Low-cal bread pudding features ham, spinach and Gruyere cheese

After we catch our breath from the holiday hoopla, we plan to give a brunch party, inviting some neighbors and friends who we didn’t get to see last month. And knowing that people are watching their calories, we’re on the lookout for recipes that won’t strain the waistline, but are still full of flavor.

Today’s recipe is at the top of our list. No reason not to keep on feasting, even when trying to trim calories. And believe it or not, today’s dish, rich as it looks, has only 276 calories per serving. Yay!

Excerpted from The EatingWell Diet book, this pudding features whole grain bread and egg whites along with whole eggs, thus cutting down on the number of high-cholesterol yolks. The diet gurus suggest using a high-quality ham, which “infuses the pudding with a smoky flavor.” The aroma is divine, enhanced with Dijon mustard and fresh rosemary along with roasted red peppers. The Gruyere is used as a topping.

I bet the brunch crowd won’t believe this dish is a bread pudding!

HAM, GRUYERE & SPINACH BREAD PUDDING

4 large egg whites
4 large eggs
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)
5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see tip)
1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped, jarred roasted red peppers
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 11x7-inch glass baking dish or 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. Whisk egg whites, eggs and milk in medium bowl. Add mustard, rosemary and pepper; whisk to combine.
3. Toss bread, spinach, ham and peppers in large bowl. Add egg mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.
4. Bake until custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
To make ahead: Prepare pudding through step 3; refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temp; while oven preheats. Bake as directed.
Tip for wilting greens: Rinse greens thoroughly. Transfer to large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in it. Microwave on High until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from greens before adding to recipe.
(Per serving: 276 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 169 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 21 g protein; 3 g fiber; 746 mg sodium; 422 mg potassium)
(Recipes from The EatingWell Diet, © 2007 by Eating Well, Inc. Countryman Press. Order the book from Countryman Press, or call 1-800-245-4151.)

Banana eggnog bread pudding is low-cal, believe it or not

No one enjoyed bread pudding more than our good friend and cookbook author JoAnna Lund, who created so many luscious recipes that are also low in fat, sugar, calories, and cholesterol. In fact, she remarked about this recipe: “I never saw a dessert disappear so fast as when I was testing this one!”

Can’t beat that kind of endorsement!
This is for those who are still in a holiday eggnog kind of mood.

BANANA EGGNOG BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM SAUCE

2 4-serving packages JELL-O sugar-free vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix
4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup raisins
1-1/2 teaspoons rum extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 slices reduced-calorie white bread, cubed
1 cup (1 medium) sliced banana
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar Twin
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spray 8x8-inch baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray. In large saucepan sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, combine 1 package dry pudding mix and 2-1/2 cups skim milk. Add raisins. Mix well to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon rum extract and nutmeg. Add bread cubes and banana. Mix gently to combine. Spread bread mixture into prepared pan.
Bake 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. In medium saucepan, combine remaining package dry pudding mix, remaining 1-1/2 cups skim milk, and Brown Sugar Twin. Mix well to combine. Let set until 5 minutes before bread pudding has completely baked. Then, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and starts to boil. Lower heat. Add margarine and remaining 1 teaspoon rum extract. Mix to combine. Continue cooking on low until bread pudding has completed baking, stirring occasionally. Remove baking dish from oven and cut warm bread pudding into 6 servings. For each serving, place piece of bread pudding on serving dish and spoon about 1/4 cup warm rum sauce over top. Serves 6.
Each serving equals: 233 Calories; 1 g Fat; 12 g Protein; 44 g Carbohydrate; 427 g Sodium; 1 g Fiber.
Diabetic exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fruit; 1 Skim Milk.
(Recipe from Cooking Healthy with a Man in Mind by JoAnna Lund, 1997)

Berry bread pudding is low-cal new-year sweet

I want on a baking binge during the holiday season. Breads, cakes, pies, cookies, and of course bread pudding too. We’re just finishing up the last tin of Christmas cookies. So it’s time for the “D” word. As in “dreaded,” “despicable,” and “disgusting.” We’re referring to the Diet, of course. Time to work on shedding those extra pounds. Not easy, especially when you enjoy baking and sweets as much as I do.

We took out our “lite” and low-cal cookbooks that sit on the shelf and whose pages rarely see the light of day. And surprisingly there were a bunch of great-looking bread puddings. So here goes. Today’s recipe, which is fragrant with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and spices, comes from Lighthearted Everyday Cooking by Anne Lindsay. The author says she likes this dessert because “it isn’t too sweet or rich but has fabulous flavor.” She suggests topping each serving with a spoonful of Quick Lemon Yogurt Sauce, the recipe for which is included below.

