A low fat, full of flavor side dish! Adapted from Cooking Light.
Ingredients
12 oz. artisan bread
cooking spray
9 ounces quality sweet Italian sausage
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
4 cups chopped onion
1¼ cups sliced fennel bulb
1¼ cups chopped carrot
2 tbs. chopped fresh sage
½ tsp. crushed fennel seeds
5 minced garlic cloves
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chopped apple (I used Melrose and it was delish!)
2 tsp. sugar
1½ cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degress
Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 16 minutes, stirring after 8 minutes.
Place in a large bowl.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove sausage from casings. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan and cook around 8 minutes until browned, stirring to crumble.
Once cooked, add sausage to toasted bread crumbs.
Return pan to stove over medium high heat.
Add 3 tsp. oil to pan and swirl to coat.
Add onion and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic). Add fresh ground pepper and saute until vegetables are tender (about 8 minutes).
Add sauteed vegetables to bread mixture.
Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. oil and swirl to coat. Add chopped apples and sugar and saute until apples caramelize, stirring occasionally.
Add apples to bread mixture.
Combine broth and eggs stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture along with a ¼ tsp. pepper to sausage mixture tossing well to combine.
Spoon stuffing into a 9 x 13" sprayed pan.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until browned and crisp.
Recipe by A Muse in My Kitchen at http://amuseinmykitchen.com/2011/11/28/fennel-sausage-and-apple-stuffing/