This gluten-free, dairy-free, elimination-diet-friendly stuffing recipe is a delectable treat at our holiday table. It uses a secret ingredient—liver! I know some people shy away from using organ parts, but liver really is a nutrient powerhouse full of protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A, folate, selenium and more. It is a traditional ingredient that your grandmother might have used, not wanting to waste any valuable and nutritious animal parts. My only caveat when using liver is that it’s really important to use organic since liver is a primary detox organ and can accumulate toxins.
We all love our traditions! Traditions are wonderful—they bring families and friends together, they anchor us in their repetition, and they can give us something to look forward to.
Despite their wonderfulness, though, nearly every tradition I can think of involves food in some way. And the foods we associate with traditions can sometimes undermine our efforts to support our health. That’s why I like to use healthy versions of traditional recipes that everyone enjoys, but that I know are also good for me and my family.
Stuffings are also a great place to add some of those superfood herbs, as well as nutritious vegetables and ground nuts. Try it out—your body and your taste buds won’t be disappointed.
Traditional Stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 Cup onions Diced
- 1 Cup Celery Diced
- 3 Cloves garlic Minced
- 2 Chicken livers Organic
- 1 Slice bacon Organic and nitrite-free
- 1 Cup Almond meal
- 1/4 Cup Non-dairy milk or water
- 1 Tsp Dried thyme
- 1 Tsp Dried sage
- 3/4 Tsp Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Set the oven to 375F.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened (about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your vegetable pieces). Take off the heat.
- In a food processor, add the chicken livers, bacon, almond meal, non-dairy milk, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and pulse to chop the livers and combine thoroughly. Add the sautéed veggies and pulse to mix through.
- Fill a medium baking dish with the stuffing mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until thoroughly cooked through and starting to brown on top.
- Serve immediately, along with the rest of your feast!