Gluten Free Walnut Stuffing (Dressing) Recipe

This is really why I love Thanksgiving.

It isn't the turkey...

It's the stuffing.

This is what I looked forward to all year long as a kid. My family only made stuffing on Thanksgiving, so I had one chance the entire year to have some! We made Pepperidge Farms stuffing and I thought it was the best food on the planet. Until I realized I was sensitive to wheat. It wasn't until I became gluten free in 2007 that I learned how to make real stuffing from scratch.

Michael loves stuffing too. And since we could both stand to lose a few pounds, it's a good thing we continue to only make this wonderful dish around the holidays!

I made a test run of a gluten free vegetarian dressing/stuffing recipe earlier this week. We had it with dinner and absolutely loved it! Especially with a savory mushroom gravy, which I'll be posting later this week!

To make GOOD gluten free stuffing, you need a bread that tends to be a bit dry -- but doesn't become MUSHY when wet. Food for Life Brown Rice Bread is what I often keep in the freezer. It's vegan (no eggs), gluten free, and made from whole grains. It's also available locally and the texture is perfect for stuffing. I used vegetable broth as my liquid, although you could equally use water, chicken broth, or turkey stock.

I decided to add nuts to this vegetarian stuffing both for crunch, flavor, and protein. I believe you will truly enjoy this vegetarian stuffing. We certainly did and I will make a large batch to take to our family Thanksgiving dinner next week.


Gluten Free Walnut Stuffing/Dressing
Created by Carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com
(Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan)

6-8 cups gluten free bread, cubed (I usually do half cubed/ half "crumbed" -- see notes!)
1-2 tablespoons poultry seasoning (this is very important, especially in a vegetarian stuffing!)
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 1/2 - 2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan margarine (I used a combination of both)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Place cubed gluten free bread in a LARGE bowl and set aside. Melt 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil or vegan margarine in a large skillet on the stove top. When sizzling, add chopped onions, celery, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Saute until onions are translucent. Add salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Cook until onions and celery are translucent and softened. Add cooked vegetables and nuts to bread cubes in large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Slowly add 1 cup of vegetable broth or desired liquid to bread cubes. If you like a moist dressing add additional chicken broth until desired consistency is reached. Pour dressing into an oven safe casserole dish or large 9 x 13" baking pan. Drizzle remaining melted coconut oil or vegan margarine evenly over the dressing. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until crispy and brown on top. Serve immediately!

Printer-friendly version.

Carrie's Cooking Notes:

• Gluten Free Bread: You can use any type of gluten free bread for this stuffing, you can even use a combination of cornbread & your favorite gluten free yeast bread. If your bread is especially moist, you will need to toast it before cubing it for stuffing. Be aware though, that some types of GF bread can make a very soggy dressing, especially if you are not careful with the liquid. I always opt for less liquid if there is any doubt, but I like a very crisp dressing. ALSO... I take half of my bread cubes and grind them into crumbs in my blender. I think this makes for a better dressing and is more like the "Pepperidge Farms" stuffing I ate as a child! Here are several homemade gluten free bread recipes you can use for your stuffing if you choose to make your bread:

1. Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
2. Gluten Free Cornbread
3. Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread
4. Gluten Free 5 Flour Bread
   

• Vegetable Broth: Feel free to use whatever liquid you prefer. Traditionally of course, chicken broth or turkey broth is often used. But water also works just as well, though it does lack in flavor. Use what you have available though, I don't think it will change the overall taste of this dish!

• Walnuts & Sunflower Seeds: I added these for crunch, texture, and of course flavor. Feel free to use the nuts and/or seeds that you prefer and have on hand. Pecans or cashews would also be very tasty and crunchy!

My Favorite Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes

Over the next week and a half I'll be sharing some of my best Thanksgiving recipes. I have some new vegetarian versions of my old favorites coming along... as well as some new holiday menus... I look forward to hearing your comments and questions as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!

I challenge you to make your recipes healthier this holiday season. While it is a special season with lots of wonderful foods to choose from, I don't think the season has to be unhealthy.

I've followed a mostly vegan diet the past 3 months and I feel so much better. While I haven't lost the weight I was hoping for, my body just feels healthy and happy. I'd like to keep it that way, especially over the holidays!

The holidays are definitely not the time to feel lousy! So let's eat well and enjoy it!

• Almond Joy Impossible Pie -- Clara's favorite... you just can't go wrong with coconut and chocolate all wrapped up in an easy pie!

• Apple Quince Pie --Who doesn't love apple pie?
  

• Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars -- A healthy, really yummy alternative to pumpkin pie!
  

• Sweet Potato Pie -- A true southern classic, made gluten free and delicious!
  

• Thanksgiving Cranberry Cobbler -- My mom's best Thanksgiving recipe!
  

• Crunchy Chicken Poppyseed Casserole -- A wonderful recipe for leftover turkey!

• The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies -- My family's fav food to snack on during Thanksgiving!

• Sweet Potato Apple Casserole -- a healthy and delicious sweet potato side dish!

• John's Pumpkin Lasagna -- an excellent vegetarian main dish!

• Sweet Tomato and Feta Tart -- not the healthiest dish, but a lovely appetizer!

• Red Velvet Cake -- a festive and beautiful cake for Thanksgiving!

• Creamy Clam Chowder -- a delicious starter meal for the holidays!

• Sweet Corn Pudding -- an old family favorite!

• Warm Tuscan Bean Salad -- A lifesaver for a quick meal!

• Cheddar Baked Hominy -- A incredibly delicious naturally GF alternative to mac and cheese!

• Gluten Free Yeast Bread -- For really good gluten free stuffing

• Vegan Gluten Free Cornbread -- Another great option for gluten free stuffing

• Easy Gluten Free Cream Soup -- THE recipe for perfect gravy, cream soup, base for casseroles such as green bean casserole, etc... need cream soup, gravy, or a base for mac & cheese... this is it!

What's your best gluten free Thanksgiving Recipe?

Want to post it here?

Leave me a comment before or send me an email at: gingerlemongirl@gmail.com with your favorite recipes, a picture if you have one, and the story behind your recipe. I will have a community gluten free Thanksgiving post, and I need to hear from you!

Gluten Free Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe and a WINNER!

Credits:
Photo reprinted with persmission and courtesy of Noob Cook

It was one of those "Oh... I didn't even think about that" vegan moments. A recipe called for chicken broth. What do you use in place of chicken broth? Water didn't sound that appealing and tomato juice was too tomato-ey...

So... after another "duh" moment, I decided to make vegetable broth. Why didn't I think of this before? This is SO easy and so delicious and works so well in recipes... who needs chicken broth!

What I love about making broth is that you can create the flavor that you want. If you like more onions, add more onions, if you like more carrots, add more carrots! If you want tomatoes, add tomatoes! It's completely up to you and you can change it every time. Another great thing about homemade vegetable broth is that it is an excellent way to use vegetables that aren't quite as fresh as they used to be. Are they starting to shrivel? Look a little tired? It's okay, they won't mind at all. Just throw them in the pot!

So today's recipe is simply a suggestion. Try this out. Make your own vegetable broth. Feel domestic... and enjoy the fact that you created this wonderfully healthy broth to use in your home cooking.

Some uses for homemade vegetable broth:

• Use it as your "liquid" in making mashed potatoes and/or homemade stuffing, it adds a truly delicious flavor!
• Make your own homemade soups and stews with the vegetable broth as the base liquid.
• Use the broth to cook rice & pasta, and to boil potatoes in... you will LOVE the flavor it adds!
  
• Vegetable broth is fat free and can be a great tool to use in low fat cooking such as sauteing and steaming.
  
• If you have someone who is sick: give them plain warmed vegetable broth. It is very healthy and can soothe sore throats and is gentle on upset stomachs.
• Bring leftover casseroles back to life by adding a few tablespoons of homemade vegetable broth over the entire dish and heating it in the oven. It will rehydrate the dish and make it taste like it was just made!
• It will make the best base for a vegetable and dumpling soup that you have ever tasted!
  

Basic Homemade Vegetable Broth
Written by: Carrie @ http://www.gingerlemongirl.com
The ingredients for this very basic broth will make about 10 cups of broth.
You can use more or less ingredients + water to create the amount that you will use.

2 whole carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly sliced
2-4 whole peeled cloves of garlic
1/2 of a large green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
10 mushrooms (any type will work!), rinsed
4-5 small red potatoes, quartered
*** Any vegetables will really work for this broth, use what you have on hand!***

Optional seasonings:
1-2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Salt-free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon summer savory
1 teaspoon rosemary
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop all vegetables and add to a large stock pot. Also add any optional seasonings that you desire.
2. Add 10-12 cups of water to the stock pot.
   
3. Bring stock to a rolling boil and then turn heat down to just simmering.
   
4. Simmer over low heat for 2-4 hours.
5. Taste the stock as it cooks to adjust seasonings until you get the flavor that you desire.
   
6. Once stock has cooked, let it cool for several hours on the stove top.
7. When cool, strain stock through a very fine sieve to remove all vegetables. You will be left with a very fine tan - brown stock that is absolutely delicious.
   
8. Some people choose to puree the vegetables that were used in the stock and add then add them back to broth for a creamier texture. You can do this if you choose too. If you want a clear stock, simply use the discarded vegetables for another dish, or add them to your compost.
   
9. Store cooled broth in glass jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator or the freezer. Will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and for 6 months in the freezer.
   

(Printer-friendly recipe.)

****************

The winner of Stephanie O'Dea's Make it Fast, Cook it Slow Cookbook was chosen randomly with the help of Random.org...

The winner is:
GUDRUN45

Her entry stated:
"My favorite slow cooker recipe is an extremely simple pinto bean soup. I'd sure like to expand my gluten-free crockpot horizons and would love to win this book.

Gudrun45 -- Please email me at gingerlemongirl@gmail.com with your contact information and I will ship the book to you immediately!

Congratulations to Gudrun45 and THANK YOU to everyone who entered the contest!

Easy Gluten Free Stir-fry Recipe

(The following is guest post #2, that I shared with
Erin @ 5DollarDinners back in June 2009. Enjoy!)

In the quest for easy, naturally gluten free dinners, a simple stir fry was one of the first meals we added to our menu in the Ginger Lemon Girl household! It was easy, quick, incredibly tasty, and quite frugal. Erin has a better handle on $5 dinners than I do, but generally our meals are very frugal. My husband and I both work full time, and are working very hard to pay off our home and other debts. In order to pay things off to meet our financial goals in a timely manner we have to carefully budget for groceries and household items.

When I first went gluten free grocery budgeting was incredibly difficult. I bought many specialized "gluten free" convenience foods because I did not realize there was a much easier and more frugal way!

This meal is one very inexpensive meal if you are able to buy chicken on sale. Frozen packages of stir-fry vegetables are also quite cheap and stretch your meal a long way!

This meal makes 4-6 servings for the two of us. It means we have enough extra food for lunches or leftovers, which is wonderfully convenient.

Photo courtesy of Perdue Chicken.com

Quick, Easy, Naturally Gluten Free Stir-fry
Created by Carrie Forbes @ GingerLemonGirl.com
(Free of gluten, soy, dairy/casein)

1 lb. chicken breasts (2.99 on sale)
1 (28 oz.) package of frozen **stirfry vegetables (1.49 on sale with coupon)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (.pennies)
1 tablespoon sesame oil (pennies)
Salt & Pepper, to taste (pennies)
1 teaspoon ground ginger (pennies)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (pennies)
2 cups cooked brown rice (.50)

Total cost for entire meal = around $5.00

Directions:
Cut chicken into small bite-size pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Saute chicken until golden brown for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Heat remaining olive oil and sesame oil in pan. Add frozen vegetables, ginger, and salt & pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes on medium high heat. Vegetables should be bright and crisp. Add chicken back to skillet and heat through. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on just before serving. Serve immediately over 1/2 cup hot, steamed brown rice. Enjoy!


Carrie's Cooking Notes:

** MAKE SURE to purchase stir fry vegetables that do not have any added sauces or spice mixes, as they may not be gluten free.

** You can also use soy sauce if you would like, I do not use it because many soy sauces contain wheat and I also have an allergy to soy! We have thoroughly enjoyed this stir fry without additional sauces! But if you do use soy sauce or another asian sauce, make SURE that is gluten free!

A Simple Gluten Free Lifestyle

Today's post is a guest post I wrote for Erin @ $5 Dollar Dinners earlier this year.
I thought my readers would enjoy the columns I shared with her back in early June about basic gluten free living. I hope for readers who are new to a celiac diease or are just starting a gluten free diet for health reasons, that this post will inspire you with simple, easy tips for a delicious gluten free life!

I started a gluten free diet in August 2007. I decided to go gluten free because I thought it would cure or at least reduce the terrible migraine headaches that I had been living with. I have had migraines as long as I can remember. Between migraines, panic attacks, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal distress I was not living well. My life was not healthy or fun.

In July of 2007 I discovered Shauna at her blog, Gluten Free Girl. After reading her beautiful thoughts on how she truly began to live after becoming gluten free I was inspired and intrigued. Upon further online research I found that many people either with celiac disease or a wheat/gluten intolerance had symptoms similar to mine: frequent migraines, GI distress, allergy-like symptoms: nasal/sinus congestion, etc... And by that point, I was willing to try ANYTHING to get rid of my migraines and simply feel better in general. I thought going gluten free could possibly help me.

Gluten Free For Life.

It took several months for me to see the full effects of how going gluten free affected my whole body positively. The results were not immediate, but over time I could tell that my migraines were fewer and I felt MUCH better overall. I felt healthy for the first time in my life. Despite being overweight, I felt like for the first time I was eating whole, natural foods that were healing my body. While my migraines did not go away completely until I began therapy for high blood pressure in 2008, I realized how incredibly sensitive I was to certain foods! Namely any foods with gluten, soy, and casein and/or dairy.

I am not diagnosed with celiac disease. But I am very thankful to be on the gluten free diet. Going gluten free taught me to discover how my body reacts to food. Certain foods cause reactions when I eat them and now I am fully aware of foods that make my body healthy and foods that hurt me.

Going gluten free is a process. I am continually learning new things and changing my diet to help my body to become more healthy. In this journey I have discovered many things:


- I love to cook!

- I love learning about food chemistry and how it works in gluten free baking!

- That there are many, many foods out there I had not yet tried or had the joy of eating! I now LOVE trying new things!

- That my body reacts in several ways to all forms of gluten found in wheat, barley, rye, and due to cross-contamination, uncertified oats. I get nasal/sinus congestion along with gastrointestinal issues. From 1-3 days later, I will often have a terrible migraine headache.

- That my body severely reacts to any form of soy protein.

- That my body also reacts to certain dairy/casein products.

- That my body treats most simple carbohydrates as a "drug" and I have to avoid simple sugars/carbohydrates, white gluten free starches, etc...

- A vast amount of foods are already beautifully, simply, and naturally gluten free!

I have found that for me following a gluten free diet is easiest when you eat simple, naturally gluten free foods. As much as I enjoy baking, I don't often have the time it takes to do so, nor it is necessarily good for me due to the simple carbohydrates found in many gluten free flours. Meal preparations at our home have to be fast, quick, and healthy due to our work schedules. Our meals are usually based around fresh vegetables, a lean protein (when I'm not following a vegan diet), and a small portion of complex carbohydrates such as whole grain brown rice, sweet potatoes, or black or red beans.



Here are some examples of naturally gluten free meal choices that are frugal and healthy and in our meal rotations:

A few Naturally Gluten Free Breakfast Options:

- eggs, boiled, scrambled, etc...
- breakfast meat such as turkey bacon, sausage, etc...
- fresh fruit
- certified gluten free oatmeal -or- homemade corn grits
- breakfast wraps with scrambled eggs, a few tablespoons of salsa, and green onions wrapped in a warmed corn tortilla
- naturally gluten free cereal such as Rice Chex
- green smoothies made with fresh greens such as kale and spinach, plus fresh fruits added in along with hemp milk


A few Naturally Gluten Free Lunch Options:

- fresh homemade salads with homemade dressing
- sliced vegetables such as avocados, grape tomatoes, celery, green peppers, carrots, etc... with homemade dressing
- fresh apple slices with natural peanut butter -or- almond butter
- lettuce wraps with ham or turkey slices with sliced green peppers, mushrooms, etc...
- boiled eggs
- hummus with celery sticks and carrot sticks

A few Naturally Gluten Free Dinner Options:

- simple grilled or baked chicken with freshly steamed broccoli and baked sweet potatoes
- homemade caesar salad with grilled salmon -or- boneless pork chops served with steamed carrots
- super easy stir-fry using frozen vegetables and chicken or beef served over steamed brown rice
- easy homemade marinara sauce served over freshly roasted spaghetti squash with green beans
- simple crustless quiche served with a garden salad and roasted red potatoes
- quick ground beef tacos or taco salads using corn tortillas served with black beans and corn


One of the best things about following a naturally gluten free diet is learning the vast array of foods that you CAN eat! Take a simple walk around the perimeter of your favorite grocery store and search out new vegetables you have not tried before, try different grains, try new cuts of meat, learn how to oven-roast vegetables so that they caramelize in the oven. There are SO many wonderful food choices that are available to you!

Being gluten free has been a true joy for me and my family. We have learned how to cook and enjoy real, whole, and nourishing foods! In the next few weeks I will be sharing very simple, naturally gluten free, budget-friendly meals with you! Being gluten free does not mean that you will need to spend a fortune on food, you will simply need to learn what foods to buy that are safe and healthy for your family!

Here's to a healthy gluten free body!