Chocolate for breakfast? Yep!

Sometimes, you just need to start the day with something a little special. This year, Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday – so why not start on a sweet note. In honor of National Nutella Day on Feb. 5, we’re sharing a recipe that incorporates just the right amount of chocolate (and is approved by our nutrition team)!

It will be true love from the very first bite.

Stuffed Nutella and Orange French Toast

Ingredients

6 thick slices of your favorite bread. Pre-sliced bread works great, too

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 orange, or 2 teaspoons orange juice

½ cup milk

5 large eggs

2 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup Nutella

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place 1 tablespoon butter in a large baking dish and heat in the oven. Remove the dish when butter is melted and spread butter along the bottom to coat. Set aside.

2. Carefully cut each slice of bread almost in two from the top to middle. Be careful not to go all the way through, you should have a pocket. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of Nutella inside the pockets you’ve created, without going over the sides of the bread. Note: If you are using pre-sliced bread, fold a slice in half “hot-dog” style without breaking the bread completely in half.

3. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and the zest from your orange plus one good squeeze of juice (or 2 teaspoons of juice if you don’t have a fresh orange).

4. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture making sure both sides are coated. Cook slices in the hot pan until lightly brown on each side (approximately 2-3 minutes) and place into buttered baking dish.

5. When all slices have been moved into the dish, place in heated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.

5. Slice the remaining orange halves and serve with hot French toast. Try squeezing the orange slices over the toast instead of syrup or powdered sugar for the finishing touch.

Food Waste Prevention Tip: If you are left with a little extra egg mixture at the end, add an extra squeeze of orange juice and put it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge overnight to enjoy a few more slices the next day. Shake to re-combine the mixture before using with the same steps above. If you don’t want French toast two days in a row, you can make extra slices and freeze them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months (reheat in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes or until heated through).

Allergy Swap Out: If you have a nut, egg, or milk allergy. This recipe can be made without eggs entirely, or you can add 1/3 cup chickpea flour and blend very well to thicken the mixture. Any alternative milk will do (soy, oat, or cashew might make it a bit fluffier), and you can use vegan butter or coconut oil for cooking. Your favorite spread of any kind can be used for stuffing as long as it is spreadable but thick enough that it won’t slide out onto your hot pan and burn.