Wild Rice Stuffing - Gluten Free

There is something about homemade stuffing that everyone loves! Despite being a vegetarian and not having a turkey to stuff , I always make stuffing for Thanksgiving. This gluten free and vegan wild rice stuffing recipe is excellent and is sure to become one of our favorites.

I originally made this recipe when I was participating in the Secret Recipe Club . I was partnered with  Sid's Sea Palm Cooking blog and challenged to make one of Sid's recipes. 

I adapted the recipe a little to make it gluten free. First of all, I used gluten free rolls ( Udi's), I used a wild rice mix from Trader Joe's, I used olive oil instead of butter,  and I used fresh cranberries  instead of dried cranberries and added toasted pecans.

I wasn't disappointed. This recipe adapted beautifully, and we enjoyed it for Thanksgiving.! I also want to mention that we liked it even better the second day. The flavors seem to mingle overnight and we even liked it cold. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes + time for rice to cook
Cook Time: Bake for 30 minutes

Ingredients: 
1 cup of Trader Joe's Wild Rice Mix prepared according to directions
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
1 shallot , minced ( I used 1/2 onion) 
2 Udi's gluten free whole grain hamburger rolls toasted lightly and then diced into cubes 
2 TBSP olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped 
1 cup vegetable stock ( bring to a boil) 
1/4 cup of fresh cranberries, cut in halves
1 cup of toasted pecans
optional: 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
Cook 1 cup of Trader Joe's  Basmati and Wild Rice Mix according to package directions and set aside. Saute mushrooms and shallot in olive oil ( or butter if you are not vegan) and then add the carrots, celery, and bread cubes. When all is coated and beginning to soften mix with rice mixture and pour into a greased baking  dish. Pour hot vegetable stock over the mixture, decorate the center with fresh cranberries and bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour.

Trader Joe's Basmati and Wild Rice Medley

                                     

saute vegetables and gluten free bread

 This is one of those recipes that tastes best after the flavors have extra time to mingle. Wait at least 2 hours before eating or even wait until the next day. Was good hot, at room temp, or cold!



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Sweet Potato Chili- slow cooker version

Despite the bad photo, this sweet potato chili is outstanding and a perfect easy meal to make for a group!.Thanksgiving side anyone?

My daughter in Law, Wendy, made a fabulous dinner buffet the other night which included this delicious sweet potato chili. I'm not normally a chili lover, but I loved this recipe. It had some unusual ingredients including cocoa and cinnamon. Wendy had about ten for dinner, a variety of dishes, but everyone seemed to really like the chili the best!.

Optional: You can also add fresh corn

As an easy entertaining tip
Wendy served the chili right out of  the crock pot  on her buffet table to keep it piping hot for her guests to serve themselves.

                                


Got Butternut Squash? 
I use sweet potato and butternut squash interchangeably. Sweet potato is a little thicker, but both are bright orange vegetables that provide similar flavors. Butternut squash may be a little lighter on the carbs and calories. This could be a great addition if you have a having a crowd for Thanksgiving. (especially if you are having any vegetarians or vegans)

Need to eat more fiber? 
You can't go wrong with this hearty, heart healthy recipe- beans 

(fiber), vegetables (vitamins and minerals), healthy spices

(antioxidants) that is so delicious and so good for you. It's also gluten-free, vegan, and oil free, making it a versatile dish if you have guests with eating restrictions.

Weeknight Convenience 
It's also a great meal for your family for a weekday meal.
Put the ingredients in the crock pot before you go to work. Come home to a fragrant warm nourishing dinner not fast food.

I eat it with a salad (and my fabulous cranberry dressing see recipe at end of post) and I feel very satisfied! 

Beans are really healthy read:  6 powerful reasons black beans are so good for you.

                                            

Ingredients:
1 med red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 28 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
16 oz of black beans. cooked (if you don't make your own, use 1- 16 oz can)
16 oz of kidney beans, cooked (if you don't make your own, use 

1- 16 oz can)
1 large sweet potato, cubed (or 1 and cups butternut squash cubed)
1 T ground cumin
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions :
Combine red pepper and cumin, cocoa, and cinnamon and place in a 4-6 qt. slow cooker and add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black beans and the kidney beans. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until vegetables are softened.
serves 6 dinners- for a larger crowd , double the recipe.

