Just a heads up, this Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce definitely isn’t paleo, but it is gluten-free, and completely delicious!
I’m often asked how gluten-free grains, bread, and things like this Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce fit into my diet, so today I’m talking all about it!
Back when I first changed my diet in February 2013, I was really sick. I had a next-to-nothing immune system and was dealing with all sorts of gut issues, due to Crohn’s Disease. I stuck to eating a paleo diet (eliminating gluten, grains, dairy, legumes and refined sugar) for 2 years, which is the time that it felt that it took MY body to heal.
It’s important for you to know that this is what worked for me. I’ll never be someone to tell you what will work for you, as I believe that we’re all different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to diet.
After 2 years, I was feeling awesome and had zero gut issues, so I felt ready to try some non-paleo foods to see how they made me feel. I started slowlyyy re-introducing some gluten-free grains and high-quality (grass-fed/raw) dairy to see how I felt.
It turns out that I do great with gluten-free grains, especially white rice, along with high-quality dairy. I actually found that I do better with gluten-free grains in my diet than without them, especially given the intensity of my workouts.
It also turns out that I reallyyy don’t do well with gluten. Years ago, I never would have known this, as I was eating gluten daily, and basically with every meal. It wasn’t until I removed these foods from my diet and then re-introduced them that I discovered just how powerful food truly is for my body and how it makes such a massive impact on my health.
I’ve never knowingly eaten gluten since I changed my diet in 2013, as I had zero interest in re-introducing it, but have had it accidentally given to me at a restaurant. Annnnd it made me super sick for 3 days. So for me, gluten is never, ever worth it, and it’s the one thing that I’ve 100% eliminated from my diet.
While I believe paleo is an AWESOME place to start so that you can find what works best for YOUR body, I don’t believe it’s where everyone ends up. It certainly isn’t where I’ve ended up, and my health and happiness have only improved after finding what truly works best for ME!
Now this is where Canyon Bakehouse fits into my healthy lifestyle…
Canyon Bakehouse legit makes the BEST gluten-free bread, which you’d really never even know is gluten-free. I served their Rosemary Focaccia at my parent’s house recently, and nobody even realized that it was gluten-free; they only raved about how delicious it was! I’ve tried several other brands…annnnd that’s when I discovered why gluten-free gets such a bad rep. Dry, rubbery “bread” shouldn’t be a thing. 😉
This Hawaiian Sweet Bread is brand new from Canyon Bakehouse, so if you’re not able to find it in a store near you just yet, I’m sure it’ll be there soon! You can also order their bread online!
This Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce is sooo good, and super easy to make! It can even be prepped the night before, stored in your fridge, and then baked the next day! Topping it with cooked and crumbled crispy bacon would be a GREAT idea too!
To read more about how I eat and why, you can check out this post for What I Ate in a Day!
Enjoy this recipe for my Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce!
Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce (Gluten-free)
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Oven
Ingredients
For The Casserole:
- Ghee or grass-fed butter, for greasing the dish
- 1 loaf Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-free Hawaiian Sweet Bread , cut into 1" cubes
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of sea salt
For The Pineapple Sauce:
- 2 cups finely diced fresh pineapple
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch mixed with 1 teaspoon water, to create a slurry
Remaining Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8" dish with the ghee or butter. Add the bread cubes to the dish.
- Whisk the eggs, coconut/almond milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the bread slices, stirring with a spoon to make sure that the bread is evenly coated.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes (mine took 40 minutes), or until the casserole is set in the middle and the top is nicely browned.
- While the casserole is baking, let's make the pineapple sauce! Place the pineapple, water and maple syrup into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the arrowroot slurry into the pineapple sauce and stir well to combine. The mixture will immediately thicken.
- To toast the coconut, heat a small pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shredded coconut and stir until the coconut starts to brown. It'll burn quickly, so keep a close eye on it! Once the coconut has browned to your liking, place it into a bowl and set aside.
- Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes. Top with the pineapple sauce and toasted coconut and ENJOY!
PIN IT FOR LATER – Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce:
Disclaimer: This Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast Casserole With Pineapple Sauce is a sponsored post on behalf of Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free. All opinions on Living Loving Paleo are always 100% my own and I only ever work with companies that I absolutely love. This post also contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage, at no additional cost to you. My sponsors help to keep Living Loving Paleo up and running!
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