Greek-Style Bread Pudding

Bread puddings are often thought of as a sweet dessert, but they make a great savory entree, too. All you need is some type of leftover bread (fresh bread is too chewy - you want it to be at least a day old), vegetables, the vegan equivalents of milk and eggs, and you're good to go! This version has some of the signature flavors of Greece - the spinach, the raisins, and the vegan feta.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 6 cups sliced cremini mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove; cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally - the mushrooms should be tender.

Stir in 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1 (14-ounce) drained can of Italian-style diced tomatoes, and 1 (10-ounce) package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in advance. Stir to combine, then remove from heat and cool slightly.

I forgot to thaw the spinach ahead of time, but if you do, too, fret not - I just heated mine in the microwave about 1 minute to speed up the process. To squeeze dry, press with several layers of paper towels in a colander.

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups plain soy milk, 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta (such as Sunergia) and the equivalent of 4 eggs using egg replacer (such as Ener-G - that's 4 tablespoons of the powder and 1/2 cup of warm water). Add the mushroom mixture, along with 8 ounces of (1-inch) cubed Italian bread - I recommend leaving the crusts on for better texture in the final product. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.

Coat a 2-quart (8x11-inch) baking dish with cooking spray, and spoon in the bread pudding. Sprinkle the top with an additional 1/2 cup of vegan feta. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then divide into 6 equal portions and serve. This makes a great meal alongside a simple tossed green salad. Each serving of the bread pudding is 350 calories.


Cost:
cremini mushrooms $7.94
golden raisins $2.99
canned Italian-style diced tomatoes $1.19
frozen spinach $2.99
plain soy milk $2.49
vegan feta $3.69
Italian bread $1.99