Health Benefits of Pumpkin
If you’ve read my last post, you’ve probably realized that I have been on a pumpkin kick lately. I just can’t help it during the fall. I LOVE pumpkins – whether they be the real thing, ceramic or plastic. Besides being one of the cutest gourds around and easy to decorate with, they have some great health benefits.
Pumpkins are loaded with fiber and immune-boosting vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, lutein, and antioxidants like alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin.
Comfort Food
I think there is something to adding nutrient-dense foods to traditional comfort recipes. You get all the benefits from the (fruit, vegetable, or whatever “superfood”) you add, plus the emotional benefit from eating something that you genuinely love and enjoy. This recipe is an easy addition or upgrades to your typical holiday side dish. With this holiday season and all the unknowns that may still entail for 2020, I think it is especially important to incorporate foods that you love, along with foods that bless your body. Check out some of my favorite gluten-free stuffing options below, but honestly, any type of stuffing base would work – wheat, corn, etc. As always, this recipe is easy to tailor for anyone’s needs!
Some of my favorite stuffing brands
Outside of the Breadbox is one of my favorite gluten-free bakery brands. There are minimal ingredients in all of their products, and it is the most common brand I recommend to my food sensitivity/MRT test clients.
Recipe Tip
This recipe requires roasted pumpkin- but butternut squash is also a great sub if you have it on hand instead. If you don’t know how to roast a pumpkin or squash, check out my post here.
Pumpkin Stuffing - Gluten and Dairy-Free
Ingredients
- 2 C of diced cooked/roasted pumpkin
- 3 TBS oil
- 1 medium yellow/sweet onion
- 1 1/2 C of diced celery
- 1/4 C chopped thyme leaves
- 1/4 C chopped rosemary
- *Optional - substitute sage for rosemary
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 cups stuffing mix
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup turkey broth (or bone broth)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2 In a large skillet, add 2 TBS oil over medium heat.
- Step 3 Add onion, celery and herbs, and sauté until tender.
- Step 4 Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Step 5 Add stuffing mix and cooked vegetables/herbs to a large bowl.
- Step 6 Add 1 TBS of oil, beaten eggs, and roasted pumpkin and mix well.
- Step 7 Stir in broth and transfer to a medium sized casserole dish.
- Step 8 Bake for 40 – 50 minutes.
