Reading Time: 3 minutesThanksgiving is very much a food-centered holiday, but it comes with challenges for those who are working on maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the holidays.
I decided I wanted to give a well-known Thanksgiving dish a “healthy makeover.” Being gluten-free, I don’t get the opportunity to partake in stuffing, as it is typically made with bread, so I thought it would be a nice change to make this traditional Thanksgiving dish grain-free.
This version of Thanksgiving stuffing includes a seasonal favorite of mine: delicata squash. The usual ingredients such as carrots, celery, and apple come together with the familiar flavors of parsley and thyme to create a comforting and nutritious dish.
This stuffing may be enjoyed as a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, or on its own with a small spoonful of clarified butter or grass-fed butter on top.
Grain-Free Thanksgiving Stuffing
This stuffing may be enjoyed as a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, or on its own with a small spoonful of clarified butter or grass-fed butter on top.
Ingredients
- 2 delicata squash
- 2 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 apple
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon salt divided (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
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While the oven is preheating, prepare the delicata squash by first cutting each squash in half lengthwise. With a fork, de-seed the inside of the squash halves.
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Then, cut the squash into 1/2-inch thick slices. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over the squash and toss.
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Arrange the squash slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 40 minutes, or until the squash have slightly browned, flipping the squash slices halfway through.
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While the squash is roasting, chop the carrots, celery, apples, mushroom, and garlic.
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In a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and turn the stove on medium-high.
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Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
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Add the carrots and celery, stir for a minute, and then add the mushrooms, apples, salt, and pepper.
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Mix all of the ingredients together and cook for 5 minutes.
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Add the walnuts, parsley, and thyme and stir once more. Turn the stove off and allow the flavors to combine in the remnant heat.
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When the squash has finished roasting, remove the slices from the baking sheet and transfer them to the pan with the remaining ingredients. Gently toss to combine and serve warm.
Tulika has always enjoyed cooking healthy meals to complement her active lifestyle, and she especially loves creating recipes that are accessible for anyone to follow. She has been a vegetarian for her entire life and was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2014, which inspired her to become even more creative with her meals.
Tulika lives with her husband and puppy in Seattle, Washington. She chronicles her gluten-free and vegetarian recipe creations, her Seattle food adventures, and her curious love of arm balances and handstands on her Instagram account.
She writes about various food and wellness topics in her blog, Karma Eats, and has been featured in a podcast in the Glutenfree Globalicious Magazine.
