Without a doubt, the best part of publishing a personal post like my Why I Gave Up Running post is reading all of the amazing responses people share.
Seriously, thank you all so much.
I’ll try to make the blog a little more personal in the future, although it’s difficult because most of the personal stuff in my life involves other people. To respect the privacy of my real-world friends, I have a rule to not write about them or post their photos, which is why most of the pictures you see on this blog are of just me.
For today, you get another recipe… with chocolate. Hopefully you won’t mind. 😉
I’m honored to feature a recipe today from Tosca Reno, a New York Times best-selling author and one of the most well-respected and influential figures in the world of healthy food. This bread pudding recipe comes from her Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook, which contains 150 meat-free recipes free of processed ingredients, refined sugars, and anything artificial (note to vegetarians: there is a chapter on fish).
The book, which comes with complete nutritional information for every recipe, is divided into ten chapters from breakfast to dessert. It also covers topics such as how to be a healthy vegetarian, eating vegetarian on a budget, and making fast-food and holiday recipes. Upon receiving the cookbook in the mail, I right away bookmarked at least fifteen things I wanted to make. With bananas, cinnamon, and chocolate chips, this healthy bread pudding was obviously on top of the list!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Pudding
(Adapted from Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook, reprinted with permission)
- 2 1/2 cups (640ml) milk of choice
- 3 tbsp (45ml) arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (60ml) sucanat or sugar of choice
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 cups day-old bread, torn into 1-to-2-inch pieces, lightly packed
- 2 extra-ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 to 1 cup (120-240ml) chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease a 1.5 to 2-quart ceramic dish and set aside. Thoroughly whisk together all but last three ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine, mashing the bananas a little and allowing the bread to absorb most of the liquid. Scrape into the prepared dish, and press down to smooth the top. Let sit 15 minutes so bread absorbs more liquid, then bake uncovered until lightly brown and firm (about 30 minutes). Serve warm. For questions about this recipe or substitutions, please feel free to ask this recipe’s creator, Tosca Reno!
View Bread Pudding Nutrition Facts
Quick Giveaway!
For the chance to win your own copy of Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook, simply leave a comment answering the following question: What is your favorite meatless meal?
My favorite is gnocchi. Love it.
My favourite meatless meal is African Pineapple Peanut Stew. I have served it to people who “don’t like vegetarian food” and those who do not like kale, and all have loved it!!!
There are so many meatless meals we love…a tie for favorite goes to vegan chili with tons of veggies, all types of beans and chickpeas- no meat substitute needed! AND eggplant parmesan! Making me hungry… 🙂
Anything with Kabocha Squash. I simply love it!
That is an easy one. . .homemade butternut squash soup. Warm and creamy (with the help of unsweetened coconut milk).
My favorite meatless meal, ooh that’s a tough one! I’d have to say there is this roasted winter vegetable jambalaya recipe I found in the Vegetarian Times magazine recently that’s got to be my new favorite meatless recipe! Its got carrots, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and some other stuff and a really yummy blend of spices. Freezes really well too so I can make a ton and have meals for weeks 🙂
Meatless, you ask… At the moment, probably a tofu/spinach stir-fry. Yum!
Best meatless dish? “Chicken and dumplings” made with meatless chicken. Served with a salad on the side, and it is a perfect meal.
Can’t wait for your cookbook!
A quino and edamame dish 🙂
I don’t often go meatless, so your Tofu fries are my newly discovered favorite!!
I love vegetable lasagna made with zucchini for noodles!
Sweet potato and black bean chili! Or anything with squash!
This looks DELICIOUS! I can’t wait to try this.
As far as my favorite meatless meal…
That’s a tough question… I have so many! Anything with sweet potato – maybe a stuffed a sweet potato with lentils, tahini dressing and spinach? Random, but it’s delicious! Also, a close second would be lentil sloppy joes! I love your recipe and use it a lot!
I love trying new meals, but the endless versatilty of a stir-fry makes it something I can make again and again without getting bored. Plus its such a perfect complete meal with loads of veggies, tofu or tempeh, and a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa!
My favorite meatless meal is definitely bean-based chili with cornbread. Hands down, it’s the best.
Ummm, this looks so yummy and decadent. I know my kids would love it. Once I get the chance I’ll have to make it for my family.
Ok, I looooovvvveeee breakfast. So, it’s not that hard to say that my favorite meatless meal is a breakfast. I actually have two that I go to often. One is my apple yogurt bowl with cashews, flax meal, vanilla, cinnamon. And my other ‘go to’ breaky is a banana peanut butter oatmeal with chopped dates.