Nature's Pride

I'm back with another Tastemaker opportunity from Foodbuzz! This time I received two loaves of Nature's Pride bread, Whole Wheat and 12 Grain. These were choc-full of goodness (5g protein and 3-4g fiber per slice) and devoid of artificial ingredients and high fructose corn syrup. While I liked both loaves (usually toasty), I think my preference was the Whole Wheat.



I also received an email tonight regarding Nature's Pride sponsorship of the upcoming 1st Annual Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco. In exchange for a winning recipe, Nature's Pride will sponsor six foodies as "Bread Ambassadors"!!!! So here's my recipe... i'm hoping it will be my golden ticket ;)

Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Recipe by Shannon
Serves 2



This recipe can easily be scaled up or baked in different sized dishes, just be sure to adjust the cooking time! If your bread is fresh, dry it out in the oven before proceeding. I used a fresh chorizo chicken sausage with chiptoles from a local meet shop, but I've also tried it with a mild sausage and a chipotle and adobo thrown in. Pre-cooked sausage (like trader joe's spicy jalapeno chicken sausage) can also be used, just dice and you can save yourself a step!

2 1/2c stale bread, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2c pumpkin
1/2c sour cream (I used lite)
1/4c + 2T milk (I used Smart Balance Lactose Free Fat-Free)
1 egg
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4c fresh grated cave-aged gruyere
1/4-1/3lb chipotle chicken sausage
1T chopped fresh sage
a few (5-6) whole sage leaves, for garnish, if desired
butter or oil for frying sage leaves

Preheat oven to 350deg. Whisk together pumpkin, sour cream, milk and egg. Stir in bread, salt and pepper. Let sit while browning the sausage. The pumpkin-bread mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you're ready to bake the bread pudding.

Heat skillet to med, then add sausage and break up as you're browning the meat. During the last minute of cooking, add sage and stir. Drain cooked sausage on paper towel. Add sausage, chopped sage and gruyere to bread and pumpkin mixture. Pour into a 4"sq baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 25min.

While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the crispy sage leaves. Melt butter (or oil) in a small skillet. When melted and bubbly, add sage leaves and cook a few minutes or so on each side, until crispy. Remove leaves and drain on a paper towel until plating.

After 25min in the oven, turn on your broiler and crisp up the top of the bread pudding (~5min or so). Let sit for a few minutes so you don't burn your mouth, then serve with crsipy sage leaves!


As there is some cheese in here (although gruyere instead of cheddar), I should submit this for the Cabot Giveaway over at Biggest Diabetic Loser! Mmm, cheese :)