Stuffing has always been my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. I've been known to skip the bird entirely and fill up on this special side instead. If you've adopted a Paleo lifestyle or you've cut gluten out of your diet, then you already know that traditional stuffing is out of the picture. Luckily, I've found a creative recipe that brings all the traditional flavors and textures of stuffing you want to table — only with a low-carb twist.
Sweet butternut squash stands in for cubed bread, while high-quality sausage and an assortment of other traditional ingredients like apples, celery, and onion round out the recipe. Even if you'll be enjoying the "real" stuff on Thanksgiving, this recipe is a delicious and satisfying meal you can enjoy all Fall long! It's high in vitamins A, B6, C, and a healthy portion weighs it at less than 180 calories
From A Perfect Paleo Thanksgiving by Brianna Hobbs, Janet Fackrell, and Autumn Fackrell
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss the butternut squash and apples with one tablespoon coconut oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread out a baking sheet, and roast until tender and slightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes depending on how big your dice is.
In a heavy-bottomed skillet, cook the sausages until the casing is crisp and the sausage is cooked through. Remove from pan. Add the diced onion, celery, the rest of the coconut oil, and sauté until very soft and slightly caramelized (about 15 minutes.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces to make bite-size half circles.
Combine the roasted squash and apples, caramelized onion and celery, and sausage. Sprinkle with fresh sage, and serve warm.