Healthy Holiday: Cranberry Artichoke Stuffing

It’s almost here – Thanksgiving! It is probably the most food-focused holiday there is, so it seems appropriate that this week we talk about a favorite side dish…stuffing! Who doesn’t love stuffing? All those mushy carbs soaked in fat. Yum! OK, yes, stuffing is delicious but it can also be very unhealthy. One website published this estimate of calories consumed on Turkey Day, stuffing comes in around 500.

We can do better, right? Change it up this year, and you’re looking at eliminating 340 calories! (That’s like and extra slice of pumpkin pie, one more dinner roll AND some additional cranberry sauce.) Try it out and let me know what you think. Will it become a regular staple on your Thanksgiving buffet?

Ingredients

• 8 artichokes (medium size), prepared and cooked as directed for whole (OR buy canned, quartered artichokes – NOT marinated)
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 5 cups bread crumbs
• 2 cups cranberries, freshly chopped (for easier chopping, freeze cranberries and chop with food processor fitted with metal blade)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. crushed dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• pepper to taste

Directions

Remove outer petals from artichokes; save to enjoy as an appetizer or snack. Remove center petals and fuzzy centers of artichokes; trim out hearts. Chop hearts and place in a large bowl. Set aside. Steam carrots and onions for 8 to 10 minutes, or until carrots are nearly tender. Add steamed vegetables to artichokes; stir in bread crumbs, cranberries, thyme and allspice. Toss until well combined. Sprinkle orange juice over mixture to moisten stuffing as desired. Toss well; season with pepper. Bake in a lightly greased baking dish, covered, during the last 30 to 40 minutes of roasting.

Serves: 10.

Per serving: 160 calories, 1 g fat, 230 mg sodium, 35 g total carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 8 g protein