Healthy Easy Stuffing

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

This my first married thanksgiving, and although we are nowhere near our families I am so thankful to be able to share this holiday with my amazing husband and new friends!

I was asked to make the stuffing...

Have I ever made stuffing?

 No.

Of course I have to make it from scratch.

And it needs to be healthier than the boxed alternative.

Also have no meat....other recipes I looked at called for some sort of sausage....WHAT?  

Who stuffs a turkey with another meat? That sounds so ODD and probably against some animal right policy 

(even though I, personally, am not stuffing the turkey with this as it is being brought as a side...still people. Sausage?)

ANYWAYS, this is what I came up with, and it was DELICIOUS!

Easy, healthy and flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Oroweat whole wheat Premium Stuffing-Herb Seasoning--a mouthful I know. (you can also just get a loaf of whole wheat bread and let it sit out in the open air for ~2 days til it drys out and cut the loaf into cubes then season with desired herbs)

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, plain (Optional--just added a little more umph to the mix)

• 1 tbs olive oil

• 1 tbs butter (I used parkay)

• 3 chopped celery stalks

• 1 large carrot peeled and chopped

• 1/2 onion, minced

• 3/4 cup dried cranberries 

• 3 cup chicken broth (or veggie broth) 

• 2 large eggs

• 1tsp parsley

• 1/2 salt

• 1/4 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp rosemary

Directions:

Heat a large skillet on medium high with 1 tbs olive oil and 1tbs butter
Peel and chop carrots, chop celery, and mince onion. Place in skillet and saute for 2-3 min. 
Add parsley, salt, oregano, and rosemary. Stir for 1 min
Stir in dried cranberries for 1 min. 
Remove from heat

Preheat oven 400 degrees 

Pour bread cubes and bread crumbs into a large bowl. 
Whisk eggs and pour over bread mixture.
Dump veggie mix from skillet into bread mixture and mix very well. (BE CAREFUL VEGGIE MIXTURE WILL BE HOT)

Spread evenly into a large baking pan. Evenly pour 3 cups of broth over mixture. Cover mixture with foil and bake for 25 min. 

Remove foil, stir stuffing, and bake for ~10 min, or until top of mixture is golden and crispy. (LESS TIME IF YOU LIKE IT MORE MOIST)

Serve while warm with some Turkey.

ENJOY!!!!