A Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing

Now is a time to give thanks for our loved ones, our lives, and even the shoes on our feet. Don’t forget to give thanks to your heart, too! Reward yourself and your body with a healthier version of stuffing that is low fat, low sodium, and high in fiberous whole grains. Most of all, this recipe serves 8 people.

• 1 Loaf of Dave’s Killer 21-grain Bread cut into 1-inch cubes, or other bread with 5g fiber or more, and 180mg sodium or less per slice

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 Medium onions – diced

• 2 Stalks of celery – diced

• 2 Medium Granny Smith apples – cored and large diced

• 1 Tbsp sage

• 1 Tbsp rosemary

• 1 Tbsp thyme

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 lb of low sodium or homemade chorizo

• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock

• 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the bread and place in a very large mixing bowl.

2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, rosemary, sage, thyme, and pepper. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Add to the bread cubes.

3. In the same pan, cook the Chorizo Sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spatula to a small grind. Add to bowl with the bread and vegetables.

4. Add the chicken stock, mix well, and pour into a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned on top and hot in the middle. Sprinkle over dried cranberries. Serve warm.

Quick Tip: #traderjoes has an awesome #mirepoix mix of pre-diced carrots, celery, and onions. I'll use that to cut corners instead of dicing all the veggies myself.

Happy Thanksgiving!