While this recipe calls for soft margarine, unless it’s the healthful non-hydrogenated kind, I’d opt to use real butter because of the trans-fats issue.

BERRY BREAD PUDDING

Half a large loaf French bread
1-1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 cup raspberries
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon soft margarine (non-hydrogenated)

Tear bread into 1-inch pieces to make 6 cups. In bowl, combine milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon; stir in bread and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in strawberries, raspberries, and eggs.
Meanwhile, in 8-inch square baking dish, melt margarine in 350-degree F. oven; swirl to cover bottom of pan. Pour in batter. Bake for 40 minutes or until puffed and browned. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.
(Per serving without lemon yogurt sauce: 298 calories; 6 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 2 g fiber)
(Recipe from Lighthearted Everyday Cooking by Anne Lindsay, 1994)

QUICK LEMON YOGURT SAUCE

3/4 cup low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Grated rind 1 lemon

In small bowl, combine yogurt, sugar and lemon rind. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes 3/4 cup.
(Per 2-tablespoon serving: 36 calories; trace grams of total fat, saturated fat, and fiber; 2 mg cholesterol)
(Recipe from Lighthearted Everyday Cooking by Anne Lindsay, 1994)

Low-fat pumpkin bread pudding is one solution to holiday over-indulgence

Trying to diet during the holidays seems hopeless. Who can resist the extra-rich treats we’re exposed to at dinners, parties, and even when we’re out and about? So to lighten up a bit, we’re offering today’s recipe for low-fat pumpkin bread pudding, which was developed by Fiona Haynes for the About.com Guide to Low-fat Cooking. She enjoys finding ways to lighten recipes while still keeping them flavorful. In addition to developing hundreds of low-fat recipes, Fiona also writes two weekly healthy-eating newsletters.

While Fiona does prefer this dish with raisins, she suggests using dried cranberries as an alternative. Says Fiona: “One of our favorite ways of eating this pudding is with a drizzle of good-quality maple syrup, which is why this dessert would also make a pretty good brunch dish.” A great idea for these cool-weather days.

LOW-FAT PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING
(Fiona Haynes)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 10.5 ounce day-old baguette
2 cups fat-free half and half
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 11 X 7 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut baguette into 1 inch slices, then into cubes. Place in large bowl and cover with half and half, tossing bread cubes to allow liquid to soak in.
In medium bowl, combine beaten eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spices. Add to bread mixture with raisins and blend well. Pour into baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Serves 8.
Per Serving: Calories 286, Calories from Fat 29, Total Fat 3.2g (sat 1.2g), Cholesterol 56mg, Sodium 335mg, Carbohydrate 57.2g, Fiber 1.9g, Protein 7g
(Recipe by Fiona Haynes on About.com Low-fat Cooking)

Chocolate bread pudding is rich treat for the holidays

One thing’s for sure – you can depend on recipes you get from America’s Test Kitchen. So when I found this recipe I knew it had to be good. Their mission is to test recipes, understand how they work, and arrive at the best version.

And you can’t go wrong with ingredients such as challah bread, cream, cocoa, and semi-sweet chocolate. For those who don’t have time to do it all in one day, they suggest prepping the bread mixture and refrigerating it overnight, then baking the next day.

The folks at America’s Test Kitchen found that with the melted chocolate, the base was so thick that it wasn’t fully soaking into the bread. So to thin out the base, they soaked the toasted challah in a mixture of heavy cream, milk, and cocoa powder before adding in rich custard made with melted chocolate, egg yolks, cream, and sugar. They also suggest that you drizzle a bit of reserved chocolate sauce (melted chocolate and cream) over the warm bread pudding after it comes out of the oven. It’s important to use Dutch-based cocoa in this recipe. Natural cocoa powder will make the bread pudding too bitter.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
Serves 12.

