Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe Day 6: Turkey Dressing
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
Mmmmm, I can almost smell the Thanksgiving turkey cooking now, one of those amazing aromas that we all recognize and enjoy. Millions of turkeys will be prepared for the big feast on Thursday, many of which will be stuffed with a tasty combination of bread, vegetables and spices. I often call this “dressing” because I cook it separately and serve it alongside the big bird; others call it “stuffing” when it’s actually cooked inside the turkey. No matter what we call it… I just give it one name: DELICIOUS!
There are countless Thanksgiving dressing recipes. In my home, we only have one. This recipe has been prepared every year since I can remember. However, I made a few changes to this recipe when I was in charge of making the Thanksgiving dressing back in 2001, the year that I began living a healthier lifestyle. As of this day, I haven’t heard one complaint about the changes I made; in fact, I often receive rave reviews about my scrumptious dish! I hope you agree that this is one terrific dressing:
Thanksgiving Turkey Dressing
Ingredients:
- Giblets and neck from turkey
- 8 cups water
- 6 tablespoons Promise fat-free buttery spread
- 1 small chopped onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons sage
- salt and pepper to taste
Simmer the giblets and the neck of the turkey in 8 cups of water on medium-low heat until done (at least 90 minutes). Allow mixture to cool completely.
While the above is cooling, “dry out” one loaf whole wheat bread — and I often use other varieties of bread too: pumpernickel, rye, 7-grain or flax seed. Break up into small pieces and keep in separate bowl.
While waiting for giblets to cool, heat the buttery spread in a saucepan and sautee onion, celery and mushrooms until tender. Remove from heat and cool completely. When the turkey broth is cool, cut up giblets and return them to the broth. Remove and discard the neck (or you can use meat from the neck, which is my preference).
Gently stir together the simmered vegetables, turkey broth, eggs, sage and salt and pepper to taste. Now add to the bowl of dried bread and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be very moist, but you can add a small amount of water if needed.
Preheat oven to 325. Place mixture in a large casserole dish that has been coated with a non-stick spray. Bake 90 minutes at 325 degrees and serve hot. Enjoy!
Nutritional Information (Makes 24 servings)
Per serving: 334 calories; 18g total fat; 128.7g sodium; 1g carbohydrates; 0.3g fiber; 39.5g protein
Per serving: 334 calories; 18g total fat; 128.7g sodium; 1g carbohydrates; 0.3g fiber; 39.5g protein
Photo credit: Adam Selwood
