Homemade stuffing

This post adds another idea for your Thanksgiving table.

There are lots of commercially available stuffing mixes around this time of the year, and they invariably have high levels of sodium and unhealthy additives.  Many of the online recipes for "homemade stuffing" use ready-to-use soup mixes that are also high in sodium.

This year, I decided to make stuffing "from scratch" using ingredients that are healthier than the ones described above. So, here is a general approach that can be adjusted to your taste.  Note that I did not use exactly measured amounts, but went by what I had in mind for the finished product - "eyeball" amounts.

I used old bread, including old potato rolls and whole wheat bread and let these air dry for one hour.  The bread was then thorn into pieces, and sprinkled with olive oil. Some Smart Balance was added, and then the flavoring was mixed in.  I used onion powder and red pepper flakes (I made a "hot and spicy" Thanksgiving stuffing).  Finally, some chopped walnuts were added, all was well mixed, and baked at 350 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes or less. Baking time will vary according to the amount and type of stuffing ingredients. For example, adding any fresh fruits/vegetables (e.g., chopped onion, raisins, cranberries, etc.) would alter the cooking time.  Also, adjust the cooking time to the degree of "crunchiness" you want - in my case, the stuffing turned out crunchy, but still somewhat chewy due to the olive oil and Smart Balance. 

So, try to make your own stuffing without added salt, sugar, and chemicals.

Enjoy.  My family and I certainly did.