Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Sugar-Free “Bread” Pudding

By

First off, the randomly chosen Winner of the Agar Agar Powder giveaway is…

Elaine!

Congratulations, Elaine! You will receive an email from me shortly. I hope you enjoy your Agar!

Bread Pudding is a great, traditional holiday treat. For those on gluten-free diets or calorie-restrictions, however, it could be a nightmare! This baked bread pudding uses rice cakes in place of the bread. No expensive gluten-free breads required! It is also an innovative way to transform the plain, boring rice cakes into something festive. For under 100 calories per serving, who wouldn’t love this dessert?

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free “Bread” Pudding with Almond Cream Sauce

Ingredients

  • 5 rice cakes
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups milk or milk substitute (like coconut, almond, or rice milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup dried fruit pieces (like raisins, dates, cherries, or a mix)
  • 1 recipe of Almond Cream Sauce (Recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, orange peel, and cinnamon. Next, break the rice cakes into small pieces and place in a 2-quart square baking dish. Toss the rice cake pieces with the dried fruit, and pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Serve warm, and if desired, drizzle the almond cream sauce on top before serving. Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 98 calories, 3.5 g fat, 12.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

More Ideas: Try substituting some juice or juice concentrate for some of the milk. This will give the pudding a more fruit flavor, and add a bit of sweetness. Also, try adding in some chopped nuts before baking. For those who wish to sweeten the dessert a bit more, try mixing a small drizzle of honey or a few drops of liquid stevia to the egg mixture before baking.

Almond Cream Sauce:

~This optional cream sauce compliments the bread puddings flavor. The almond extract gives the sauce an excellent taste, and the yogurt gives it great nutritional value.

  • 1 cup plain yogurt (Make your own dairy-free yogurt with THIS RECIPE)
  • ¼ cup milk or milk substitute
  • ¼-½ teaspoon almond extract

Whisk ingredients in a saucepan until well combined. Heat over medium heat until warm.

Benefits

  • Rice-A Whole Grain full of Fiber and low in calories. It is fast energy that contains a good source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Calcium, and iron. Other benefits include skin care, resistance to high blood pressure, dysentery and heart diseases.
  • Yogurt-Has natural probiotics that help aid in digestion.
  • Cinnamon-Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Orange Peel-Contains lots of antioxidants, and the scent can help people feel more awake.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

For those who have made “restrictions” in your diet (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, exc.), is there a food that you miss?

I have to say that I really miss Hot Chocolate with marshmallows and eggnog during the Holiday Season. It is always a great holiday memory coming home from sledding in the freezing cold to put your frozen toes up by the fire and sip some nice hot cocoa!

 


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. That looks really good! I’ve never had bread pudding before but this is a brilliant way to jazz up plain old rice cakes 🙂 By the way, I made your raw cheesecake today but invented my own crust, it was FABULOUSSSSSSS THANKS FOR SHARING THE RECIPE <3 I'm obsessed with your recipes, I never end up missing the sugar! 🙂 Have a great weekend!

  2. I technically “can” eat sugar, but have been trying to lessen my added sugars. This looks really good- I love the additions of almond, cinnamon, orange as flavors. It reminds me of the flavors in my favorite tea, which is incredibly tasty and sweet (Good Earth original).

    Thanks for the yummy looking recipe!

  3. I really miss blueberry bagels. And french bread. AND pecan sandies, a type of cookie my grandparents (on my dad’s side) would bring to the house for me when I was little :)! But, I suppose, feeling sane and un-murderous is worth it. For the most part. It doesn’t keeo me from missing my bagels. 😉
    VEGirl

  8. Wow, this looks great! Something I’d like to try out!

    I really miss milk. Not to drink it pure, but mostly with my tea. I’m happy that I’ve discovered almond mil as an appropriate substitute, though. And I feel so much better without milk! But still …

  9. Do you have food restrictions or allergies? I just made a S’mores muffins – but without the marshmallows! 🙂

    Great idea – where do you get your inspiration or ideas from? Or are you just genius and come up with them yourself!?

    • Yeah! I can’t eat sugar 😉 And my stomach hurts when I eat dairy and gluten (not officially tested for it, but I can tell my body doesn’t like it)

      Haha! I guess I am a genius 😉

  12. I’ve never made bread pudding before! This recipe looks great! And I would love to try that almond cream sauce maybe in some oats!!

  13. oh I never thought of usuing rice cakes!! Awesome! I’ve used GF bread before and that works well but I like the idea of rice cakes much better. Cheers!
    LC

  14. This recipe looks so good. I was recently thinking about how I wanted bread pudding. Plus, I have a ton of rice cakes because I use them as bread for sandwiches.

    Also I love your bitter chocolate cake (I really didn’t think it was bitter at all… lol)! Soo good! I have never been a huge fan of cake, but every once in a while I want cake and your recipe is soo simple and totally safe for me. I love it!

    I can’t eat dairy or gluten and it has been about two years now since I have eaten either. I really don’t miss them. I feel so much better now and I am way more creative when it comes to food. I have always been adventurous when trying new food, but now food has become fun again, instead of making me feel sick. Some people think that sounds strange since I have restrictions, but I feel fortunate that I figured out my dietary needs.

    • Kayleigh,

      I’m not quite sure if it would or not. Let me know if you do try it, though!