Turkey Stuffing with Nappa Cabbage, Sausage and Apples

Okay, I admit it. Turkey stuffing is my weakness and for me, it's the best part of the Thanksgiving Day feast. I think that must be true for many of us diabetics and I bet there are many who thought they would never be able to eat stuffing again without spiking their meter. Well, I have taken a blend of homemade, low carb croutons for texture, added lots of delicious vegetables, a little apple and a flavorful sausage, married them with seasonal herbs and spices to come up with this recipe. I baked it casserole style due to the health issues involved when cooking stuffing in a turkey. As diabetics we can't be too careful. I hope you enjoy.

Turkey Stuffing with Nappa Cabbage, Sausage and Apples

Ingredients:

10 slices low carb bread, cut into cubes, 9 per slice

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup leeks, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups nappa cabbage, sliced thin

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup apples, chopped

1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. ground sage

1 tsp. rosemary

1 - 12 ounce package Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage, sliced thin (if unavailable you can substitute your favorite mild sausage)

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cups low sodium turkey broth

vegetable spray

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400'

Place the bread cubes on a sheet pan and lightly coat with vegetable spray, salt and pepper if desired. Toast in oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the croutons are golden brown and crisp. Turn once during baking so that they toast evenly on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Pour olive oil into a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the celery, leeks, garlic and saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are translucent and becoming tender. Add the cabbage and saute for another 5 to 7 minutes until tender and the moisture has evaporated completely. If your saute pan is not large enough just do this in batches and reserve cooked vegetables in a large bowl. Add the apples, poultry seasoning, thyme, ground sage and rosemary. Toss well and continue to saute another 5 minutes. Remove to large bowl and set aside.

Lightly coat the same saute pan with vegetable spray and saute the sliced sausage in small batches until caramelized and brown. Place in bowl with the vegetables. Add the parsley and croutons to this mixture and toss to blend. Pour in the turkey stock 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is moistened but not soggy. This is where you will need a little kitchen judgement. Since the type of low carb bread croutons will differ they will also accept moisture differently. You do not want to make your crispy croutons too wet as the vegetables will give off a little more moisture during baking. Add the stock a little at a time, tossing to blend well. Make sure no excess liquid is in the bottom of the bowl.

Turn into a 9" by 13" casserole dish that has been lightly coated with vegetable spray. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the stuffing is hot and the top is browned and crusty.

Nutrition Facts

14 - 1/2 Cup Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180.4

Total Fat 10.3 g

Saturated Fat 1.2 g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g

Cholesterol 27.1 mg

Sodium 392.6 mg

Potassium 368.3 mg

Total Carbohydrates 11.2 g

Dietary Fiber 2.2 g

Sugars 0.8 g

Protein 14 g

Note ~ There are many varieties of low carb bread available and this recipe along with the nutrition facts are based on one slice containing 8 grams of total carbs with 1 gram of dietary fiber.