Turkey dinnerOkay – now we’re getting serious here … Christmas Dinner. Whether you actually have a turkey for your special holiday dinner or not, you’ll want to serve this delectable dish. It tastes amazing (of course) and is so much more nutritious, with fewer carbs, more protein, and GOOD fat than traditional dressings. It just makes me happy, knowing that.

I know, I may have a closer relationship to food than most of you …

Wild Rice Dressing

For a 14-16 lb turkey:
1 tbsp coconut or olive oil
2 cups rice blend (I use ½ brown Basmati & ½ wild rice)
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups diced onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 sweet red apples, chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 ½ cups roughly chopped  raw hazelnuts

1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dill
1 pinch or more basil
Salt and pepper to taste (maybe 1 tsp Himilayan salt, ½ tsp pepper)

1-2 large eggs (omit this if you want a vegan dish)

Cook the rice as usual – it doesn’t have to be cool, or it can be made the day before if you want. Melt the oil in a large skillet then add celery, onions and garlic. Sauté over a medium-high heat until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the apples, mushrooms and hazelnuts; keep stirring. Add the herbs and adjust the taste.

Pour the warm veggies into a large bowl with the rice and stir. Adjust taste again. Add the eggs: start with one, then if it seems to need more to be sticky, add the second egg.

Now stuff the turkey with this warm dressing and pop right into the oven.

What you end up with is a surprisingly tasty dressing with the best quality carbs and more protein. You can also put this dressing in a casserole dish and bake it on its own in a 350°F oven for an hour or so. Another win-win…

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 8 Recipe here (Cashew Cheese and more)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 7 Recipe here (Vegan Ginger Snap Cookies)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 6 Recipe here (Roasted Brussels Sprouts)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 5 Recipe here (Celebration Salad)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 4 Recipe here (Cashew Balls)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 3 Recipe here (Speculaas)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 2 Recipe here (Nuts and Bolts)

Find the 12 Days of Christmas Day 1 Recipe here (Black & White Muffins)

For more recipes just like this one, you might like my gluten and dairy free cookbooks:  Recipes for Loving The Body You’re In and Savoury ‘n’ Sweet: Treats for Every Occasion