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Healthy Recipe: Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding

FitSugar — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:00:00 PST

When the weather turns cold, I love to bake. I don't necessarily think of dessert when I think of Runner's World, but this recipe I found in the running mag piqued my interest and I had to try it. I did substitute agave nectar for the sugar in the pudding, but I couldn't imagine a streusel topping without brown sugar. I also left out the optional booze and raisins (in my opinion raisins belong in trail mix, not baked goods).

My entire family liked this dessert, but I will tell you, it tasted healthy. It is not an indulgent dessert, but I ate a huge satisfying piece and still felt great afterward. Since the amount of sugar is low and the fiber is high, it is truly a remorseless dessert. I will be making it again, but not for a fancy dinner party.

To see the recipe, just

Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding
Modified From Runner's World

Ingredients

4 cups whole-wheat bread, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
4 tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
1 cup Egg Beaters (or 1 egg and 3 egg whites)
1 can evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup bourbon or brandy (optional)
2 1/2 tablespoon light margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
plain nonfat yogurt for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 2-quart Pyrex casserole dish with nonstick spray and spread half of the bread cubes over the bottom.
Mix 3 tablespoons agave nectar with cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle two teaspoons of agave-spice mixture over bread in dish. Alternate layers of apple slices and raisins (if you're using them) with sprinklings of agave-spice mixture until all are used up. Arrange remaining bread cubes over apples.
Combine Egg Beaters, milk, water, remaining tablespoon agave nectar, and vanilla as well as bourbon (if you're using booze). Mix well, then pour over bread, moistening all the bread on top.
Cover dish with lid and cook in oven for 5 minutes. Then lower heat to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
While pudding is baking, mix margarine, brown sugar and walnuts.
At end of baking time, remove pudding from oven and set oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle walnut and sugar mixture evenly over top of pudding and return it to the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes or until sugar/walnut glaze is browned and crusted - be careful not to burn it!
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and enjoy.

Serves 6 with generous portions.

Print recipe with images | without images

Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n It Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

6 Dieting Rules You'll Love to Follow

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:14:17 PDT

Don't eat this, stay away from that - following a diet can seem like a total killjoy. If you're feeling depressed about how restrictive your diet is, here are some proven weight-loss rules you'll welcome with open arms.

Dig into a big breakfast: Skipping breakfast to save calories? That's a big mistake because eating breakfast actually jump-starts your metabolism. Your first meal of the day should include protein to reduce sugar cravings, and fiber to satiate your hunger. A veggie omelet, fruit smoothie with spinach, oatmeal with fruit and nuts, or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit are excellent choices.
Say yes to carbs: Before you get all excited, I'm not talking about bagels, regular pasta, and pretzels. Simple carbs made from enriched white flour offer little nutritional value and more calories than you need. Stick to complex carbs like quinoa, brown rice, and oats, as well as foods made from whole grain flour such as pasta and crackers - the least processed and as close to nature as possible. (Of course, you still need to be mindful of portion sizes.) Complex carbs are not only full of fiber that keep hunger at bay, they also contain valuable vitamins and minerals your body needs such as vitamins B6 and E and iron.

Keep reading for four more weight-loss rules you'll love following.

7 Websites That Inspire Cooking With Kids

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:25:12 PDT

Cooking with your kids can teach them all kinds of lessons, from timing and measuring skills to cutting and cooking techniques, and it gives them a greater appreciation for the food that is served at the table. As an added bonus, kids are usually more willing to try new and healthier foods if they are part of the cooking process. These seven websites inspire kids of all ages to cook with mom or dad, so check them out, try a recipe together, and let us know which site is your family's favorite resource.

Fit For a Feast is designed to teach kids how prepare delicious, kid-friendly recipes with safety and precaution. The website offers instructional food videos with colorful graphics, nutritional info for kids, knife safety tips, and advice on how to prep and store food.
Cooking With My Kid is a photo-filled site with nutritious snack and meal ideas that you can prepare together as a family. Simple and totally enjoyable, this guide offers step-by-step instructions for recipes like giant chocolate-covered raisins and sweet potato and lentil stew.
Hey Kids, Let's Cook includes instructional videos for multicultural, kid-friendly cuisine, especially good if you are unsure about how to get your kids involved in the kitchen. The host Kathy clearly demonstrates engaging, fun techniques for her kid cooking assistants, like using a melon baller to create beautiful shapes in a fruit salad. The video section also includes mini table-etiquette tips, taught by one of the kid cooks.

