Comfort dessert, healthy style

I found this in Southern Living...it's hard to find desserts that can be made healthy and not seem like they're healthy...I haven't tried this one though...hopefully it's good!

Spiced Caramel-Apple Bread Pudding

Prep: 20 min., Cook: 2 min., Chill: 1 hr., Bake: 50 min.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 (16-oz.) Italian bread loaf, cut into bite-size pieces
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce

Preparation

1. Sauté apple and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender. Stir together bread and apple in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together eggs, milk, apple cider, brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and remaining 1/4 tsp. cinnamon; pour over bread mixture in baking dish. Cover and chill 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake bread mixture 45 to 50 minutes or until top is crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

299 (0.0% from fat)

Fat:

7.2g (sat 2.1g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.5g)

Protein:

8.1g

Carbohydrate:

51.6g

Fiber:

1.4g

Cholesterol:

85mg

Iron:

1.5mg

Sodium:

241mg

Calcium:

146mg

Southern Living, DECEMBER 2008