On Thanksgiving, I can forego everything but the stuffing. We began eating a plant based diet just a few weeks before Thanksgiving the year we started this and what a holiday to not be able to sit down and eat the traditional meal. So it was essential for me to find a way to have a stuffing that tasted as close as possible to my recipe of cornbread stuffing with wild rice and sausage, the recipe for stuffing that became our standard after working on it for years.
The new plant based version is very similar, a combination of the stuffing I grew up with, cornbread stuffing, and the stuffing my husband likes--wild rice and sausage. This version leaves out the diced boiled eggs, diced gizzard, heart and turkey broth and meat from the neck that I used to boil and include.
You know what? I actually like this version better.
 |
| Cornbread Stuffing |
Recipe:
1 batch cornbread from a plant-based, no added fat recipe prepared and cooled (can be made a day ahead, I always do it the night before--it's a tradition)
2 cups long grain and wild rice mix such as Rice a Roni Nature's Way prepared without oil but do use the seasoning packet
2 cups vegan sausage substitute like textured soy, as low fat as possible (or see recipe below)
4 stalks celery, diced
1 cup soy curls, rehydrated with 3/4 cup hot not-chicken bouillon and diced into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup walnuts (toasted) and chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic finely diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped very coarsely
2 tsp. dried rubbed sage or poultry seasoning
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cups broth (mushroom, vegetable or not-chicken bouillon stock)
Cut cornbread into 1/2" cubes and set aside.
Sauté celery and garlic in nonstick skillet,
add broth and cook until garlic is tender.
Toss all ingredients in large bowl. You may need to add more broth to make sure stuffing is moist but not saturated, then transfer to baking dish, 9x13 or similar. Cover with foil or casserole lid and bake at 325 degrees farenheit for 60 minutes.
Sausage recipe:
1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, unflavored)
1 cup vegetable broth, hot
1/4 tsp dry powdered ginger
1/8 tsp anise, crushed fine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary, crushed
Stir all seasonings and broth into TVP and let sit for 10 minutes.
(Stir in 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten if pressing into patties such as for breakfast.)
Stuffing is even better the second day! Serving suggestion: sprinkle dried cranberries over the top of each serving.
This is ideal stuffed into large mushroom caps and baked until mushrooms are tender in a covered casserole with a little vegetable broth.
