Herbed Bread and Vegetable Stuffing

What to bring to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner potluck? That was the question of the hour last week when I was planning ahead. It has been tremendous fun looking for new recipes that are healthier using olive oil rather than loads of butter without removing the great flavor.

Since I have not been eating meat for 3 weeks, I decided to bring something safe to eat at a potluck. Usually everything is made with meat-based broths or loaded with dairy products so I decided to make this delicious stuffing. It is funny making a stuffing when you do not have the turkey to go along with it, but our hostess was in charge of making the turkey, which looked spectacular.

Please try this new stuffing. It is super flavorful and very hearty. It goes well with a side of vegetables, mash potatoes or even someone's great recipe for stuffed mushrooms!

Herbed Bread and Vegetable Stuffing
serves 8

from Delicious Living




4 ounces fresh spinach leaves (about 4 cups packed)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)

3/4 cup diced onion (1/4-inch dice)

3/4 cup diced carrot (1/4-inch dice)

2 cups stemmed, diced white button mushrooms (1/4-inch dice)

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems

3 cups Ezekial sprouted low sodium bread (or multi-grain bread)
cubes (1/2-inch cubes)

½ cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed
(I use vegetable bouillon cubes)

Steam spinach in a large, wide pot with 1/4 cup water over high heat, about 1 minute, until wilted. To retain its bright green color, drain and immediately plunge into iced water. Squeeze out water, then chop. Set aside.

Rinse and dry pot. Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, and mushrooms. Cover and cook for about 1 minute, until mushrooms release some of their water. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown, reduce heat.

Stir in reserved spinach, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Cook 1 minute. Turn heat to low. Add bread cubes, then broth, stirring well. If bread is especially dense, add a bit more broth to soften to desired texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or turn stuffing into a baking pan brushed with olive oil. Cover and heat at 350˚ until heated through.