EatingWell
Tribune Media Services
With the holidays coming up, the search is on for new twists on the standard dinner elements. One place to make an impression is the side dishes, and this cornbread stuffing is no exception. What makes it even more appealing is that it is high in fiber, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and packed with nutrients.
Brussels sprouts and winter squash make this stuffing look and taste great. You may need to bake two batches of cornbread to have 2 pounds for this recipe — you can even make it the day before.
Cornbread Stuffing With Brussels Sprouts and Squash
Yield: 12 servings, generous 1 cup each
Active time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients:
3 pounds winter squash, such as buttercup or butternut
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds prepared cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
1 cup Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced
1 cup currants, raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped and toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 fresh sage leaves, rubbed and sliced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Recipe steps:
Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 375 degrees.
Halve squash, remove seeds and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges (leave the skin on). Spread on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil, rubbing to coat the squash evenly. Roast on the lower rack until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Peel, cut into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, spread cornbread cubes on a large baking sheet. Toast on the upper rack until crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes.
Add to the bowl with the squash.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until barely tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and add to the bowl. Add currants (or raisins or cranberries), pecans, chives, parsley and sage. Add broth and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Bake the stuffing until heated through, 45 to 55 minutes.
Recipe nutrition per serving: 340 calories; 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 9 grams monounsaturated); 24 milligrams cholesterol; 48 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams added sugars; 8 grams protein; 6 grams fiber; 458 milligrams sodium; and 538 milligrams potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (162 percent daily value), vitamin C (30 percent DV), folate and calcium (20 percent DV), iron and magnesium (17 percent DV) and potassium (15 percent DV).
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fruit and 3 fat.
EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.