Thanksgiving may look different, but we can still celebrate with our favorite dishes

Meghan Sedivy, a registered dietitian with Fresh Thyme Farmers Market. 

MILWAUKEE - Thanksgiving may look different this year, but we can still celebrate with some of our favorite holiday dishes. Meghan Sedivy, a registered dietitian with Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.

Sage and Fennell Stuffins

1. Before even starting your stuffing recipe, you want to pick out the most nutritious ingredients available.

Start with selecting your bread- look for whole wheat bread options like:
Multigrain bread. Dietitian Tip: Whole grains are filled with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They also may help with weight control and lower the risk of certain chronic diseases.
Next, pick out low sodium chicken broth or make your own broth. Dietitian Tip: Using a lower sodium broth helps to reduce the amount of sodium in your stuffing and lowers the overall sodium content of your meal.
Last, focus on adding fresh veggies like fennel, celery, onion, and mushrooms Dietitian Tip: Packing your stuffing with fresh veggies, lowers the calorie count and adds more nutrients and flavor to the stuffing.

2. Preparing your stuffing ingredients

Preheat your oven to 300°F and cut your multigrain batard into ¾-inch cubes and place on a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 F and spray muffin cup tin with olive oil cooking spray and set-aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together broth and eggs. Add bread and toss to coat. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, celery, and mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley, sage, salt, and pepper. Add vegetable mixture to bread mixture; stir to combine.
Spoon stuffing mixture into the muffin cups. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.

3. Pairing your stuffing

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with your favorite Thanksgiving foods like turkey, sweet potatoes and green beans and enjoy with your nearest and dearest.
For this recipe and additional Thanksgiving recipes and treats check out freshthyme.com and be sure to stop in any of our 5 WI Fresh Thyme locations for all your holiday needs.