Mushroom Fennel Stuffing

Looking for a lower carb version of this holiday favorite? This stuffing is delicious and flavorful with the addition of hearty mushrooms and savory fennel in addition to the traditional celery, as well as some fresh herbs, which gives it a great depth of flavor.

Ingredients

• 20 slices Carb Style, 7 Grain Bread or other low-carb sandwich bread
• 16 ounces baby bella or portabello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced, green stems and fronds removed & saved for another use
• 3 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 5-7 fresh sage leaves, julienne
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, stems removed (or 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
• 3 1/4 cups Organic, Low Sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup Egg beaters
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Makes 10

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450'F.
2. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes until just golden, flip over and bake an additional 2-3 minutes staying close to the oven to avoid burning. Let cool.
3. Turn oven down to 350'F.
4. Cut each bread slice into about 9-12 cubes or break into small pieces with your hands and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. In a large pan over medium high heat, saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes.
6. Add celery and fennel and saute another 3-4 minutes until all veggies are soft and fragrant.
7. Pour warm vegetables over the bread cubes.
8. To the bowl with the bread cubes and sauteed vegetables add the parsley, sage, thyme, chicken broth and egg beaters.
9. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine.
10. Pour mixture into a large baking dish (13" x 9" dish or a large, oven safe, Dutch oven) coated with non-stick cooking spray, cover with lid or foil and bake at 350'F for 45 minutes, removing the foil or pot lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking to get a nice crispy top.
11. Serve hot alongside roasted turkey and a crisp green salad.