Whole Grain Almond Butter Stuffing

Stuffing is one of my favorite foods during holiday meals - but it is also basically solid bread and fattening fillers like sodium loaded soups. I tried making my own using 100% whole grain bread, almond butter as the thickener, and seasonings. Don't get me wrong, bread is bread and almond butter has calories, but they are much healthier alternatives to normal white or wheat bread and the almond butter is full of protein. This was absolutely delicious (sort of like a gourmet twist on peanut butter and toast)! 

This recipe makes enough for a family of 4 to use as a side - you could easily double or triple the recipe if you're cooking for a bunch! 

You will need:

• 8 slices whole grain toast. 
• 1/3 chopped green pepper.
• 4 cloves garlic minced.
• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1/3 cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp sea salt butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp thyme
• Salt or seasoning salt to taste. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350'. 
2. Place 8 pieces of bread on a baking tray and bake 5-10 minutes until toasted but not burned. You'll want to keep an eye since every oven is slightly different and bread toasts quick. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on! 
3. In a medium sauce pan melt the butter, add the minced garlic and pepper and saute about 5 minutes over medium heat. 
4. Add in your chicken stock, almond butter, flour celery salt, thyme, and dash of salt - whisk thoroughly until almond butter is melted and mixture is even. 
5. Remove sauce pan from heat and set aside. 
6. Get out a mixing bowl and rip your bread up into half inch bites (you may also cut them) and put in the mixing bowl. 
7. When all your bread is ripped up and all in the bowl pour the almond butter mixture from the sauce pan over bread and mix until evenly dispersed among bread. 
8. Add mixture to a baking pan - for this amount I used a loaf pan. Any small baking pan would suffice. 
9. Bake about 15 minutes. *(If you choose to double/triple recipe your baking time will increase). You want the very top layer of bread to slightly brown. 

Enjoy!