Eating Well Christmas Brunch Recipes

Breakfast Fruit Bread Pudding Makes: 10 servings Active time: 30 minutes Total: 31/4 hours To make ahead: Prepare through Step 2, cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Heart Health Diabetes Weight Loss Gluten Free Studded with strawberries, this breakfast recipe is a cross between a baked French toast and a dessert bread pudding. Swap in almost any fruit depending on what’s in season. Although we typically advocate using whole-grain bread, we stuck with challah for this recipe, because the results are so luscious.

1 pound day-old challah or other egg bread, cut in 1/2-inch slices 5 cups sliced strawberries or other berries, halved if large 5 large eggs 3 large egg whites 2 cups low-fat milk 1 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup honey Confectioners’ sugar for garnish 1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cut bread in half on the diagonal to get somewhat triangular pieces. Place half the bread decoratively in the bottom of the prepared pan, nestling and trimming to fit as necessary. It’s OK if there are spaces between the slices. Spread berries over the bread. Cover with the remaining bread, trimming to fit as necessary. 2. Whisk eggs, egg whites, milk, half-andhalf, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Whisk in honey until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture over the bread. Let stand for 1 hour to allow the bread to soak up the liquid, pressing the bread down into the liquid a few times to help it absorb more. (Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, pressing on the bread a few times while it sits.) 3. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350°F. (If the pudding was refrigerated, remove the plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.) Cover the pan loosely with foil and set it on a rimmed baking sheet. 4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until bubbling and the pudding is just set, about 1 hour more. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving (most of the liquid will be absorbed by the bread as the pudding rests). Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Per serving: 302 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 127 mg cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrate; 14 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 3 g fiber; 330 mg sodium; 345 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (82% daily value), Folate (24% dv), Calcium (16% dv). Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Exchanges: 11/2 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other), 1 medium-fat meat, 1 fat