Recipe for Cranberry Dressing    for salad.. ( This is one AMAZING dressing)
2 Tablespoons of raw organic honey (or maple syrup grade B)
Juice and the fruit of one large navel orange
1/4 cup of organic cranberries ( I found them in the supermarket) 
2 slices of fresh ginger ( a must if you like the taste of ginger)
1 TBsp lemon juice
1/4 cup of water

I made this dressing in seconds in my new  Nutribullet  very high power blender (works like a Vitamix, but is much less expensive) .It's small, compact, easy to use, and takes up very little space and the plastic containers are BPA free..

 I'd love for you to follow me on Twitter where I post a least 8-10  gluten free recipes a week that are in addition to what's on my blog and follow me on Pinterest for all my great Pinterest finds! 

Before and After Frankenstorm

The storm is over, and we are safe and feel very lucky.

We weathered through the long high wind storm without any major problems. Miraculously, my neighborhood has power despite power failures in almost all neighborhoods for miles around. Traffic lights are out  and most stores are closed in all of the neighboring towns!. Most of our friends do not have power, the schools and most people's place of employment still  lack power as of Thursday!

The Sprint Towers are out , so we do not have cell phone power.

Other than that, we only lost a tree, which is minor compared to what happened to some  of our neighbors.

A part of our tree split and broke off and will require some major clean up, but many of our neighbor's trees ripped out of the roots and dug up the entire area of their yard. Scary!!

                          
                               

My neighbor's tree!!Scary, missed the house

Our tree split down the middle and fell

another scary one..

Just for the fun of it, I took a picture of my neighbor's tree before the storm , then I took a picture this morning after the storm. It is still in one piece, but most of the leaves are gone overnight!

My neighbor's Tree Before Frankenstorm

Same  Tree After Frankenstorm

I know that many people have not been as lucky. Many are without power, some are flooded, many in deep snow..

Our thoughts are with you, and we pray for your safety and that all will be well soon.!

                                    Please let us know how your are...

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Shaved Carrot Ribbons and Cranberry Salad

Two simple vegetables, the carrot and the cranberry ( a berry) create a fabulous fall salad!

Low calories, yet in high fiber and nutrition, carrots have a rich orange color that is especially appealing in the fall and add a subtle sweetness to so many recipes.

For lunch today ( trying to make healthy choices), I decided to shave a few carrots ( I used a regular vegetable peeler)  into carrot ribbons ( shavings)  and create a salad around it. My creation was absolutely delicious, simple, raw and vegan. I made the salad for "one" and ate it as my lunch,  You can double or triple it for a side dish with dinner.

 I bought a container of organic cranberries last week, so all of my salads this week have boasted a splash of cranberries. Not only do these seasonal berries add color to the salad , they add a welcome tartness. I also love the contrast of the orange carrot with the cranberries.

Since, cranberries are also great for your health. I try  to take advantage of the short season when fresh organic cranberries are available in the supermarket.

I dressed my salad with my sweet cranberry dressing from last week's post and really enjoyed  the combination.

When it comes to cranberries, a little goes a long way!

Health Benefits of Cranberries: ( Quoted from a website called Meals Matter )

" Cranberries contain a powerful cocktail of protective phytonutrients, plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) that act as antioxidants in the body.

Cranberry extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of oral, colon, and prostate cancer cells, in addition to inducing cell death of breast cancer cells. Phytonutrients in cranberries may also be involved in inhibiting the spread of cancer cells throughout the body.

In addition to its anti-cancer properties, cranberries may also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol, inhibiting LDL oxidation (one of the first steps in the progression of coronary artery disease), lowering blood pressure, and inhibiting the formation of blood clots."   end of quote from Meals Matter

Shaved Carrot Ribbon Salad Ingredients: 
1 large fat organic carrot ( large wide carrots are easier to shave with your
vegetable peelers 5 white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 tomato, diced
5 fresh organic cranberries
1/4 cup of plump organic raisins ( optional)
10 raw cashews

Directions: Using your vegetable peeler, shave the carrot into ribbons ( peelings) and place on a plate. Add sliced mushrooms, diced tomato, and fresh cranberries and raw cashews. Add dressing and enjoy.

Use any vegetable peeler to shave down the carrot 

                           
Variation: If you do not want your salad completely raw, saute the shaved carrot peeling in a little bit of oil spray for a minute or two until the carrots become a little soft and start to wilt. This will make the orange color even more vibrant, the taste a little sweeter, and it will feel like you are eating a vegetable spaghetti texture.

sauteed in a little olive oil spray for 2 minutes

May be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals
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Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I would love if you followed me as well Follow me as well : Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .