Savory Bread Pudding - My One-Pot Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and making it interesting and nourishing is a big challenge. My day starts off on a very wrong note, if the first meal of the day doesn't satisfy my tummy and my soul. On busy weekdays, its generally oatmeal for us and milk and cereal for Lil' Sid. On weekends we wake up late and to make most of the summer months we generally head out for "some fun in the sun". So we end up having a quick brunch. 

Of late, all my quick brunches were Plain Bhaat (Steamed Rice), Aloo Seddho (Boiled and lightly smashed potatoes), Musoor Dal Seddho with Sorsher Tel (Boiled Lentil with a dash of Mustard Oil) and Dim Seddho (Hard Boiled Egg). Quick, comforting and nourishing.

And then one afternoon I was watching Giada at home on Food Network and she made this simple Tomato-Basil Bread Pudding for her girl pals. I loved the simplicity of the dish and the fact that it can be a meal in itself. I made this for my next brunch and it was such a hit with my son and husband. To make it more substantial, I added loads of veggies and to lower the fat and the cholesterol quotient, I used only one whole egg and the rest only whites.

Here goes my version of Savory Bread Pudding:

Lightly grease an oven proof dish with some non-stick cooking spray. Chop 6 slices of Whole Grain Bread in to small cubes. You can keep the crust on.

In a nonstick pan, heat up 1 tbsp of oil and saute the onions and garlic till soft. Then add thawed out mix veggies (carrots, green beans, sweet peas, corn kernels and broccoli florets) and the grape tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and let it cook for a minute till the rawness of the veggies are gone but they are still crunchy. I have used frozen pre-cut mix vegetables. You can definitely use some fresh one and even play with different vegetables  Mushrooms, cauliflowers, spinach can be good options. You can add some breakfast sauages or bacon/ pancetta too.

Now take the pan off the flame and add any herb of your choice. Giada used basil for an Italian twist, but here I added cilantro/ coriander leaves for a little Indian flavor. Curly or flat leaf parsley can be good choice if you want more Continental flavor.

Now pour the prepared veggie mixture over the bread cubes and toss well. Add quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Addition of cheese is an optional step though. You can also use crumbled Feta or any goat cheese for an additional tang.

Now we'll make the custard. The original recipe uses 6 whole eggs. But to reduce the cholesterol and the fat quotient I used 5 egg whites and 1 whole eggs. In a bowl add the egg and the egg whites, 1 cup of milk and salt and pepper. Whisk well to make a smooth custard.

Since we are using just 1 whole egg the custard will be a little thinner. If you use 6 whole eggs, you'll get a richer and more creamier custard.

Pour the custard over the bread-veggie mixture.The bread pieces will instantly soak up all the custard and will be moist. It will now go into a 375F oven for 30 minuets.

Half an hour later golden baked Savory Bread Pudding is ready. Just dig in!

Recipe Snapshot: What I used: Multi-grain Bread - 6 slices cut into cubes with crust on. Frozen Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup thawed (carrots, green beans, sweet peas, corn kernels and broccoli florets) Grape Tomatoes - ¼ cup Onion - 1 small sized or half a medium chopped Garlic - 2 cloves (or 1 fat clove) minced. Grated Parmesan Cheese - ¼ cup Canola/ Veg Oil - 1 tbsp Salt Pepper Oil spray For the custard: Egg - 1 whole egg and 5 egg whites only 2% Milk (Toned Milk) - 1 cup Salt Pepper What I did: 1. Preheat the oven at 375F. 2. Lightly grease an oven proof dish with some non-stick cooking spray. 3. Chop 6 slices of Whole Grain Bread in to small cubes. You can keep the crust on. 4. In a nonstick pan, heat up 1 tbsp of oil and saute the onions and garlic till soft. 5. Then add thawed out mix veggies (carrots, green beans, sweet peas, corn kernels and broccoli florets) and the grape tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and let it cook for a minute till the rawness of the veggies are gone but they are still crunchy. 6. Take the pan off the flame and add any herb of your choice. I added cilantro/ coriander leaves for a little Indian flavor. 7. Now pour the prepared veggie mixture over the bread cubes and toss well. 8. Add quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Addition of cheese is an optional step though. 9. Now for the custard. In a bowl add the egg and the egg whites, milk and salt and pepper. Whisk well to make a smooth custard. 10. Pour the custard over the bread-veggie mixture.The bread pieces will instantly soak up all the custard and will be moist. It will now go into a 375F oven for 30 minuets. Tip: I have started making this bread pudding on weekdays too. I just tear the bread into a lightly greased ramekin and just add the thawed frozen veggies (without frying). In a cup I whisk up an egg white with a little milk, salt and pepper and pour it over the bread and veggies and put in the oven for 12 min. By the time my morning cuppa of Darjeeling is brewed, my scrumptious breakfast is ready too.

Diabetic Platter: This is a quick and easy recipe and very nutrition too. You get the complex carb from the multi-grain bread; the protein from the eggs sans the fat and cholesterol; the goodness of vegetables and a little calcium from the milk. For diabetics, breakfast is the only meal where we can eat a little more carbohydrate, provided its a complex carb. Hence it is a perfect delicious way to kick start the day.