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| Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips |
The Big T. Thanksgiving. Nothing sends shivers of trepidation up a gluten-free or dairy-free girl's spine like the mental image of Grandma's sage pungent white bread dressing, or shimmying slabs of Aunt Ida's pumpkin pie. It's a butter and wheat flour gorge fest with danger at every turn. The gruesome gut-twisting threat of thirty-six hours chugging Pepto Bismol
is poised to strike on every holiday decorated plate- jovial forkfuls of tradition and conviviality aside.
It can be a nightmare.
If you're lucky, your family is tuned in to celiac disease and aware of the angst and anxiety that food centric holidays can trigger. If you are blessed, they are thoughtful and well schooled in where gluten lurks (turkey broth and marinades, gravy, seasoning packets, spice blends, stuffing, crackers and pie crusts). They don't ask questions like, You can eat "whole" wheat crackers, right? with the emphasis on the word whole as if somehow, the word itself makes the wheat magically safe for celiacs to consume (it doesn't).
They don't indulge in meta messages and all that spooky passive-aggressive weirdness.
They won't sigh when you politely decline a slice of Aunt Ethel's pecan pie and say, Just don't eat the crust.
They won't hold up a pitcher of gravy and whisper, A little bit won't kill you.
Or my personal favorite, Go ahead- I'm allergic. And I cheat (actually said to me by an in-law).
Right.
They won't sigh when you politely decline a slice of Aunt Ethel's pecan pie and say, Just don't eat the crust.
They won't hold up a pitcher of gravy and whisper, A little bit won't kill you.
Or my personal favorite, Go ahead- I'm allergic. And I cheat (actually said to me by an in-law).
Right.
If these persuasions are foreign to you, then you, Dear Reader, have much to be thankful for this holiday season. You are blessed with a clan that gets you, loves you without judging you, and cares about every morsel that enters your fragile cellular universe.
So this post is for them...
The attentive Moms and Dads, compassionate Aunts and Uncles, smart-as-a-whip Grandmas and Bubbes and best buds who believe that if food is love, Thanksgiving should be fun and worry-free and delicious.
For everyone.
No big whup.
So this post is for them...
The attentive Moms and Dads, compassionate Aunts and Uncles, smart-as-a-whip Grandmas and Bubbes and best buds who believe that if food is love, Thanksgiving should be fun and worry-free and delicious.
For everyone.
No big whup.
Key Tips for a Safe and Delicious
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free
Holiday Season
If you're new to gluten-free living here's a Gluten-Free Diet Cheat Sheet to print out and keep handy. Because gluten is devious. Label reading is a must.
Marinades, broth, soy sauce, and bouillon may use wheat or barley in flavors and seasonings. Although I urge you to check your turkey for gluten-free status, most I've seen are safe- if you avoid the seasoning or gravy packet.
Bottom line?
Know your bird. Know your source. And know your ingredients, Sugar.
Marinades, broth, soy sauce, and bouillon may use wheat or barley in flavors and seasonings. Although I urge you to check your turkey for gluten-free status, most I've seen are safe- if you avoid the seasoning or gravy packet.
Bottom line?
Know your bird. Know your source. And know your ingredients, Sugar.
For thickening gravy, whisk in a tablespoon or two of sweet rice flour or an arrowroot starch slurry. Potato flour is another choice- but be careful you don't add too much and end up with gooey gravy you have to almost slice to serve.
For a non-dairy sub in pumpkin, squash and sweet potato recipes try using coconut milk- it's creamy and delicious (full fat tastes best). If you can't do coconut milk, soy milk or almond milk works beautifully. Rice milk is rather thin. Hemp milk is an acquired taste and may be too grassy for the uninitiated.
Another tasty non-dairy vegan choice is orange juice or apple cider. Cook carrots or cubes of winter squash with a splash of orange juice or apple cider for a lovely vegan flavor boost. Drizzle a touch of pure maple syrup.
Another tasty non-dairy vegan choice is orange juice or apple cider. Cook carrots or cubes of winter squash with a splash of orange juice or apple cider for a lovely vegan flavor boost. Drizzle a touch of pure maple syrup.
For creamy mashed potatoes that are dairy-free I use a combo of light and fruity extra virgin olive oil and my favorite gluten-free vegan buttery spread. For creaminess, whip in some warm non-dairy milk- coconut, soy, and nut milks all work. A light gluten-free broth works, too. The trick is don't beat the potatoes to death until they're gluey (what did a potato ever do to you? Be kind).