1 (12-inch) loaf challah, cut into 12-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 cup sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
10 large egg yolks

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F. Toast bread on baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
2. Increase oven temp to 325 degrees F. Grease 13x9-inch baking pan. Heat 1-1/2 cups cream, milk, cocoa, espresso, and 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming and sugar dissolves. Pour warm cream mixture over toasted bread and let stand, tossing occasionally, until liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring additional 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth. Transfer 1 cup chocolate mixture to medium bowl and let cool 5 minutes (cover pan and reserve remaining chocolate mixture for serving). Add egg yolks, remaining cream, and sugar to bowl with chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Transfer soaked bread mixture to prepared pan and pour chocolate custard mixture evenly over bread. Bake until pudding is just set and surface is slightly crisp, about 45 mijnutes. Let cool 30 minutes. Warm reserved chocolate mixture over low heat, then pour over bread pudding. Serve. (Leftover bread pudding should be refrigerated; reheat individual portions in microwave.)
Make ahead: In step 4, once soaked bread mixture has been transferred to prepared pan, the pan can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. When ready to bake, remove plastic and proceed with recipe as directed, increasing baking time to 55 to 60 minutes. Let reserved chocolate serving sauce cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Heat sauce in microwave when needed.
(Recipe 2008, America’s Test Kitchen; Cookscountry.com)

Buttery bourbon sauce tops bread pudding that's healthier

Watching calories this time of year? Ha! That’s some kind of joke.

But occasionally a great-sounding recipe comes up that’s a healthier version of a traditional rich sweet. Bread pudding topped with a buttery bourbon sauce? Healthy? Well actually this version, made with Smart Balance® products – the Butter Blend stick, and also their fat-free milk – as well as whole grain bread, is lower in fat than the traditional hi-cal dessert. It’s delicious too, laced with dried cranberries and with the scent of cinnamon and vanilla.

This pudding would be a great ending to a holiday party, or just to snack on while wrapping those gifts.
And, please note, I have no relationship with the company that produces Smart Balance® products.
So there.

BREAD PUDDING WITH BUTTERY BOURBON SAUCE

Base:
1-1/2 tablespoons Smart Balance® butter Blend Stick, melted
2 cups Smart Balance™ Fat-Free Milk*
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 ounces multigrain or whole wheat Italian bread, torn in small pieces

Sauce:
1/4 cup Smart Balance® Butter Blend Stick
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Smart Balance™ Fat-Free Milk*
3 tablespoons bourbon or apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 11x7-inch glass baking dish with Smart Balance® cooking spray; add 1-1/2 tablespoons melted Smart Balance® Butter Blend Stick and set aside.
2. Combine milk, eggs, egg white, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder in large bowl. Whisk until well blended. Add bread and cranberries; gently stir to allow mixture to absorb slightly (do not over mix).
3. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients, except vanilla, in small saucepan; place over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
5. Cut bread pudding into 8 pieces, place on dessert plates, and spoon sauce evenly over all.
Makes 11x7-inch bread pudding plus 1/2 cup sauce total. Serves 8 (about 2-1/2-inch by 3-1/2-inch pieces plus 1 tablespoon sauce per serving.
*Smart Balance™ Fat-Free Milk is available in Florida and Georgia.

Chocolate bread pudding season is here!

There are those of us who just can’t get enough chocolate. We celebrate this time of year when we can indulge in our favorite desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, and sauces. Guilt trip? We’ll deal with that tomorrow.

Use a good brand of semi-sweet chocolate to add to these cute little puddings that are baked in individual ramekins. Make the cappuccino sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to let the little darlings swim in the sauce on the plate. The folks at Chocolatier magazine suggest the option of topping them off with a chocolate sorbet. But I like them just as is with the sauce. Not that there could ever be too much chocolate …

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING WITH CAPPUCCINO SAUCE
Yield: 8 servings

Chocolate bread pudding:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 slices fresh firm-textured white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, to yield approximately 3 1/2 cups

Cappuccino Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Chocolate sorbet for garnish (optional)

Bread pudding:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter bottoms and sides of eight ceramic ramekins or custard cups. Coat with granulated sugar.
Combine chopped chocolate, half of the sugar, heavy cream and butter in small heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla.
Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form, using electric mixer at medium speed. Slowly add remaining sugar, beating at high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.
Gently fold in bread cubes. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared ramekins. Place in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to fill halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into center of a pudding comes out clean. Place ramekins on wire rack to cool slightly.

Cappuccino sauce:
Heat heavy cream in small heavy saucepan over low heat until it comes to a gentle boil. Whisk in espresso powder and cinnamon. Let cool slightly. Whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.
To serve: Unmold pudding on dessert plate and surround with cappuccino sauce. Top with a scoop of chocolate sorbet, if desired.
(Recipe © Chocolatier magazine via the Pastry Whiz website,

http://www.pastrywhiz.com)