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Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Stuffing

Delicious with a sweet, savory, crunchy texture, this is a nutrient dense, gluten free stuffing replacement everyone will love...just don't tell them it's healthy! Stuff the turkey, serve with chunks of turkey or no turkey as a vegan meal. It's also great warmed slightly and put on top of a crisp green salad. You can omit the egg and don't bake it, just treat is as a rice dish or stir fry.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings: 6 cups
Calories:

Ingredients

  • ½ lb Kale stems and leaves coarsely choppedFP with S blade
  • 6 cloves minced garlic 2-3 Tablespoon
  • ½ cu water
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Organic Vegetable Base
  • Celtic sea salt & white pepper to taste
  • ½ cups pecans
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh sage - fresh is amazing! 1dry
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme 1dry
  • 2 cups cooked Quinoa Keen-wa
  • 1 Tablespoon organic butter
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • ½ cup organic apple or grape juice
  • 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
  • ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds about ½ a pomegranate

Instructions

  • PREP-you will need 1 large bowl, 2 small bowls and 2 medium sized bowls for the prep. (all your prep could be done up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate prepped ingredients, then all you would need to do is assemble ingredients & bake.)
  • Soak & Cook Quinoa (Keen-wa) **Quinoa is covered with a protective plant substance called "saponins" you must soak it for 30 minutes prior to cooking and rinse it well or the "saponins" will cause a bitter taste.
  • Soak Quinoa for 30 minutes in water, rub quinoa together with your hands, rinse well. After soaking, Cook Quinoa according to package directions, set aside
  • While Quinoa (Keen-wa) is soaking and cooking prep veggies:
  • Put S blade in food processor, turn on and add 6-8 cloves of fresh garlic (to make 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic). Set aside in small bowl.
  • Chop Kale to a coarse chop using S blade in food processor, put in a bowl and set aside.
  • Chop onion in FP w/ S blade, pulse to a coarse chop, put in bowl set aside.
  • Chop pecans in food processor using S blade to coarse chop, put in small bowl, set aside.
  • Now it's time to Saute onion, garlic and kale
  • Sauté onion and 1 Tablespoon garlic and 1 Tablespoon Grapeseed oil on medium heat, add sage & thyme and sauté until onion is golden and caramelized, 3-4 minutes, move sauteed onions to the same bowl with Quinoa.
  • In the same pan you sautéed onion, Sauté chopped kale & 1-Tablespoon garlic in
  • -2 Tablespoons Grapeseed oil for 1-2 min.
  • Next Add water & Better Than Bouillon organic vegetable base.
  • Cover and cook on medium high for 3 minutes.
  • Uncover and cook until liquid is evaporated, watch and stir. Season w/ salt & pepper, set aside.
  • Combine all ingredients
  • Add Kale, pecans, cranberries and butter to Quinoa, stir.
  • Mix egg & apple juice, pour over Quinoa mixture and stir well.
  • Cover; bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.
  • Variations: Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Stuffed Winter Squash, Cut squash in half, clean out seeds, brush with honey and coconut oil, roast at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until tender. Make stuffing, pack stuffing into Acorn squash or any sweet winter squash, bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds.
  • Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Salad
  • Make stuffing above but omit the egg and apple/grape juice and just combine all in a skillet to warm...no need to bake. Make a fresh salad with lots of greens. Toss in a Cranberry Vinaigrette and serve greens mixed with vinaigrette, topped with 1 cup Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Stuffing and a few Fresh Pomegranate Seeds.