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How to make healthy fillings in 6 different ways to meet different dietary needs to perfectly complement your Thanksgiving and holiday menus.
Besides turkey, stuffing is probably the quintessential Thanksgiving dish.
Ironically, it’s also seen as a leading cause of post-holiday eating “coma on the couch.”
Making the filling more digestible combats post-The Big Meal drowsiness very effectively.
More nutritious and carefully prepared foods mean eating less without feeling deficient, thereby reducing the chances of overeating and gaining weight.
This Thanksgiving, why not try a more traditionally thought stuffing and measure healthy results for both your digestion and your waistline!
If you can’t think of a recipe that meets these criteria, here are six healthy stuffing recipes we’ve been using in our homes for decades.
We typically make two of the following six…grain-based fillings and low-carb, fresh herb or fruit fillings for guests who may have dietary restrictions.
I hope one or more of these works for your Thanksgiving menu this year.
sourdough stuffing
This sourdough stuffed recipe is traditional, healthy, and easy to digest.
Be sure to get real sourdough bread…and be careful…there are many fake sourdough brands on the market.
The family bakery I patronize ships fresh bread to your door. Several types of sourdough are available at very reasonable prices.
See our full range of authentic sourdough bread here.
- Rustic Sourdough (our family favorite)
- oat sourdough
- rye sourdough
- spelled wheat
- whole grain sourdough
- turmeric sourdough
- sprouted sourdough
- sprouted oatmeal sourdough
- sprouted spelled sourdough
Once you’ve got your sourdough bread, it’s easy to make a nutritious filling out of it!
sprouting stuffing
Fall in love with the texture and flavor of sourdough bread? Then try this sprouted stuffed recipe instead.
Digestible and nutritious fillings made from sprouted bread follow traditional practices.
Sprouted stuffing is probably the closest healthy version, in terms of taste and texture, to traditional stuffing recipes made with refined bread.
Be aware that most sprouted bread brands in stores are unhealthy! They either contain sprouted soybeans (which are less healthy than regular soybeans) or defeat the purpose of using sprouted flour in the first place. Contains the important wheat gluten (aka “seitan”) as an additive.
Sprouted bread of this brand One of the few that is acceptable. One drawback is that the ingredients contain honey, which is not suitable for baking.
Grain-free, nut-free filling
This easy and delicious recipe for grain-free, nut-free fillings is perfect for those on a low-carb or keto diet who are sensitive to nuts.
My husband came up with this creative version that uses zucchini noodles to achieve the signature stuffed texture without the nuts and nut flours commonly used in keto cuisine.
It’s grain free and nut sensitive, so if you’ve been missing the filling, give it a try!
low carb keto stuffers
This easy and delicious keto stuffing recipe is my husband’s favorite.
Not only is it grain-free and suitable for those following the keto diet, it is also legal for those following any kind of gut healing protocol, such as GAPS or certain carbohydrate diets.
However, it does use nuts as a base, so if you’re sensitive or on a low-oxalate diet, try the nut-free, low-carb fillings above.
fresh herb stuffing
Another healthy filling option is to use fresh herbs.
This recipe for roasted pheasant is stuffed with fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs and mixed with garlic, ghee, sea salt and pepper for a light and delicious dish with minimal preparation.
Dried herbs are not suitable for filling, so plan your trip to the farmers market in advance to source freshly picked herbs for the best flavor and nutrition.
fruit stuffing
Bread-based fillings do not work well for very fatty bird fillings such as duck or goose.
This is because the bread absorbs too much fat while the bird is cooking, making it mushy.
The best way to make a filling in this situation is with dried fruit and/or fresh oranges or apples.
Healthy dried fruits are expensive, so I don’t recommend using them on their own. Instead, we recommend using sliced oranges or apples with the skin on as a base.
Then choose a complementary flavor with your favorite dried fruit and mix in small portions.
Our favorite blend is fresh orange slices and dried cherries.
For a 6- to 7-pound bird, use 2 cups of organic oranges (peeled and chopped) and 1/2 cup of dried cherries (preferably organic with no added sugar).
Remove guts, sprinkle cavities with sea salt and pepper, stuff with fruit blend and bake as directed.
