Bacon, Gruyère, and Ham Strata

2  cups fat-free milk
1  cup chopped green onions
1  cup egg substitute
1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4  teaspoon ground red pepper
12  ounces sourdough French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 10 cups), toasted
3/4  cup diced ham
Cooking spray
1  cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
4  bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Combine milk, green onions, egg substitute, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add bread cubes and ham; stir well to combine. Pour into a 2-quart baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Uncover dish, and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until bread mixture is set and cheese is bubbly.

Yield: 6 servings

Apple-Cinnamon Granola

3  cups regular oats
1  cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal (such as Cheerios)
1/3  cup oat bran
1/3  cup finely chopped walnuts
2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon ground cardamom
2  tablespoons butter
1/3  cup applesauce
1/4  cup honey
2  tablespoons brown sugar
Cooking spray
1  cup chopped dried apple

Preheat oven to 250°.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup applesauce, honey, and brown sugar to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Pour applesauce mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in an even layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 250° for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Stir in chopped apple.
Note: Store granola in an airtight container up to one week.

Yield: 6 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Almond-Crusted French Toast

Top with maple syrup, fresh berries, or bananas sautéed with a bit of butter and cinnamon.

1/3  cup ground flaxseed
1/4  cup sliced almonds
1  cup vanilla soy milk (such as Silk)
1/2  cup egg substitute
1  tablespoon maple syrup
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  large egg whites
6  (1.5-ounce) slices whole wheat or whole-grain bread (such as Earth Grains)
Cooking spray
1  teaspoon butter, divided
1 1/2  teaspoons sifted powdered sugar

Combine flaxseed and sliced almonds in a shallow dish. Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (through egg whites) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk, and pour milk mixture into another shallow dish.
Working with 1 bread slice at a time, place bread slice into milk mixture, turning to coat both sides. Let bread stand in milk mixture 2 to 3 minutes. Remove bread slice from milk mixture; dredge 1 side of bread in flaxseed mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat procedure with remaining bread slices, milk mixture, and flaxseed mixture.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in pan; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add 3 coated bread slices, coated sides down; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with cooking spray, remaining butter, and remaining coated bread slices. Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over toast.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

CALORIES 216(30% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 10.7g; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 126mg; SODIUM 286mg; FIBER 5.2g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28g