Onion Bread Pudding

This easy meal requires only about 15 minutes of active time, making it ideal for a busy weeknight!

Slice 1 Vidalia onion into 1/4-inch thick slices. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the onion slices for about 3 minutes on each side (note: it's okay if the onion slices fall apart a little, but do your best to keep them intact so you can flip them over easily!).

While the onion cooks, combine 2 cups plain soy milk (such as Silk), 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 1/8 tsp. black pepper (of which I accidentally added 1/2 tsp.!), and the equivalent of 2 eggs using egg replacer (such as Ener-G).

Add 8 cups cubed French bread (about 8 or 9 ounces of bread) and 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese to the soy milk mixture. The original recipe called for Gruyere, but I used the vegan smoked cheddar from Sheese, which made a nice substitute. The original recipe didn't specify how large the bread cubes should be, but mine were about 1-inch.

Spoon the bread mixture into an 8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, and arrange the onion slices on top. Sprinkle the top with an additional 1/4 cup vegan cheese, then bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes - the pudding should be golden and set by the end.

Divide into 4 equal squares (about 1 and 1/2 cups) of 370 calories each. This dish would be great with some asparagus or a simple salad on the side to round out the meal.

Cost:
Vidalia onion $1.31
French bread $1.29