November’s Healthy Stuffing Recipe

The holiday season is in the air and Thanksgiving dinner is just around the corner! When holiday season hits, it’s more than expected to put on a few pounds with all of the delicious home-cooked meals making their way around the table. Even though there is no better time to take a day off from your diet than for Thanksgiving dinner, it is always good to try healthy recipe substitutions for some of the crowd favorites.

Whether it’s the cranberry sauce, green bean casserole or turkey, everyone has that one dish they can’t resist eating during the holidays. One dish that everyone can agree on loving is stuffing casserole. With every warm and flavorful bite, this dish continues to win people over year after year.

This year, why not take a healthy and fresh twist on this American classic? Eating Well magazine has the perfect healthy substitute for everyone’s favorite comfort food. Their pear, prosciutto and hazelnut stuffing casserole not only incorporates deliciously healthy ingredients, but it’s good enough to compete with the real thing!

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced, cut into ribbons
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 2 cups diced fennel bulb
• 1/4 cup minced shallot
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 8 cups stale baguette, preferably multi-grain (not sourdough), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto; cook, stirring, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
3. Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel and shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add sage, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Transfer everything to a large bowl and gently stir in bread, pears, parsley, hazelnuts and the prosciutto. Add broth; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared baking dish; cover with foil.
4. Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and bake until the top is beginning to crisp, 25 to 30 minutes more

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• Note: If you don’t have stale bread ready to use, spread the baguette cubes on a baking sheet and toast at 250°F until crisped and dry, about 15 minutes.
• Tip: To toast chopped nuts & seeds: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutritional Facts

• Per serving: 176 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 6 gfiber; 489 mg sodium; 283 mg potassium.
• Carbohydrate Servings: 1 ½
• Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat