There’s no denying the delicious allure of stuffing! What’s more, some smart substitutions and tasty superfoods can transform this holiday staple dish into a truly nutritious affair. Using sprouted grain bread offers peak mineral and fiber content; nutty hemp seeds enrich with their high protein; sweet goji berries add antioxidants; and buttery coconut oil provides healthy fats while keeping this recipe fully plant-based.
If you’re wanting to make everything ahead of time, simply prepare the dish up to the point where it goes in the oven. Then, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to two days—you can bake it just before you’re ready to serve and enjoy.
Superfood Stuffing
Serves 8
1 loaf (1 pound) sprouted bread*
6 tablespoons Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil
2 large sweet yellow onions, minced
4 celery stalks, minced
2 tablespoons (packed) minced fresh thyme
2 1/3 cups vegetable stock
1/3 cup dried goji berries
2/3 cup hemp seeds
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Here are step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 300° F. Tear the bread into approximately 1/2-inch up to 1-inch pieces, and spread the pieces onto a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, tossing once or twice midway through cooking, until bread is golden brown and toasted.
Remove the bread from the oven to cool, and turn up the heat to 425° F.
Warm the coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the thyme and cook 1 minute longer.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the vegetable broth, and add ½ teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, mixing to combine.
Add the toasted bread, goji berries, and hemp seeds, and toss very well. Transfer the mixture to a 12” x 9” baking dish. Press the stuffing down lightly to create an even layer. If there are any goji berries exposed on top, press them down to submerge into the stuffing to avoid burning.
Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil, and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes longer, or until the top of the stuffing has started to brown. Serve warm.
*Gluten-free bread may be substituted if desired.