Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This hearty, tasty and super nutritious pumpkin bread pudding is an ideal breakfast or snack for the entire family.  Don’t let the color of this pudding discourage you from making it — it’s super delicious!  And, it’s an excellent source of vitamin A and dietary fiber and good source of minerals calcium and iron! Leftovers (if any!) taste even better refrigerated overnight.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon flaxseed, ground
2 tablespoons water
6 ounces 100% whole wheat bread, stoneground (or 6 slices)
1 cup raisins
1 apple, thinly sliced
1 banana, medium
1 ½ cups soymilk, enriched (or substitute rice milk)
1 can (15oz) 100% pumpkin
3 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon dark brown sugar
½ lemon, freshly squeezed
1½ tablespoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

May serve with fruit sauces: apple, cranberry or banana puree with a twist of lemon (optional).

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, place flaxseeds in water and soak; put aside.
3. Cut or tear bread into small bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl and add raisins.
4. In a separate large bowl, add apple slices, banana, soymilk, pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, spices, and sea salt, and whisk until mixture become smooth.
5. Pour wet mixture over bread and raisins and with a spatula stir well to coat bread evenly. Set aside to soak for a 5-7 minutes.
6. In an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Pour bread pudding mixture into pan in an even layer. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until top is set and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
7. Cut into eight squares and serve warm.

 Makes 8 servings (1/2 cup serving).

Nutrition Facts per serving: 240 calories; 2g fat (0g sat fat, 1g poly, 0.5g mono, 0g trans fats); 0mg cholesterol; 51g carbohydrate (6g fiber, 34g sugar); 6g protein; 150mg sodium; 130% Daily Value (DV) vitamin A; 6% DV vitamin C; 15% DV calcium; 15% DV iron.

What’s your favorite flavored bread pudding?

– Stacey Antine, MS, RD, author, Appetite for Life, founder, HealthBarn USA, director, HealthBarn Foundation, and recognized as top 10 dietitians nationally by Today’s Dietitian magazine for her work with HealthBarn USA.