French toast with crispy bran

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of whole grain bread
• 4 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
• 4 tsp reduced-sugar orange confiture
• 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups bran flakes
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation:

1. Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on 4 slices of bread and 1 teaspoon of orange preserves on the remaining 4 slices. Place 2 sandwiches together to make 4 sandwiches.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, whites, orange zest and juice, and vanilla extract. Place the bran flakes in a zip-lock plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or your hands. Transfer the crumbs to a plate. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, then roll them in the crumbs, pressing them gently into the bread.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon each of vegetable oil and butter. Add sandwiches (a few at a time) and cook until golden brown on the outside and the cheese is melted on the inside, 3-4 minutes per side. Add more vegetable oil and butter if needed.
4. Cut the French toast into triangles. Let it cool before serving to children, as the cream cheese can be quite hot. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, and the kids won't even ask for syrup!