Spicy-Sweet Kabocha and Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Kabocha squash is my new favorite. This sweet and spicy combination shows squash at its best - tossed in a variety of spices and sugar with a dash of soy and sesame oil. The combination is absolutely delicious and the squash is tender and amazing to the touch. I recommend making it immediately - and then many more times afterwards.

Along with the amazing squash, this meal featured some fantastic bread pudding. Bread pudding is always delicious, but here there is the extra delight of pumpkin. There's really nothing not to love here. The taste, the texture. it's perfect, and lightened up considerably so while not exactly full of health it does pack a wallop of vitamins A and C and at least it won't leave you feeling guilty. Finally, I paired these fall classics with some blackened albacore tuna for an all-around great meal.

Difficulty: medium
Time: 1 hr 45 min
Cost: $13.13

Nutrition and recipe below the jump!



Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Time: 1 hr 45 min

Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c sugar
1 1/4 c fat free milk
4.5 c challah, cubed (1/2")

Mix the pumpkin, pumpkin spice, sugar, and milk in a large bowl until well combined. Add the bread and toss gently to coat.

Spray an 8 inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the bread pudding into the dish and spread out evenly. Cover with foil and put in the fridge. Chill at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour. You can leave it up to 4 hrs if needed.

When the bread pudding is nearly chilled, get your oven pre-heating to 350 degrees. Fill a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish with water to about an inch. Place the bread pudding dish inside. Heating it this way allows the bread pudding to cook evenly and stay creamy without getting dried out.

Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. If it's done a knife inserted in the middle should come out clean. Enjoy hot.

Servings: 9
Serving size: about 1 cup
Nutrition: calories 145; carbs 27g; fat 2g; protein 5g; sodium 89mg; iron 2mg

Spicy-Sweet Kabocha
Time: 45 min

Ingredients:
1 kabocha squash, thinly sliced (/4")
2.5 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread parchment paper over a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Put the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a plastic bag. Put the squash slices in the bag and toss until it's coated. Add the soy sauce and toss again.

Spread the squash in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle the oil evenly over the slices.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the slices. Bake for another 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Servings: 4
Serving size: about 3/4 c
Nutrition: calories 81; carbs 17g; fat 1g; protein 0g; sodium 145mg; iron 0mg