon juice.  It was very fresh tasting and the sweet strawberries were a great balance to the tartness of the lemon.

The French toast came together really quickly and because I used a hearty bread, I feel it stayed together really well after soaking in the egg mixture.  This is a dish that could be made ahead and reheated.  The recipe can easily be multiplied which makes this a great option for brunch.  I used strawberries, but any fruit can be used.  I think bananas or raspberries would be delicious options.  I enjoyed my French toast with a drizzle of maple syrup but the filling really adds a yummy creaminess that wouldn't make me miss the syrup next time!

Strawberry and Greek Yogurt Stuffed French Toast
Serves: 1 very hungry person!

4 slices of bread
1 whole large egg + 1 egg white
2 T. milk
Dash of cinnamon
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (or flavored, if you prefer.  I used Fage 2%)
1 T. agave syrup
Zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon
6-8 strawberries, sliced
Nonstick spray

Comine egg, egg white, milk and cinnamon in a dish large enough to fit the bread for soaking.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, agave, zest and juice.  All of the juice may not be needed so add a bit at first just to thin out the yogurt.  Some yogurts are thinner than others, so add enough juice until the mixture is thicker than salad dressing but thinner than mayo.

On two slices of bread, add strawberries in a single layer.  Top with half of the yogurt mixture and top with more berries.  Top with the rest of the bread forming a sandwich.  Preheat a skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray.  Carefully add the sandwiches to the egg mixture and let sit for a couple of minutes.  Once the bread has absorbed some of the egg mixture, flip over and do the same on the other side.  You should let the bread absorb just enough of the egg mixture but not get soggy.

Once the skillet is warm, add the French toast.  Cook on medium until the bread is crisp, about four minutes.  Carefully flip the French toast and cook a few more minutes.  You want to be careful not to have the heat too high otherwise the outside will cook and the center won't be warmed through.  If this is the case, you can always put the French toast in the oven for a few minutes to heat the center.  Just make sure your skillet is ovenproof!

Enjoy!