Tell me you've got a decadent dish that you've altered to make it healthy, and I am liable to run in the other direction. I've tried far too many dry, weird, crumbly dishes created by well-meaning friends who nod encouragingly and say: "Isn't it healthy?" I'd generally much prefer to eat small portions of genuinely decadent foods.

This breakfast bread pudding appeals because it's not pretending to be a dessert. While I would normally have balked at making a bread pudding with whole grain bread, once you reduce the amount of custard and add fruit and nuts, it suddenly makes a whole lot of sense as a breakfast treat.

What I like about this dish is that it tastes moderately sweet, nutty and rich without being heavy. I used a 7-grain, seed-heavy bread that wasn't terribly dense.The bread pudding ended up crispy at the edges and perfectly moist toward the center. The fruit and honey add just enough sweetness to make it taste indulgent while still feeling somewhat virtuous.

New York Times food writer Mark Bittman, whose recipe I adapted, suggests using raisins. I am not a raisin fan, so I used dried cherries. Blueberries could also work. If you don't like apples, you can replace those with pears or peaches.

Breakfast Bread Pudding
adapted from Mark Bittman's "Food Matters"

Ingredients
Butter or other oil for greasing the pan
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt
4 medium to large apples, cored, peeled and cut into chunks or slices
1/2 cup dried cherries (or raisins)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nut (optional)
8 slices whole or multigrain bread, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2-quart or 8-inch-square baking dish. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the apples, raisins, and nuts. Then fold in the bread cubes, making sure everything is evenly coated. Let the mixture set for about 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. You can prepare the pudding ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden and only a little wobbly in the center. Let it sit for a few minutes before cutting. Serve warm or cold. This keeps well for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.

Serves 4-6.

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for the AnnArbor.com community team. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.