Click here for more kid recipe sites.

Get Egg-cited Over These Items For a Healthier Easter Basket

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:47:53 PDT

Easter is coming up, and for some of us that means a big brunch followed by a helping of candy - think Cadbury Creme Eggs, Peeps, and lots of jelly beans. While a few Easter treats are OK, weighing your basket down with chocolate, caramel eggs, and jelly beans can be the gateway to mindlessly snacking on candy for the rest of the week. Whether you're making a basket for a friend or the little one in your life, keep reading for some healthy ideas to sneak in amongst the candy.

Photo: Jenny Sugar

Healthy homemade desserts like these pumpkin-carrot bars with cream cheese frosting or vegan peanut butter patties.
Decorated hard-boiled eggs to use later in one of these healthy hard-boiled egg recipes.
Spring flowers like tulips, dahlias, or lilies.
If you're going to put a little chocolate in your basket, choose antioxidant-rich dark chocolate that's organic or fair trade.
Health and fitness magazines, small gadgets, or DVDs.
Carrots - they're the Easter Bunny's favorite snack, after all!
Our selections of pastel-colored fitness gear like headbands, socks, or workout tanks.
Especially for kids: puzzles, small toys, stuffed bunnies, stickers, magnets, disposable cameras, packets of seeds and gardening tools, plastic eggs filled with coins or beads, Silly Putty (it even comes in its own egg), pastel-colored socks.
Need a healthier alternative to jelly beans? Try energizing sports chews like Clif Shot Bloks or Jelly Belly Sports Beans.

4 Additions For the Perfect Trail Mix

Leta Shy — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:00:56 PDT

A good trail mix can be the perfect snack; no matter what you're craving, whether it's salty or sweet, a few handfuls can keep you satisfied and full. But there's a right way and a wrong way to make trail mix if you want it to be good for your body. Here are four additions to make your trail mix tasty and healthy.

Chocolate: Eat chocolate - lose weight? That's what some people are saying, now that a new study found that people who eat chocolate regularly (at least twice a week) tend to weigh less than people who don't indulge on a regular basis. It may be because polyphenols in chocolate increase metabolism, or it may just be that people who eat small amounts of chocolate regularly curb cravings so they don't indulge in an unhealthier dessert. Either way, we already know that dark chocolate has other heart-healthy benefits, so add a few pieces to your trail mix if you're craving something sweet.
Superfruit: Add a dash of antioxidants by including dried superfruits in your trail mix. Dried fruit packs a punch when it comes to disease-fighting compounds. Goldenberries, for example, are a good dose of vitamin A, which is crucial for healthy eyes, skin, and teeth and may help improve organ function. Dried goji berries or cranberries are another good option for their health benefits, which include better immune and urinary system functioning and disease-fighting. Make sure to look for varieties containing no added sugar.

Read on for more healthy trail mix additions.

Ways Your Boyfriend Is Helping You Pack On the Pounds

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:24:47 PDT

Are you finding yourself unbuttoning the top button of your pants around your boyfriend and the reason is not that you're about to get busy? Truth is, relationships can lead to weight gain. If your man likes to eat, drink, cook, or lounge about, spending time with him can affect your eating and exercise habits. Here are six health pitfalls you might experience in your relationship.

He brings you sweet treats and takes you to new restaurants. If your honey is a food lover, he'll probably love sharing edibles with you. You can and should enjoy yourself, but be sure not to go overboard. Split desserts, and when he's excited to share bites with you, enjoy a spoonful or two without inhaling the entire plate.
He's into wine and cocktails. Many dinners together involve cracking open a bottle of wine or ordering cocktails. It's fun to let loose every once in a while, but if you make it a habit, it's not only bad for your health to enjoy more than one drink a day, it's also adding unnecessary calories to you diet. Enjoy a glass of wine instead of splitting an entire bottle, and when it comes to cocktails, sip low calorie wine spritzers or a gin and tonic.
His idea of cooking is ordering takeout. He may think a healthy meal consists of veggies on a pizza, but if you're constantly eating fast food or takeout, you're probably downing foods that are major calorie, fat, and sodium bombs. If he's not a chef by any means, spend time cooking together so you can show him some tips.

Keep reading for other ways your man is adding fluff to your waistline.

