Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffing- Delicious and Easy

Thanksgiving is "stuffing time" and this vegan recipe will knock your socks off. Guaranteed not to stuff you with calories or fat, this delicious stuffing can be eaten as an entree on it's own or used to stuff any kind of vegetables (stuffed peppers, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed acorn squash).

My choice for Thanksgiving is to stuff an acorn squash which makes a lovely presentation for this special meal.

It could be the perfect solution for a vegan or gluten-free family member or guest that you just didn't know how to accommodate for a Thanksgiving entree or side dish.

Stuffing an acorn squash is relatively easy. I make my stuffing in advance,  roast the squash separately, add the cooked mixture to the roasted squash and then roast for about 10 more minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. 

The "stuffing" provides protein from the chickpeas, vegetables, and rice and the seasoning create the traditional Thanksgiving "stuffing" seasoning flavors.

This recipe can be made a day in advance and then served the next day. I haven't tried to freeze it, but if you are good at freezing, it might work.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup of chunky salsa or chopped tomatoes for sauteeing

1 1/2 cups of chopped onion

1 1/2 cups of chopped celery 

2 cups of sliced mushrooms, any variety

2 cups of cooked chick peas

2 cups of cooked rice ( brown or white)

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder 

1/2 teaspoon of thyme

1/2 teaspoon of sage 

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions: 

Add salsa (or chopped tomatoes) to a wide (deeper-type) skillet and turn on medium. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add celery and mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring. (add a tablespoon or two of water to prevent burning). Add chickpeas, rice, garlic powder, onion powder, sage and thyme. Stir well and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes until hot.

Use as a stuffing for any kind of vegetable or enjoy a portion as an entree with a salad. 

My Notes: 

1. If you don't have and  prefer not to buy thyme and sage just for this recipe, you can substitute poultry seasoning if you have any.

2. I used a bag of frozen mushrooms

3. I've chosen to sauté my vegetables in some salsa. My motto-"Get your calories from food, not oil"- 2 tablespoons of oil, that we usually use for sautéing, has 240 calories, no fiber, and insignificant amounts of vitamins and minerals. - this recipe contains walnuts for fat, which have calories but also fiber, vitamins and minerals.