Baked French Toast

This is a recipe I developed in order to satisfy my kids' love of French Toast as well as my need for them to eat something healthier than  fried bread!

1 loaf of raisin challah bread (whole wheat raisin if possible) - NOT SLICED
6 (or more) large eggs
1 cup skim milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
maple syrup
fresh berries (I prefer blueberries but strawberries, raspberries, etc would also work)
Canola oil spray

Spray a large rectangular Pyrex-type glass baking dish with canola spray.  Slice the raisin challah loaf into slices - thicker than the bakery would normally slice.  Let sit out for about 15 - 20 minutes to allow it to get a bit dried out.  The more dried out the better as it soaks up more liquid.  You can even slice the bread the night prior and leave out overnight.  In the meantime, beat the eggs (you can also use an egg white substitute), milk, vanilla and about 1/2 cup maple syrup together.  Dip each thick slice of bread into the egg wash and ensure that both sides are well soaked but not dripping wet.  Lay in the Pyrex dish, tightly packed beside each other.  Once one layer is finished, sprinkle generously with fresh berries.  Then, do the same thing with the top layer of egg soaked bread (don't worry if you cannot fully cover a top layer).  Sprinkle more berries on top.  Drizzle with a bit more maple syrup (adjust to your particular sweet tooth!) and a bit of cinnamon if you wish.

Bake at 375 degree until nicely browned (about 20 - 25 minutes, but keep an eye on it!)

Enjoy while still warm!