A healthier Thanksgiving dish your guests will gobble up

　　If you're looking to replace simple carbs with good-for-you grains, forget the white-breadcrumb stuffing of Thanksgivings past. Try this quinoa mix from Christopher Polidoro, executive chef at 95 School Street in Bridgehampton, New York. Quinoa — the seed from the plant related to spinach — is high in protein, calcium, and iron, and this stuffing substitute has less fat than the old standby.

Ingredients

　　3 bay leaves

　　2 cups quinoa

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes

　　1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

　　2 bunches green onions, chopped

　　1 cup dried apricots, diced

　　1 cup dried cranberries

　　1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

　　1 cup fresh mint, chopped

　　1 lemon

　　Boil 4 cups water; season with bay leaves and salt. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until quinoa absorbs water. Remove from heat; remove bay leaves and let cool. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Sauté zucchini and squash — season with salt and pepper — until slightly browned. Combine vegetables and quinoa. Drizzle on remaining 1 tbsp oil. Stir in onions, apricots, cranberries, parsley, and mint. Grate in lemon peel and squeeze on lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Per Serving

　　7 g total fat (1 g saturated fat)

　　49 g carbohydrates

　　6 g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by Self