Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding #glutenfree

We’re getting the house we’ve lived in for 11 years ready to be put on the market. After the movers left Tuesday (we’re putting most of our stuff in storage so the house looks larger and can be “staged”) I’ve been in a complete funk. All I’ve wanted to do sit in bed, watch The Walking Dead, and eat comfort foods.

Zombies and comfort foods? Well, since it’s Halloween and pumpkin season, how about a homey bread pudding using pumpkin puree and some sweet yet tart cranberries?

Bread pudding tips and tricks

This recipe makes a huge amount of bread pudding – perfect for a Halloween or Thanksgiving party. It’s also makes a decadent (but not too unhealthy) breakfast goodie when family is visiting from out of town. If you’re making this for dessert for your immediate family and don’t want a couple of weeks of leftovers, cut the recipe in half.

You can make the Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding gluten free or not depending on the type of bread you use. Also, it’s a great way to use bread ends, if your family’s like mine and refuses to eat them. (I freeze bread loaf ends and use them in meatloaf, Thanksgiving stuffing, French Toast, and bread pudding.)

Feel free to substitute raisins or dried cherries for the cranberries. Serve with a whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream if you’re not watching the calories. (Try my fellow Attune Food Ambassador, Janel’s recipe for Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe if you dare!) The Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding reheats very well in the microwave, but it’s delicious cold, too. You can also make it several days ahead. Just cover with aluminum foil, refrigerate, and reheat in a microwave (by the serving) or the whole pan in a 325 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding

Based on a recipe from the Joy of Cooking.

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Recipe

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 24 ounces whole wheat bread, stale but not hard (you can also use gluten free bread)
• 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup sugar (I used coconut palm sugar)
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 12-ounce cans fat free evaporated milk
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Spray the inside of a 15x10x 2 inch rectangular baking dish and set aside.
2. Cut or tear bread into 1/2 inch pieces. You should have about 10 lightly packed cups of bread pieces. Place in a large bowl.
3. Cover bread with dried cranberries.
4. In a medium bowl whisk eggs and egg whites.
5. Add vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt , sugar, skim milk and condensed milk to eggs and whisk until blended.
6. Pour egg, spice and milk mixture over bread and cranberries. Mix together bread and liquids until bread is saturated. Let stand for 30 minutes periodically pressing the bread down with a spoon or spatula to help bread absorb the liquid.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Baked the pumpkin and cranberry bread pudding in a in a bain marie (water bath) until puffed and firm in the center - about 1 1/2 hours.
9. Serve warm or cold, either plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 5

Servings: 16

• Serving size: 1/16 of pan
• Calories: 263
• Calories from Fat: 25
• Total Fat: 2.8g
• Saturated fat: 0.8g
• Unsaturated fat: 2g
• Sodium: 452mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 47.1g
• Sugar: 29.8g
• Fiber: 4.1g
• Protein: 13.2g
• Cholesterol: 49mg

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Posted on October 20, 2011 in Desserts,Featured,Gluten Free,Recipes,Thanksgiving,Weight Watchers and tagged as healthy Halloween recipes, healthy snacking, pumpkin

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