Stuffing/Dressing with Chickpeas, Yams, and Just a Little Bread

I love stuffing.  I LOVE STUFFING.  I really love stuffing.  Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday, because stuffing is so much a part of that day.  Much more than a dead bird, stuffing is what people look forward to.

I started my festivity early, and made this great "stuffing" last week.  I didn't stuff it in anything other than my mouth (and is there anywhere better to stuff stuffing?), but you could use this recipe to stuff a homemade tofu turkey like the Healthy Hip Chick's recipe. Or any other tofu turkey recipe you like.  I have no idea how it would turn out within a ball of tofu, but I personally like a beautiful browned top, so I make it in my pretty stuffing pan.  Yes, I have a special pan that is for stuffing (but I let other things cook in it throughout the year).  I got it many years ago when I began my stance that stuffing would always be my Thanksgiving day potluck item.

I think the thing that really makes this stuffing is that I roast the yams, apples and turnips.  You don't need to use turnips if that's not your bag, baby.  You could just sautee everything with the rest of the veg, but you'll be missing out a bit.



Ingredients:
1 yam, cubed
4-5 baby turnips (or 1-2 medium/large turnips), cubed
1 apple, cubed

1 cup hot water (or garbanzo cooking liquid) + 1/2 cube Not Chick'n 

1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzos (or canned, but wash them off so there's no slime)
1/4 cup tapioca flour

2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
2 carrots, chopped into cubes or half circles
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 tsp garlic granules
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried parsley
(or use fresh herbs for better flavor, use twice as much)

3 slices Dave's Killer bread, Sprouted Good Seed

2 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Cube the yam, turnips, and apple.  Toss them with salt and pepper oil (your choice of oil), then spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes.  You want them all delicious and roasty, so wait unti they are beautiful and brown to take them out.

Next, mix your broth up.  I used the Not Chick'n, which I really like, but you could use whatever veg broth you like.  Just make a cup of broth.  It shouldn't be too hot when you mix in the tapioca flour and I would make a small slurry and then mix it in so you don't get lumps.  *Slurry- your powder and a small amount of water make a watery paste to add to larger quantity of water to avoid lumps*  Set this aside.

Then, sautee your veg and herbs until they have that great smell.  When it smells like Thanksgiving you are ready.  Cook it on high heat to get some carmel to your onions and other veg.  Stir in the garbanzos once it's got the color.

Finally, spray or whipe oil on the inside of your most beautiful baking dish, and toss everything in there and mix it around.  It's going to be hot, but your hands really will be the best tool for this.  Once everything is in, make sure to press it all down so all the bread is soaked through.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp melted Earth Balance, or leave little bits of it around the top to make pretty brown and buttery flavor pockets.

Turn your oven down to 375 and bake for about 30-40 minutes.  It should be bubbling, and not dried out.  Serve with miso soup gravy.