Some of you call it dressing, some of you call it stuffing, and some of you don’t care as long as it gets in your belly on Thanksgiving. Whatever you call it, I’ve got a little bit of a twist on the traditional version. 

Each day this week leading up to Thanksgiving I’m sharing a new recipe since I haven’t done that in a while.  I also thought it would be fun to reminisce about some of my Thanksgiving memories.  It’s one of my favorite holidays and for many years, my family hosted the big gathering.  I love the lead up to the big day and the hustle and bustle of getting everything ready before family and friends show up.

My mom is a Thanksgiving champ.  She has the timing down on everything and starts planning well before the holiday arrives.  I’m sure this took years of practice to get just right, but for as long as I can remember, she has been a Thanksgiving machine. 

Not only did she have a master timeline of everything that needed to get done, she also had lists of chores and tasks for the rest of us.  We would all pitch in to clean or cook and by the time our first guest arrived the house would smell of turkey and the table looked warm and inviting.

It was the best.

I never really paid much attention to stuffing at Thanksgiving (I had cheesy potatoes to eat) but my mom would make two kinds.  One was fancy and full of cranberries and sausage and celery and all the Thanksgiving flavors.  This would get shoved into the turkey and seemed to be the favorite of most of the adults.  She also made the stovetop boxed version for the kids because we would turn up our noses at the bird stuffing.

Clearly we had no clue what was what back then. 

I thought I would try my hand at a no-bread stuffing because it seems more and more family members need a bread-free side dish.  I took the flavors from my mom’s in-the-bird stuffing, added some riced cauliflower and eggs to give it a little texture and I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out.  I don’t think you can cook this one in the bird but the top gets nice and crispy in the oven.

Do you call it stuffing or dressing?  What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

No-Bread Dressing- You can saute the veggies ahead of time and then add the broth mixture and bake the day of to save time. 

• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 cup leeks, sliced
• 12 oz cauliflower rice (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and lightly oil a casserole dish.  You can use an 8 x 8 or 9 x 13 or whatever casserole dish you have that isn’t being used!
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, eggs, tomato paste, coconut flour, 1 teaspoon of thyme, sage, rosemary, and a little salt and pepper.  Set aside.
3. Get out a large bowl and set it next to the stove.  Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet and saute the leeks and onions.  Sprinkle with a little salt and place in the large bowl once they are soft and starting to brown.
4. Next, saute the carrots and celery.  Add a little salt and move to the bowl once they are soft and starting to brown.  Do the same for the riced cauliflower, cranberries, and garlic.
5. Once you have finished sauteing all the vegetables, stir to combine.  Then get the broth mixture you made earlier and pour it over the vegetables.  Mix again so everything is coated.
6. Spread the stuffing into the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  The top should be browned and crispy and the inside slightly soft and creamy.  Enjoy!