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Friday, November 18, 2016

Gluten-Free Stuffing Perfected: It’s About Time!

Finally! A Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe
Finally, just because you’re gluten-free doesn’t mean you’ll have to skip the stuffing this holiday season.

Make everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dish allergen-free with this vegan and gluten-free stuffing recipe. This stuffing is so moist and flavorful, you’ll have no clue it’s not wheat-based.

With fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme, this stuffing’s autumn flavors complete any Thanksgiving meal. It’s so delicious that it is almost certain to be devoured quickly, so good luck trying to save leftovers for the next day!

Gluten-Free Bread

For this recipe, I used Schar brand gluten-free baguettes which are also vegan. You can use another brand though if preferred. Be careful though when toasting since it may brown faster. Also, add the liquid extra slowly since it may absorb differently. You may find you’ll require less liquid than directed or more so just go off appearance.

Recipe Tips

There are two tricks to perfecting gluten-free stuffing. First, is toasting the bread. Unlike regular bread, gluten-free bread is more delicate and thus becomes soggy easily when mixed with liquids. By toasting the bread first, the cubes become strong enough to withstand liquid and mixing.

The second trick to delicious gluten-free stuffing is being cautious with the amount of liquid added. Even though toasting the bread makes it more durable, it’s still going to absorb the liquid quickly. So if you add too much broth, it’ll pool at the bottom. Always add the liquid gradually and while gently mixing. It’s better to add too little liquid than too much.

If your stuffing does become soggy, you can fix it by cooking it for longer. Once you’ve cooked it for 35 minutes, reduce heat to your oven’s lowest setting. Leave stuffing in the oven for an additional 20 minutes so it dries out a bit.

Finally! A Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe

Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients
2 gluten-free baguettes, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 yellow onion, chopped finely
4 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 ½ cups vegetable broth

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cubed baguette to the baking sheet and bake for four minutes. Then, remove from oven and toss cubes. Return to oven and bake for an addition four minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan with olive oil.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and saute until translucent, about four minutes. Add celery and carrot and saute until softened, about six minutes. Reduce heat slightly and add garlic, herbs, and sea salt. Saute for two minutes and then remove from heat.

Add toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Gradually pour in the vegetable broth, stopping every ¼ cup to gently mix. If liquid begins to pool at the bottom, then stop adding liquid. There should be just enough liquid to soften every bread cube without making it soggy and mushy.

Add the sauteed veggies to the bowl and gently stir until well combined. Transfer the stuffing to the baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and firm to the touch. Be sure to check it around the 25-minute mark to ensure the top isn’t burning. Once finished baking, remove from heat. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Images via Karissa Bowers

Karissa Bowers

Karissa Bowers is a fashion and food blogger living a compassionate lifestyle. Karissa is the blogger of Vegan À La Mode where she shares her favorite vegan and gluten-free recipes and also her eco-friendly cruelty-free style. Her love for photographing food and her outfits, drove her to develop a passion for photography. After a few years of honing in on her photography skills, Karissa launched her business, Karissa Bowers Photography, where she shoots weddings and portraits. When she’s not taking photos or in the kitchen, you can find Karissa traveling and trying new vegan restaurants.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Hearty Vegan Vegetable Soup Recipe with Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas

Fall Vegan Soup Recipe with Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas, and Rosemary

This comforting vegan vegetable soup recipe is full of hearty goodness with sweet potatoes and chickpeas and a touch of rosemary. Nourish your body and soul!

Fall is the optimal time to buy sweet potatoes since their peak season is October through December. These orange hued gems are full of health benefits which make them the ideal addition to this vegan soup recipe. Just one sweet potato has approximately triple the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A which aids the immune system. Sweet potatoes are also a great source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, potassium, and fiber.

The trick to making soup filling and sustaining is to fill it with fibrous ingredients like chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Homemade beans work great in this recipe, especially if you cook them with kombu which will help you digest them more easily.

Rosemary, another key ingredient in this soup, adds a fragrant touch that complements the sweet potatoes. Rosemary has been shown to have immune system boosting properties which may help ward off the dreaded fall cold.

This soup is extremely versatile, so the vegetables in it can be varied. You can easily swap the sweet potatoes for a winter squash or pumpkin if that’s what you have on hand. Feel free to play around with the ingredients!

This soup can be a filling meal all on its own but you can’t go wrong serving it with toast for dunking. Simply spread a light layer of vegan buttery spread such as Earth Balance on your bread of choice and toast until golden and crispy.

Hearty Vegan Soup Recipe For Fall

Vegan Vegetable Soup Recipe with Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas, and Rosemary

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3 Roma tomatoes
4 cups organic low-sodium vegetable broth
15 ounces cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 dried bay leaf
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about four minutes, until softened and translucent. Reduce heat slightly and add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the celery, sweet potato, and carrot and sauté over medium heat for six minutes. If vegetables begin to stick to the pot, add another tablespoon of oil.

Meanwhile, slice each Roma tomato in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Then dice the tomatoes and set aside.

Add tomatoes, vegetable broth, chickpeas, rosemary, bay leaf, sea salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring soup to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for about ten minutes, or until all the vegetables have softened. Remove bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Serve and enjoy!

Images via Karissa Bowers