Beautiful Smoother Skin

Gluten-Free Stuffing with Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, and Dried Cranberries

In this plant-based stuffing, fresh herbs and dried fruit replace the depth of flavour usually infused by chicken juices, so use fresh thyme and rosemary if possible to maximize the flavour return. By baking the stuffing in a shallow dish, the bottom stays wonderfully soft and moist while the top becomes addictively crunchy, as opposed to an in-bird stuffing that ends up monotonously mushy.

INGREDIENTS

3 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried

1 fresh rosemary sprig, or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried

1 loaf gluten-free bread, cubed, about 6 to 8 cups (1.5 to 2 L) cubes

1 cup (250 mL) chopped green onions

3 Tbsp (45 mL) chopped dried cranberries

2 cups (500 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).

2. De-stem thyme and rosemary sprigs and coarsely chop. In large bowl, combine herbs with bread cubes, green onions, and dried cranberries. Add 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) broth and toss to coat. Bread should be moistened and slightly softened. Add remaining broth if needed (some gluten-free breads are denser than others).

3. Taste and add salt if desired. Grease or line 8 x 11 in (22 x 28 cm) baking or casserole dish with parchment paper. Transfer stuffing to dish and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

Serves 6

EACH SERVING CONTAINS: 205 calories; 3 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 44 g total carbohydrates (8 g sugars, 6 g fibre); 257 mg sodium

Sweet And Not Too Salty

For a more exotic flavour, skip garlic and add small pieces of dark chocolate. To keep sodium levels down, be careful not to add too much salt. If your bread already contains a decent amount of sodium, you might not need to add extra, but taste the stuffing before baking to make sure it won’t be bland. And err on the side of under-seasoned if you plan to have it with a salty gravy or sauce.

Pear Mousse with Cinnamon and Pecan Praline

Wait, isn’t mousse all about egg whites? Turns out, aquafaba—the viscous liquid left over after cooking chickpeas—fluffs up pretty well, too. And no, it doesn’t make the mousse taste like chickpeas. Plus, you don’t need to worry about using unpasteurized eggs, and it’s veganfriendly. To reduce the sugar content, skip the praline and simply toast the pecans.

Ingredients

PECAN PRALINE

1/3 cup (80 mL) pecan halves

1/4 cup (60 mL) cane sugar

2 Tbsp (30 mL) water

PEAR MOUSSE

3 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 2 in (5 cm) chunks

1/3 cup (80 mL) water

1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

3 Tbsp (45 mL) cane sugar, divided

1 cup (250 mL) aquafaba from 14 oz (398 mL) can of chickpeas, or homemade

1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cream of tartar

Half of 14 oz (398 mL) can coconut milk, chilled for at least 2 hours in fridge

Steps

1. For pecan praline, preheat oven to 350 F (160 C).

2. Spread pecan halves on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes, until toasted and aromatic.

3. In small saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Cover and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, still covered, for 1 minute. Uncover and wipe down sides with damp pastry brush. Keep cooking, without stirring, until pale amber in colour, about 1 minute. With wooden spoon, stir in pecan pieces to coat. When caramel is medium amber (about 30 seconds), remove from heat and immediately spread onto parchmentlined baking sheet. Let praline cool, then break or chop into bite-sized pieces.

4. For pear mousse, preheat oven to 375 F (180 C).

5. In small baking dish, toss pears with water, cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cane sugar. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn pears to recoat in cinnamon, then roast for 15 to 25 minutes more, until soft enough to mash. Blend pears and any remaining liquid with hand mixer or blender and press through sieve to a smooth purée. Transfer to medium bowl.

6. In large bowl, beat aquafaba, remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sugar, and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, up to 10 minutes. Fold half the foam into bowl of pear purée.

7. Scoop hardened cream off top of can of coconut milk (reserve liquid below for another use). Using same beaters, in large bowl, beat chilled coconut cream to soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Fold leftover whipped aquafaba into cream to lighten.

8. Divide pear mousse among serving dishes or parfait glasses to fill halfway. Add whipped coconut cream mixture on top, followed by pieces of pecan praline.

Serves 6

EACH SERVING CONTAINS: 210 calories; 3 g protein; 12 g total fat (6 g sat. fat); 28 g total carbohydrates (23 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 10 mg sodium

Aquafaba 101

Depending on your chickpeas, aquafaba can whip to stiff peaks or quit at soft peaks with liquid below. If it doesn’t fully whip, scoop off the fluffiest foam on top and leave any liquid for a more coconut-forward mousse.

Don’t worry if your whipped coconut cream coagulates and bubbles when you add the aquafaba—it will just be heavier and more textured, so make sure you use it as the base layer so as not to weigh down the ethereal pear mixture on top. To keep it light and airy, skip the coconut milk entirely and fold all the aquafaba into the pear purée.