Walnut, Fig and Cranberry Cornbread Dressing

From the blog Vegan Vanguard, by Christina Terriquez. Christina tells us this recipe is so good her local paper (the Austin American Statesman) will be including it in their Best of Thanksgiving Side Dishes series, which is slated to be published on Monday, November 24th.  Printed with permission.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, diced
sea salt
2 stalks celery, diced
3/4 cup dried, fruit juice-sweetened cranberries
3/4 cup dried figs, diced or cut into quarters
1cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted
6 cups of your favorite cornbread, prepared, cooled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes  (Christina's Vegan Cornbread Recipe below)
3 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, Simply Organic brand recommended
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable broth

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high oil and sauté the onion with a pinch of sea salt until translucent. Add celery and a pinch of sea salt and sauté until tender. Add cranberries, figs, and walnuts and sauté for about two more minutes.
• Heat remaining oil, and add dried herbs and cornbread cubes. Toss cornbread to lightly brown.
• In a 13"x 9" baking dish, mix dried fruit mixture and cornbread. Add vegetable broth and season to taste with salt.
• Bake, uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until brown and crispy on top and moist, but not wet, inside.

Christina's Cornbread

Dry Ingredients
2 1/3 cups fine cornmeal
1 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup non-GMO corn oil or safflower oil
2-4 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1/2 cup water
2 cups soy milk
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Lightly oil a 13"x9" baking dish.
• In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together.
• In a blender or food processor, blend wet ingredients until smooth and homogenous and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake approximately 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

Return to Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes.