Holiday feasts just don’t seem complete without the presence of a heaping bowlful of stuffing. And while it’s tempting to reach for the store-bought boxed variety during the festive season time crunch, what’s unappetizing is the refined carbs and laundry list of mystery items that most often populate ingredient lists. After all, who ever says, “Mmm, disodium inosinate”?
This easy from-scratch version ditches the soggy white bread for much healthier quinoa and packs in plenty of satisfying herby flavour. Roasted sweet potatoes add creamy texture, and chunks of pear deliver seasonal sweetness to please a crowd. Nobody will be tempted to drown this stuffing in gravy.
Tip
Warming your pan in the oven as it preheats helps the vegetables roast as soon as they hit the hot pan to encourage better browning. (Read: yum!)
Quinoa Stuffing
Ingredients
- 4 tsp (20 mL) grapeseed or sunflower oil, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) tri-coloured quinoa
- 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tsp (10 mL) dry sage
- 2 large unpeeled sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
- 4 peeled shallots, sliced in half
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 unpeeled Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) pecan halves, chopped
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) dried cherries (optional)
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh thyme
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories250
- protein6g
- fat9g
- saturated fat1g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates37g
- sugars7g
- fibre6g
- sodium218mg
Directions
01
In large saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tsp (10 mL) oil. Place quinoa in pan and heat, stirring often, until it smells toasted. Add broth and sage to pan, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork.
02
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and place rimmed baking sheet in oven as it heats. Toss sweet potato and shallots with remaining oil and salt. Spread out on warmed baking sheet. Roast until sweet potato is tender, stirring once, about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop shallots.
03
In large bowl, stir together quinoa, sweet potato, shallots, celery, pears, pecans, cherries (if using), thyme, and rosemary. Add cider vinegar and toss to combine.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Purple Cabbage and Apple Soup
This vibrant soup is a soul-soothing hug in a bowl. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that promote health and proper brain function. Apple swap Try swapping out the apples in this recipe for pears. Just like the apples, the subtle sweetness of pears helps balance out the earthiness of the cabbage.
Herb and Greens Frittata
Deep green fruits and vegetables are high on the list of health-promoting foods. Green foods have been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients that promote good cardiovascular health and can inhibit certain carcinogens. Serve this frittata alongside a leafy green salad for an unbeatable green culinary experience. Versatile leftovers Any leftover frittata makes a wonderful filling for a sandwich along with other thinly sliced vegetables you have on hand and a smear of hummus.
Caramelized Fennel and Yogurt Dip
This creamy dip will be your go-to for dunking vegetables or for spooning over roast chicken or root vegetables as a sauce. Compounds found in fennel have been shown to stimulate the production of T-cells in our body, which, in turn, may help improve our immune response to infections. If white is right If you would like to stay on the white theme, try serving this dip with an array of white vegetables such as endive leaves, jicama sticks, daikon rounds, steamed nugget potatoes, and cauliflower florets.
Tempeh and Mango Curry
The stars of this delicious curry dish are yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, which are high in a form of carotenoids called xanthophylls. These compounds have more of a yellow pigment as opposed to their orangier cousins, the carotenes. While a powerful antioxidant, xanthophylls are mostly associated with maintaining good eye health. Mix and match This curry is easily adaptable to whichever vegetables you have on hand. Experiment to find your favourite combination.