Cinnamony Apple Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is an English dish typically made with generous amounts of sugar. This apple pie-inspired version is lightly sweet and fruity, perfect for breakfast, and a practical way to use up bread that’s a bit stale. Note that you’ll need to make the pudding mix the night before.

Pudding
5 cups (1.25 L) sliced apples (Cortland or Golden Delicious apples work well)
4 cups (1 L) cubed whole grain bread
1/4 cup (60 mL) cranberries or raisins (optional)
1/3 cup (80 mL) apricot purée*
1/4 cup (60 mL) almond butter
1 cup (250 mL) 2% milk
2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
Dash nutmeg

Toppings (optional)
low-fat yogourt
honey
your favourite berries

In medium pot with about 1/2 cup (125 mL) water, cook apples until they are soft but still hold their shape. Place cooked apples in oiled 8 x 8 x 2 in (2 L) baking pan and mix in cubed bread and cranberries.

Blend apricot purée, almond butter, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg with handheld blender and pour mixture over bread mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Bake pudding uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool, and serve topped with yogourt, honey, and berries.

*To make about one cup apricot purée, a healthy substitute for sugar, place 1 cup (250 mL) dried apricots in small pot and cover them with water. Let boil over high heat and then simmer until fruit is tender and most of the water has been absorbed. Blend until smooth using handheld blender. Extra purée can be stored in the freezer.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains: 241 calories; 6 g protein; 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 40 g carbohydrates; 5 g fibre; 177 mg sodium

source: "Kid-Friendly Breakfasts", alive #347, September 2011