Herbed Bread and Vegetable Stuffing

Serves 8 / Prep tips: Try using sprouted whole-grain bread for added texture and nuttiness.Serving tip: If some of your guests are vegetarian, use the stuffing to fill portobello mushroom caps; brush caps with olive oil, fill, and bake at 375 degrees until tender.

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4 ounces fresh spinach leaves (about 4 cups packed)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)

3/4 cup diced onion (1/4-inch dice)

3/4 cup diced carrot (1/4-inch dice)

2 cups stemmed, diced white button mushrooms (1/4-inch dice)

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems

3 cups multi-grain bread cubes (1/2-inch cubes)

½ cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed

1. Steam spinach in a large, wide pot with 1/4 cup water over high heat, about 1 minute, until wilted. To retain its bright green color, drain and immediately plunge into iced water. Squeeze out water, then chop. Set aside.

2. Rinse and dry pot. Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, and mushrooms. Cover and cook for about 1 minute, until mushrooms release some of their water. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown, reduce heat.

3. Stir in reserved spinach, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Cook 1 minute. Turn heat to low. Add bread cubes, then broth, stirring well. If bread is especially dense, add a bit more broth to soften to desired texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or turn stuffing into a baking pan brushed with olive oil. Cover and heat at 350˚ until heated through.

PER SERVING: 122 cal, 43% fat cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 0mg chol, 3g protein, 15g carb, 2g fiber, 174mg sodium