Quinoa Stuffing
A delicious and flavorful, protein-rich stuffing for those looking for a gluten-free option for Thanksgiving.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 349kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 medium onion. chopped
- 2-3 stalks organic celery. chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 unpeeled organic apple. chopped
- ½ lb. Italian sausage (turkey sausage could also be used)
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted (see below)
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or 1-½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary or ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place quinoa and chicken stock in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until done. Set aside.
- Place bacon in a large skillet and cook until browned. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to drain.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, saute onions, celery and garlic in bacon drippings for 5 minutes.
- Add butter, cranberries, apple, sausage, and seasonings and cook an additional 5-10 minutes, stirring to break up the sausage, or until the sausage is cooked through.
- Stir in cooked quinoa, toasted pecans, parsley and crumbled bacon.
In or Out of the Turkey Options
- 1. Stuff the turkey (or roasting chicken) if you are cooking it immediately or place the stuffing in the refrigerator overnight and stuff the turkey just prior to cooking.
- 2. Place the stuffing in a baking dish sprayed with a nonstick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes alongside the turkey.
- Makes enough to stuff a 10-12 lb. turkey.
Notes
To Toast Pecans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place nuts on cookie sheet in single layer and bake 5-7 minutes.
Seasonings: You can sub 3-4 teaspoons poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper for all the spices listed.
STORE/FREEZE/REHEAT
Store: in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: in an oven-safe dish covered in foil at 350°F for about 15 minutes. You can also microwave it on high in 1-minute intervals until warm, stirring between each interval.
Nutrition
Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 11.1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
