Wake up to Pineapple-Cheese French Toast- a baked French toast using cinnamon-spiced, battered bread, topped with crushed pineapple and light cream cheese. Go easy on yourself, prepare this dish the night before.

Baked French Toast with Pineapple-Cheese Topping

Pineapple-Cheese Topping:
1 (14 cup) canned, crushed, juice-packed pineapple, undrained 4-ounces light Neufchatel or light cream cheese, softened and cubed 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

French Toast:
3 extra-large egg whites or 1/2 cup Egg Exchange 1 1/4 cup nonfat or low fat milk 2 tablespoons orange juice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 (1-inch-thick) slices French bread Sifted confectioner's (powdered) sugar

In blender container or food processor bowl (or use electric mixer), place the pineapple, cream cheese and vanilla. Cover and process briefly so some chunks of pineapple remain. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
For French toast, in bowl whisk together egg whites, milk, orange juice and cinnamon until well blended.
If baking toast immediately, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Spray 15 x 10 x 2-inch jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with sides) with aerosol cooking spray.
Pour egg mixture into pan. Arrange bread slices in egg mixture, turn to coat well on both sides. (If preparing ahead, cover pans and refrigerate up to 12 hours before baking).
If baking immediately, let bread stand 5 minutes to soak up liquid.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, turning bread slices over halfway through the baking time.
To serve, arrange three slices bread on each plate; sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Top with a dollop of Pineapple-Cheese Topping. Serve with remaining topping.

Makes 2 servings.

Note: Double, triple or quadruple this recipe to serve 4, 8 or 16. Try other low-cal toppings such as light maple syrup, fresh fruit, sugar-free fruit spreads or canned fruit packed in its own juice.

Nutritional Analysis:For 1 serving with 1/2 topping: Fat 17 grams; Calories 487; Saturated 9 grams; Protein 21 grams; Unsaturated 8 grams; Carbohydrates 60 grams; Cholesterol 48 mg.

Recipe provided courtesy of Chino Valley Ranchers.