by Elise Adair, Dietetic Intern [University of Minnesota Medical Center – Fairview]
It is my favorite time of year! With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, I look forward to the large family meals with delicious food, great company, and happy hearts. This year, I’ll be hosting Thanksgiving and like my mom and my Grandma H. before her, I’ll be making dressing for the turkey! It’s one of my favorite recipes – very classic but delicious!
It’s easy to overeat during the holidays, but nobody should feel guilty for little splurges here and there. The key is all things in moderation!
By substituting whole grain bread in this recipe for white or wheat, you’ll be able to add a bit of fiber. Watching your portion size will help control your eating – indulge in your favorite items, but make sure to fill most of your plate with lower calorie, more nutrient dense foods like roasted veggies, lean protein, and salad. Helping yourself to only a cup of dressing won’t expand your waistline and will allow you to enjoy some of the most traditional flavors of the season!
Grandma H’s Traditional Dressing
(Serves approximately 8)
Ingredients:
- ½ tbsp. butter
- ½ tbsp. oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 loaf of whole grain bread, cubed
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp. sage
- ¼–½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. thyme
- 1 cup chicken stock
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Sauté the onion and celery in a mixture of the butter and oil until softened. Place in large bowl.
- Add bread, salt, poultry seasoning, sage, pepper, and thyme to onion celery mixture.
- Moisten with chicken stock until desired wetness.
- Place in casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
Optional:
- Stuffing can also be placed inside the turkey, if desired. If doing so, be sure temperature in the center of the stuffing inside the turkey is 165 degrees or higher to avoid risk of foodborne illness. This also may dry out the turkey a bit so my suggestion is to keep it simple and just use a casserole dish.
Nutrition Information:
1 serving = 1 cup
325 calories, 9.5 g of fat, 57 g of carbohydrates, 8 g of fiber, 10.5 g of protein
