Holiday stuffing not only “stuffs” the turkey, it also stuffs your belly. The usual ingredients are the usual suspects—dried white bread (ugh) and, if you used a prepared mix, very high sodium and a very high glycemic impact . Simple fixes make this a far more healthy choice: whole grain cornbread replaces the white stuff (you can even choose the gluten-free option), and the added treats like onion, tart green apples, and almonds or pine nuts add a host of nutrients rarely found in conventional stuffing: sulfur for the skin, fiber and phytochemicals from the apples, and monounsaturated fat and minerals from the nuts. No butter used here, just a scant tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. The flavor quotient goes through the roof with just 2 links of low-cal chicken apple sausage, fresh chives, and that old favorite, rosemary. And by the way, it’s safer to bake the dressing separately instead of inside a turkey. Fun fact: In ancient China, rosemary was used for headaches and topically for baldness.
