Recipe For Healthy Thanksgiving Stuffing

If you love stuffing but are watching your fat, sodium or calorie intake, you'll love this recipe for healthy Thanksgiving stuffing. Use whole-wheat bread, antioxidant-rich cranberries, vegetables and low-sodium chicken broth to create a high-fiber, low-fat dish with all the flavor of traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. In addition, cooking the stuffing apart from the turkey will both avoid adding fat from the meat and help prevent foodborne illnesses, since people very often don't cook a Thanksgiving turkey long enough for the stuffing to reach a safe temperature. Read the recipe for healthy Thanksgiving stuffing below if you want to add a healthy alternative to your holiday meal.

To make healthy Thanksgiving stuffing, you will need:

• 1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 10 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground sage
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• A skillet
• A non-stick cooking spray
• A bowl
• A large spoon
• A two-quart baking dish
• Aluminum foil

1. To make a healthy Thanksgiving stuffing, first spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms and sautee over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, but not brown. This should take about five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (325 for glass or shiny metal pans). Spray a two-quart baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Combine the cooked vegetables, herbs, spices, cranberries and apple in a bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Pour the healthy Thanksgiving stuffing into the baking dish. Pour the chicken broth evenly over the stuffing.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for twenty minutes. Bake for another ten minutes uncovered. Serve your healthy Thanksgiving stuffing warm with the Thanksgiving turkey.

Resources:

Mayo Clinic: Stuffing with Cranberries

CNN: Stuffing Safety