This healthy Christmas pudding recipe comes nutritionist-approved

A staple of any festive spread

No Christmas spread is complete without the fiery entertainment and sweet smell of a Christmas pudding. Image: Supplied

This timeless festive dish has just got an upgrade, combining the dessert’s traditional flavours with a more health-conscious approach. Add this recipe to this year’s festivities and wow the family this Christmas.

Whether you’re a die-hard pudding fan or tend to pick at the bits slathered in ice cream, no one can deny the festive dessert is a staple of the Christmas season. 

But traditional pudding recipes tend to favour quite dense, heavy ingredients, which can be especially hard to stomach after a long day of Christmas celebrations. Luckily, Gabrielle Newman, the nutritionist and recipe developer for The Fast 800 Programme, has the crafted perfect recipe upgrade. 

Her Christmas pudding is the perfect blend of timeless flavours and more health-conscious ingredients, with less than half the sugar contents of a store-bought one. At 256 calories per serving, including 5.2 grams of protein and 4.5 grams of fibre, this classic dessert won’t leave you feeling sluggish and stuffed but reaching for seconds. 

Here’s how to make Newman’s Christmas pudding.

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Christmas pudding

Serves: nine

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: two hours

Ingredients

• 50g cranberry 
• 50g currants
• 190g prunes, diced
• 50g mixed peel
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice 
• 130g wholemeal flour
• 30g almonds, roughly chopped
• 30g Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 200g courgette/zucchini, grated
• 80g butter, melted
• 2 eggs, whisked

This new pudding recipe will give your nan's a run for its money. Image: Supplied

Method

1. Mix everything together except the butter and eggs. 
2. Once the flour and spices coat all the fruit and courgette/zucchini, add the eggs and mix well. Then add the butter and mix well.
3. Pour mix into a well-oiled or buttered bowl that is safe to steam (this could be a metal bowl or ceramic pudding dish with a lip) and will fit in a large pot.
4. Cover the pudding directly with two pieces of baking paper, cut it into circles to cover the top, so it’s nice and neat. Then cover the dish with foil– making sure it’s quite tight around the edges. You may need to use some kitchen string around the outside.
5. Place the pudding dish in a large pot of boiling water– the water should be about halfway up the pudding dish. 
6. Steam for two hours, or until a skewer comes out clean. During cooking, keep topping up with boiling water so it stays at the halfway point. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure the water is continuously simmering. 
7. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow it to cool before sliding a knife or spatula down the side and turning out to serve. Alternatively, cover the pudding dish in cling film and store it in the fridge for a few days before serving.
8. Serve with a dollop of thickened cream.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or batch cook and freeze in portions for up to two months. Defrost and reheat before serving. To reheat, simply place in the microwave on high for two to three minutes, or put back into the pudding bowl and steam again for 20-30 minutes. 

For more healthy lifestyle tips and recipes, head to https://thefast800.com

Originally published as This healthy Christmas pudding recipe comes nutritionist-approved