I’ve been struggling with how to make a quinoa stuffing that doesn’t taste like a quinoa summer salad. Then I came across a secret ingredient that saved the day: poultry seasoning. This created a dish that has a real authentic taste to it, without all the traditional gluten/grain type hassle.
And a quick word about quinoa. I’ve been cooking it for years, and just the other day I found this website that rocked my world. I’ve been wasting valuable time and energy trying to get a fluffy quinoa (I do the presoak but alas wasn’t using the correct water to quinoa ratio). Finally, mystery solved! Just FYI: it’s 1 1/4 cups liquid to 1 cup quinoa. So simple!
Ingredients
4 cups cooked quinoa (to your texture preference, see above notes).
1 medium onion, small chop
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 medium apple, peeled and small chop
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened or sweetened with fruit juice and always sulfur dioxide free)
2 cups mushrooms, small chop (optional, not shown in recipe above)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Few turns of the pepper grinder
Oil of choice
How To
1. Coat bottom of pot with oil. Add onions & salt. Saute on med/low for 5 minutes.
2. Add celery & walnuts, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add apple, thyme, pepper, & poultry seasoning. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and add in the 4 cups of quinoa along with the cranberries. Mix together quinoa, saute mixture, and cranberries.
Notes
*This was excellent the next morning with eggs as a breakfast scramble!
Shared on: Gluten-Free Holiday week 4 @ Daily Bites, Traditional Tuesdays, Wellness Weekend, Monday Mania, Real Food 101, Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, The Prairie Homestead, Melt in your mouth Monday, Mangia Mondays
Awesome! My MIL is coming for Christmas and has just found out she’s gluten-intolerant. I was wondering what I was going to do for the stuffing! 🙂
Hello Natasha~
Thanks for your comment! How sweet of you to make a meal that accommodates your MIL’s diet. This dish is a nice addition, without the gluten. However, you can also add gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free bread with broth and make a traditional stuffing without the gluten. I think the base mix has great flavor and you can add just about anything: cornbread, gluten free bread, grains such as millet, etc. So easy with the quinoa though! 🙂
Be Well,
–Amber
This looks great! The price of quinoa has increased by $3 per lb. Have you noticed that too?
Hello There Brittany~
Thanks!
You know, now that you mention it, I did notice an increase in the price (while perusing through the bulk section)!? I purchase in bulk and recently used my last bit of quinoa (for this recipe), so I purchased this last bulk batch apparently before the price went up. Crazy!!! Millet is still super inexpensive I believe. I’ll have to ask my Coop about this price hike though.
Be Well,
–Amber
Great stuffing recipe – my Mom used to make a rice-based dressing but that was because it was a Louisiana family tradition. Quinoa is much healthier! Thank you for sharing on Wellness Weekend.
Hi There Gretchen~
Sounds like a tasty tradition. But you’re so right. You just can’t beat the health benefits of quinoa.
Happy Holidays to you.
Be Well,
–Amber