November 2011: Traditional or Vegan Stuffing

As the holidays approach, we need to realize that not everyone will want to eat the traditional meal that has been served for generations. Many of us have vegan or vegetarian folks in our families, and we should try to make things that they will want to eat, often by just changing a few things in our meal preparation.

A vegan is a person who eats no type of animal products in their food. This includes cheese, milk or butter. A vegetarian will eat milk products but no meat products, and some do eat fish. This makes a Southerner worry when making such things as dressing, sweet potatoes, cornbread and desserts, not to mention the turkey. But truly, I respect people who make this choice and are able to adapt their diets and eat this way. It is a healthy way to eat and live and with November being National Vegan Month, we salute them this holiday season. There are a few things we can all do to easily make adaptations and eat healthier.

Eating a vegan or vegetarian diet, or simply not eating as many meat products is a great way to help prevent heart and lung disease, obesity, diabetes and some forms of cancer. It is also better for your digestion as you get older. Protein is an important part of the diet, so in making this transition, you should replace meat with other high protein foods such as beans or tofu.

Adapting a favorite recipe is a great way to be creative in the kitchen. Try taking away simple ingredients like butter and bacon. I have found that using herbs and spices along with making your own stocks out of different types of vegetables works great to add the flavor you crave.

This month, I am giving you two recipes. One is for a traditional dressing, and the other is for a vegan dressing. I promise you will enjoy both, but the vegan dressing is a healthier alternative and tastes just as good. It will also show you what the differences are so that you can make adaptations to other recipes.

Traditional Stuffing

8 cups of cubed bread, cornbread or biscuits

1 onion, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbs. fresh sage

2 tbs. fresh thyme

1 tbs. fresh rosemary

Salt & pepper to taste

3 cups chicken stock

2 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients, put in greased 9 x 13 pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and firm.

Vegan Stuffing

8 cups of vegan bread, cubed (i.e. made with no eggs or animal products)