Thanksgiving is one of the best days to indulge in delicious food with the people that you love. It's the one day of the year where sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and stuffing appear on the dining room table and no questions are asked. However, as a vegan, Thanksgiving can be tough. Although vegetable sides are tasty, it is hard to get the full experience without being able to eat the traditional foods that you have grown up with. 

Last year, I recreated a stuffing that I had seen online. However, it went terribly wrong when I accidentally spilled a large portion of thyme into the mixture, causing me to go to extreme lengths to fix the dish. This year, to mitigate the stress of scrambling around last minute, I went to the drawing board and eventually came up with this outstanding stuffing. It has a wonderful blend of both sweet and savory, and a nice crunch from the pecans. On top of that, this dish is easy to whip up, and does not require too much of your day! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

INGREDIENTS (Yields one 9x13 inch pan)

• 9 Loose cups of cubed day old-bread* 
• 1 Flax egg
• 1 Cup celery, diced
• 1 Small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegan butter or oil, for the pan
• 1 15 oz. Can of brown lentils
• 2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped, (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 Cup dried fruit* 
• 1/2 Cup chopped pecans
• 1 Tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 Tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 Tsp. fresh sage, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 and 3/4 Cups vegetable stock

*The bread should be slightly stale. I used Paindavignon Country Sourdough from Whole Foods.

*I used a mix of chopped Medjool dates and dried cherries. Dried cranberries would also work nicely. 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. The day before, cube the bread and leave out to dry overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

3. In a small cup or bowl, prepare the flax egg.

4. Cut the onion, celery, and apples appropriately.

5. Heat up a large pan over medium heat with the vegan butter or oil, and once hot, cook onions and celery until slightly softened, stirring occasionally, about 7-10 minutes.
6. Add in chopped apple, lentils, dried fruit, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, and vegetable stock and cook down for about 5-7 minutes. There should be plenty of liquid remaining, and the celery and apples should be softened.
7. In a large bowl, add the cubed bread, pecans, and flax egg. 
8. Add the fresh sage and vegetable mixture to the bowl, and mix thoroughly, until all of the ingredients are evenly combined and the bread has absorbed the vegetable mixture. I find it easiest to use a large spatula or spoon and carefully fold everything together. If the mixture is too dry, add more vegetable broth and mix again. If the mixture is too wet, add more cubed bread. You ideally want a slightly more moist consistency than meatloaf.
9. Once evenly combined, transfer into an oiled 9x13 inch pan. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, until the top has reached a golden brown color and is crisp.
10. Let cool and then serve. It can be reheated as leftovers, but is best when fresh!