thanksgiving is notoriously a gorgefest of tasty foods, one that i don’t want to be left out of just because i’m vegan. in the coming weeks before thanksgiving i will be posting several thanksgiving recipes so we can all enjoy the holiday, and hopefully even show our loved ones that vegans don’t only eat salad.
to kick it off is one of my favorite thanksgiving dishes, stuffing! it’s a mix of brown rice and sprouted whole wheat bread flavored with delicious fresh mushrooms and leek, so this recipe is great for those of your with gluten sensitivities and like delicious food.
leek and mushroom stuffing
7-8 slices or 1/2 a loaf of bread
1 c dried brown rice
2 c water
1/4 c earth balance or butter substitute
1 leek
1 stalk celery
2 c chopped mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c vegetable broth
1/2 c soy milk
juice of half a lemon
begin by chopping the bread into tiny cubes and toasting on a cookie sheet at 400F until lightly brown – about 10-15 minutes. you could use any type of bread, i used sprouted whole wheat bread so this recipe would be great for those of you with gluten sensitivities.
once the bread cubes are toasted take them out of the oven and let sit out for at least an hour, so they can completely dry out.
in a small sauce pan bring about 2 cups water to a boil, for steaming the brown rice. stir in, set to medium heat, cover, and let sit until all water has cooked off and the rice is tender.
meanwhile cut up all of the vegetables. you can use any type of mushroom you’d like, shitake, portobello, oyster, or just simple white ones. i got these adorable little white mushrooms at the hollywood farmers’ market.
slice the leek across, mince the garlic clove, and chop the mushroom and celery into tiny cubes.
heat the earth balance or butter substitute in a large pot, until completely melted. add the vegetables and spices and saute until soft.
then add the soy milk, lemon juice and veggie broth and stir completely in. you can buy vegetable broth at the store, i made my own after getting inspired by this great vegan yum yum post. once this mixture begins to bubble turn off the heat and add the rice and bread cubes. stir until completely incorporated.
transfer the stuffing into a large oven-proof pan. bake for 25 minutes at 375F until toasted and crunchy on top.
it’s just that simple! scoop out and serve along side your tofurky, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
and keep your eyes open for more thanksgiving recipes to come!