3 Ways to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Without Blowing Your Diet

Prevention — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:09:14 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Amy Ahlberg, Prevention

You already know that a too-strict eating plan can backfire, resulting in a blowout binge or, worse, throwing you off the wagon altogether. But when it comes to allowing yourself a little leeway, moderation is key. But what does "moderation" even mean? For gourmands, a cheeseburger a week might seem reasonable; for health nuts, maybe it's one every three months - minus the cheese and bun. To find out who's right, we turned to Sarah Krieger, RD, and Joan Salge Blake, RD, spokespeople for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For starters, they say you should only indulge in what you love - and skip the rest. If you don't have a weakness for fries, don't eat them just because they're there, and if you don't have a sweet tooth, don't have dessert simply because your dinner buddy does. "For me, I skip pizza and burgers, but I eat a great-tasting sweet treat every day," says Krieger. "I balance it with exercise and eating a variety of nutritious foods." For more tips, read our list. But first, some ground rules:

Free! Lose Weight Like a Biggest Loser With This One-Week Plan

Step one: If you're overweight or have health concerns - especially heart disease or diabetes - talk to your doctor. This advice is based on an average 2,000-calorie diet, consumed by American adults at a healthy weight.

Step two: "Take a look at how active you really are. With most of our lifestyles, we don't need a lot of calories in order to maintain a stable weight," says Salge Blake. Go overboard too often, and your waistline - not to mention your heart and your pancreas - may pay the price.

Step three: Keep a food diary and ask yourself, from a caloric standpoint, If I have this indulgence, what foods will I need to avoid this week to balance it out? Now read on for our tips on how to budget your binge allowance this week - and every week.

Keep reading to learn how satisfy your sweet tooth and stay on track.

Healthy Snacks For a Classy Oscar Night Party

Leta Shy — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:54:54 PST

The Super Bowl may be ancient history, but this Sunday marks yet another February event to keep us crowded around the TV. Unlike the rowdy, beer-soaked, football-centered party, the Oscars are a time to don your best (or at least fantasize about owning those red-carpet dresses) while celebrating in style. Here are a few tips on how to save calories during your classed-up Oscar party on Sunday.

Make a healthy popcorn: Popcorn at an Oscar party should be a no-brainer: it's low-calorie, easy to share, and such an appropriate option for a night all about the movies. For a healthier bowl, here's how to make the perfect movie theater popcorn without the calories.
Pizza for everyone: Don't order pizza delivery if you're watching calories; those cheesy, greasy slices will only tempt you. Instead, offer up some cute pizza bites for your friends. These Mexican pizza bites take almost no time to make and are a lot fewer calories than the delivery alternative, and they're less of a mess for your guests.

Read on for more healthy ideas for your sophisticated Oscar party after the break!

3 Tips For Staying Healthy on a Relaxing Weekend Getaway

Leta Shy — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:59:28 PST

Whether you're just traveling one town over or you scheduled a sunny reprieve from your snowy Winter, this long holiday weekend can be a time to rest and relax. But finding time for R&R doesn't mean you have to give up any healthy goals you've made. Here's how to have a healthy getaway this weekend.

Pack something fitnessy: You don't have to devote all of your precious suitcase space to fitness equipment, but you should try to bring something that inspires or reminds you to maintain part of your regular workout routine. Here are some great ideas for space-saving fitness equipment to pack before you leave.

Keep reading for more tips.

100-Calorie Sweet Treats to Satisfy PMS Cravings

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:51:25 PST

If decadent desserts are what you crave that time of the month, here are some sweet, low-calorie, healthy options you can feel good about indulging in.

One small apple (77 calories) drizzled with half a tablespoon of honey (32 calories): 109 calories
Six dried apricots: 100 calories
Yogurt and fruit: Half a container of vanilla Greek yogurt (60 calories) and half a cup of frozen organic blueberries (35 calories): 95 calories
One and a half Newman's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: 90 calories
30 frozen grapes: 101 calories
One four-ounce cup of Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce (50 calories) topped with eight chopped peanuts (47 calories): 97 calories
One Julie's Organic Sorbet Bar: 60 calories
One So Delicious Mini Chocolate Sandwich: 90 calories
Two clementines (70 calories) and two pieces of Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate with Cherries (36 calories): 106 calories
Half a Cherry Pie Larabar: 80 calories

Source: Flickr User slgckgc