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!!!!

Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil & Pine Nuts

Want a healthy, light, fresh pasta for dinner? TRY THIS!

Recipe curtousy of theitaliandishblog.com
Ingredients

• 10 ounces of grape tomatoes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt & pepper
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 10 ounces spaghetti
• 14 ounces very small tomatoes (about 8 to 10), cut into chunks
• 8 ounces mozzarella, cubed
• about 10 basil leaves, julienned

Instructions:

For the slow roasted tomatoes: 
 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil.  Slice grape tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Toss well. Bake for about two hours or until the tomatoes are reduced down and have lost a lot of their moisture. (WARNING: this will make your house smell like sweet tomato heaven and when they're done you're going to have to control yourself from eating them all)

Toast the pine nuts:
Place pine nuts in a small skillet.  Cook over medium high heat just for a few minutes, until lightly toasted. 

Make the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta just until al dente. Remove with tongs and place in a large serving bowl (don't drain- you want a little pasta water still on the pasta so it doesn't stick).

Putting it together:
Add the slow roasted tomatoes, the toasted pine nuts, the fresh tomatoes, the mozzarella, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the basil leaves.  Season generously with salt and pepper and toss well. 

*p.s. you can also make this as a side dish for a dinner party and impress all your friends :)

ENJOY!!!!

Nutrition Information

339 cals * 31 carbs * 21g Fat  * 10g Protein * 3g sugar * 4g Fiber