Vegan Stuffing: It's Not Just for Thanksgiving Anymore

I'll be honest. This stuffing is far from traditional. And if you're not into trying new things, you likely won't enjoy it. Now that we have that out of the way, if you're up for an adventure: try this recipe. Not only does it look impressive (full of color and texture) atop your holiday spread . . . it tastes good, too!

What I like best about stuffing is how easy it is to make. You throw a bunch of stuff in a bowl, bake it, and -- here's the best part -- you can adjust easily to meet your taste. Keep this whole adjusting thing in mind when giving this one a try. If you don't like cranberries, don't add them . . . or add less of them. If ginger doesn't thrill you, consider another spice. Etc.

Be creative. After all, it's your stomach.

What you'll need . . .

• 1 package whole wheat stuffing crumbs (the kind you just buy at the store -- it's easy)
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 celery stalks, chopped
• Fresh ginger, finely chopped (to taste -- a little goes a long way)
• 1/2 to 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1 to 2 medium apples, skinned and chopped (Granny Smith works best)
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 8 large basil leaves, chopped (I ripped mine and thew them in)
• 1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts
• 2 to 3 (or 4, depending on how soft you like your stuffing) cans vegetable broth
  

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium pan over medium heat, saute the onion, celery, and ginger in a bit of vegetable broth until glassy.
3. Add in the mushrooms, apples, and cranberries (also add a bit more vegetable broth, if necessary) and cook until just soft.
4. In a large bowl, toss in your stuffing crumbs. Then add the onion-celery-ginger-apple-mushroom-cranberry mixture. Toss in the pine nuts and basil . . . and mix with your hands.
5. Transfer to-be stuffing to a 9 by 13 inch glass pan.
6. Pour your veggie broth over the mixture one can at a time. You can always add more -- even after you've started baking it -- so do this part with some restraint.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. I checked mine every 15 to 20 minutes or so and adjusted the moisture level to our taste (not too soft, not too stiff).

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Whole Wheat Cranberry-Hazelnut Stuffing

In honor of next week's big holiday, I thought I'd go through the METHOD archives to find my absolute favorite stuffing recipe. It truly transcends usual holiday fare and often makes an appearance at our dining room table in the off season, so you KNOW it's a keeper.

Don't like cranberries or hazelnuts? Try experimenting with apples and walnuts, perhaps. Or maybe even dried blueberries and pecans. I don't know -- be creative! And be sure to let me know about it, please. :)


What you'll need . . .

• 6 cups whole wheat croutons
• 1-1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1-1/2 cup chopped portabella (or baby bella, in my case) mushrooms
• 1 cup dried cranberries (or more or less, depending on your taste for cranberries)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• ground pepper (to taste)
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup steel-cut oats

Method . . .

1. Heat oil and add onion, saute until translucent. Then add mushrooms and cranberries, saute another 5 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine croutons with the onion/mushroom/cranberry mixture . . . and then add everything BUT the vegetable stock.
3. Then, add the vegetable stock to the mix slowly . . . turning with a rubber spatula (or your hands) to combine.
4. Transfer everything to a shallow 1-1/2 quart baking pan (ours was a different size), and bake 15 minutes.
5. Stir mixture and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.

NOTE: You may need to add more vegetable stock depending on how wet or dry your stuffing turns out. Just add liquid 1/4 cup at a time to be safe (and not too soggy).

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