Zucchini stuffing with mushrooms and garlic

Love stuffing but want to avoid such a heavy meal? Or perhaps you need to find a way to sneak in some more veggies into your eating regimen? Well, this zucchini stuffing with mushrooms and garlic should kill two birds with one stone.

On a personal note, I believe you'll find the whole grain bread to lend a sweet flavor, and it is a more healthy approach to eating bread products -- not to mention it tends to fill you up a little easier since it's more dense. Enjoy!

Total Time: 1 hr.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 45 min.
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium shallots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 medium red (or green, orange, or yellow) bell peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup raisins
8 cups whole-grain bread cubes
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable (or chicken) broth
2 Tbsp. white wine (optional)
Nonstick cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Heat oven at 350° F.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions, shallots, celery, and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
4. Add garlic, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Combine onion mixture, parsley, raisins, bread, broth, and wine (if desired) in a large bowl; mix well.
6. Place stuffing in a 3-quart baking dish lightly covered in spray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through.