Everyone knows Thanksgiving is all about the sides. I could make my entire Thanksgiving meal out of the potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce in the shape of a can, and brown sugar glazed carrots. Oh, and apple cobbler! Turkey? There was turkey on the table too? Oh well… I’ll just have turkey for leftovers tomorrow.
With all that eating, I figured at least we could get some kind of healthy in the mix. Here’s my recipe for a healthy stuffing that won’t leave you unbuttoning your slacks and wishing you had put your fork down after round two. With whole grain bread, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and a slightly sweet n’ tart combo from Bartlett pears and roasted cranberries, this stuffing will fill you up without filling up your calorie bank before the pie comes out of the oven!
Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll!
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 pear, cubed
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 onions, sliced thinly
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 8-10 sage leaves, minced
- 2 cups brussels sprouts, quartered
- 1/2 cup cranberries, halved
- 1 loaf (about 4 cups) cubed wheat bread
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup spinach, shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (or other italian blend)
- EVOO, as needed
- S&P to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 deg. On a large rimmed baking sheet or Silpat (love my Silpat!), toss squash and pear cubes with a drizzle of olive oil and bake for 40 min, tossing halfway between, until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, saute garlic, onions, mushrooms, and sage in a large skillet with a little olive oil on medium-high, or until caramelized, 4-5 min. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Toss cubed bread in bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Add squash, onion mixture, and spinach on top and toss to combine.
- Pour vegetable oil over top of casserole and gently toss so that all of the bread cubes are soaked through.
- Top casserole with cheese, reserving a bit for finishing.
- On the same pan you used for the squash, toss brussels sprouts and halved cranberries with some more olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cranberries are soft and sprouts are crispy around the edges.
- Add to top of casserole and top with remaining cheese and cover with foil.
- Lower oven to 350 deg and bake 30 min covered, then 10 min uncovered.
Claire Tastes 
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