Stuffing is the bread and butter of the Thanksgiving season, and that’s basically all it is: bread and butter … two things we are constantly being told to cut back on. You can make a few easy changes that you can make to create a stuffing that is not only healthier, but also has a richer flavor. Changing from white bread to whole grain bread will not just provide more fiber and nutrients, but also a toasty nutty taste. Or switching half of the butter for olive oil adds some heart-healthy fats while cutting back on the not so healthy saturated fat. You can also add any vegetable, nuts, seeds or seasonal fruit to your stuffing too. This recipe calls for wild mushrooms, but you can also try it with some chopped apple, shredded carrot, dried cranberry, walnuts or a mix of all of them!
Ingredients:
1 loaf of whole grain bread (14-15 oz.)
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. wild mushrooms (mushroom variety pack)
2 shallots (thinly sliced)
2 bunches of green onion (thinly sliced)
2 ribs of celery
¾ cup fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons of each: fresh thyme, fresh oregano, fresh sage
3 cloves of garlic
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
3 large eggs
3/4 cups low sodium broth (veg, chicken, beef, bone) plus additional ½-3/4 cup if needed
4 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread the cubed bread on large rimmed baking sheet and transfer into the oven. Bake until bread is dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Use one tablespoon of butter to grease a large baking dish. Melt the remaining butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the celery, green onions, various herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes more. Place the bread cubes in large bowl. Add the warm vegetable mixture; toss to combine.
Whisk the eggs and 3/4 cup broth in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to stuffing and toss to coat. Mix in Parmesan. Add more broth (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) to stuffing if it still looks and feels dry. Transfer to skillet or baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1/8 dish
Calories: 360; Total fat: 18g; Sodium: 358mg; Total Carb: 13.9g; Fiber: 5.1g; Sugar: 2.8g; Protein: 18.5g
Adapted from: Wild Mushroom Stuffing // Stuffing Recipe 101 – What’s Gaby Cooking (whatsgabycooking.com)