For a dairy-free vegan butter sub in baking, my new favorite fat is organic coconut oil. I love the texture and subtle coconut flavor.
Hate coconut oil? Try organic expeller pressed canola oil or grape seed oil (both have very neutral flavor). Any of these work well in muffins, quick breads, bread, cookie bars and cakes. When one half to one cup butter is called for in a recipe, these oils will usually work- though I typically start with a little less than the amount of butter called for and see how the batter looks.
Hate coconut oil? Try organic expeller pressed canola oil or grape seed oil (both have very neutral flavor). Any of these work well in muffins, quick breads, bread, cookie bars and cakes. When one half to one cup butter is called for in a recipe, these oils will usually work- though I typically start with a little less than the amount of butter called for and see how the batter looks.
For a vegan butter substitute in pastry and gluten-free pie crust recipes I'd choose Spectrum Organic Shortening
or organic coconut oil (my new fave).
or organic coconut oil (my new fave).
For stuffing, simply follow your favorite recipe and substitute toasted cubes of gluten-free cornbread, corn muffins, or a loaf of store-bought gluten-free white bread. Or try my personal favorite stuffing recipe- Cornbread Stuffing with Curried Apples and Cranberries.
For a crunchy bread crumb topping, try my Crunchy Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (process toasted gluten-free waffles into perfect golden crumbs- they make a delicious topping that can be quite the conversation starter- waffles? Really?). And no, a (true) waffle is not sweet.
For a gluten-free mac and cheese try my Kicked Up Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe or my dairy-free Baked Mac and Cheese or my totally from scratch Cheesy Uncheese Mac and Cheese (fab for vegan guests).
For a gluten-free mac and cheese try my Kicked Up Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe or my dairy-free Baked Mac and Cheese or my totally from scratch Cheesy Uncheese Mac and Cheese (fab for vegan guests).
For a classic cookie crumb pie crust use Midel's Gluten-Free Gingersnaps or Pamela's cookies (Lemon or Ginger or Chocolate, depending upon the filling) processed into crumbs. I use Joy of Cooking's classic cookie/cracker crumb recipe and simply substitute with gluten-free cookies. For a butter replacement, try organic coconut oil, a good tasting vegan spread like Earth Balance.
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| My gluten-free pumpkin praline pie with a fabulous crust. |
For a fabulous new crust- see my Coconut-Pecan Crumb Crust on my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie recipe with Praline and Coconut-Pecan Crust.
I'm currently working on a traditional pie crust recipe... but until I get something I'm happy with (happy enough to share), check out a gluten-free pie crust folks rave about- Rebecca Reilly's Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe with sorghum flour.
Browse my posts Cooking and Baking Gluten-Free and Gluten-Free Casein-Free Holiday Tips for more inspiration and ideas.
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| Skillet Cornbread with Roasted Tomato Salsa |
Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu Ideas
Brunch
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Banana Almond Bundt Cake
Butternut Pecan Scones
Eggs Diablo on Soft Polenta
Hot Buckwheat Cereal with Cinnamon Apples
Pancakes
Pear Polenta Muffins
Pumpkin Bread- a big loaf, make ahead
Pumpkin Donuts- baked, with cinnamon sugar
Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin Pie Bread
Pumpkin Scones with Maple Nutmeg Icing
Pumpkin Waffles
Quinoa Breakfast Brownies with Dark Chocolate Chips
Quinoa Breakfast Cake
Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Appetizers and Snacks
Baked Grape Tomatoes with Basil Cornbread Crumbs
Crispy Potato Sticks with Roasted Tomato Salsa
Fried Zucchini Chips in Lime-Mint Dipping Sauce
Hummus with Spiced Oil
Jalapeño and Lime Hummus
Pecan Crackers
Raw Cashew Hummus
Roasted Eggplant Tapenade
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Bread and Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Apple Pear Multigrain Muffins
Butternut Pecan Scones
Maple Sweetened Almond Zucchini Mini Muffins
Pear Polenta Muffins
Pueblo Bread- with green chiles
Pumpkin Corn Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Pie Bread
Pumpkin Scones with Maple Nutmeg Icing
Skillet Cornbread with Green Chiles
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Vanilla Cornbread
Zucchini Bread
Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes
Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Cranberries
Lasagna Vegetariana
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
Pumpkin Polenta with Salsa Fresca
Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf
Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach, Chick Peas and Maple Vinaigrette
Quinoa with Butternut Squash + Cranberries
Quinoa with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts, Raisins + Pecans
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
Spaghetti Squash New Mexican
Vegetable Polenta Pie
Vegetarian Garden Loaf with Maple-Apricot Glaze
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Warm Winter Salad with Roasted Banana Squash + New Potatoes
Soups
African Coconut Chick Pea Soup
Butternut Chili
Celery Soup with Fennel
Curried Butternut Soup
New Mexican Stew with Ground Turkey and Green Chiles
Purple Cabbage and Sweet Potato Soup
Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Soup
Roasted Hatch Chile Stew with Sweet Potato
Roasted Vegetable Chowder
Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk
Turkey Soup
Thanksgiving Sides
Acorn Squash with green chiles
Calabasitas (Santa Fe succotash)
Cider Roasted Vegetables
Cinnamon Applesauce
Coleslaw with Peanutty Dressing
Cornbread Stuffing with Curried Apples and Cranberries
Crunchy Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs for Topping
Dijon Roasted Vegetables
Karina's Kicked Up Colcannon
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
Pinon Rice Bake with Artichokes, Corn and Goat Cheese
Pomegranate Glazed Green Beans and Portobellos
Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf
Quinoa Salad with Baby Spinach, Apples or Pears in Maple Vinaigrette
Quinoa with Butternut Squash + Cranberries
Roasted Winter Vegetable Ragout with Shaved Parmesan
Ruby Applesauce with Cranberries
Santa Fe Brown Rice Bake
Two Potato Salad with Sweet Potatoes
Zucchini Gratin
Omnivore Recipes
Autumn Rice Bake with Beef and Cranberries
Baked Mac and Cheese
Beef in Pomegranate Sauce
Beef + Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
Garlic Chicken Lasagna
Holiday Turkey Enchiladas with Sweet Potato
Jazzed Up Turkey Tetrazzini
Pineapple Salsa Chicken Enchiladas
Pork Roast with Brown Sugar Apricot Sauce
Stuffed Cabbage with Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Sausage
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie with Black Angus Beef
Turkey and Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Turkey Nachos
Sweets
Apple Crisp- new
Apple + Pear Crisp
Apple Cake with Cranberries
Applesauce Crumb Cake
Coconut Flour Apple Cake
Cranberry Peach Crumble
Pie Crust Recipes
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Pumpkin Pie- easy
Pumpkin Praline Pie with Coconut-Pecan Crust
Sweet Potato Pie
Happy Cooking and Baking!
FABULOUS tips and recipes!! Thank you so much!! :-)
ReplyDeleteSigh... I'm going to have to eat my Thanksgiving dinner out of a tupperware container. I hate food centered holidays. I can't wait until I can host!
ReplyDeleteMy husband's family is like the nightmare family you described ... no accommodations whatsover. My family gets it, thankfully. Since both families are local, we alternate spending Thanksgivings with each of our families. Last year, I hosted for my family. It was a lot of work, but enjoyable and nice to show everyone how wonderful all those GF foods taste!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great compendium of info! For pies, I still love the crustless pies though. For most pie recipes (like pumpkin, coconut, and chocolate), you can skip the crust and just add 1/4 cup GF flour to the original recipe. This method really makes a tasty pie. Nobody even misses the crust. (It's like the Bisquick "impossible pies" from our gluten-eating days. I follow this same method for making quiches.) For heavier pies, like fruit pies, 1/4 cup of flour won't do the trick. But if you google "crustless apple pie" for example, you'll find great recipes and you can just substitute GF flour for the wheat flour. I made a crustless apple pie recently that my group loved. You just poured the combo of GF flour, butter, etc. over the sliced apples. Delicious. So much easier than dealing with a pie crust IMHO.
AMEN!
ReplyDeleteKarina, your recipes have been a Goddess-send for me. We are preparing our first Thanksgiving since my son's diagnosis. While I DO get it, and I'm trying very hard to make sure he stays safe, not all of the 12 family members gathering in the cabin understand. With only one fridge, my biggest fear is that we contaminate him unknowingly. How dangerous is it to share fridge space and the kitchen with non GF foods? Everyone want's their regular rolls and stuffing ... Any tips for this? I will definitley be making many of your sides and salads. And the day after is Black Bean, Sweet Potato Enchilada day! Yum!
ReplyDeleteVeggie Girl- My pleasure!
ReplyDeleteKatrina- Food centered gatherings are so hard. I feel your pain. xox
Shirley- Ah- recognized some relatives, did you? ;) And big thanks for the tips you shared on gluten-free pies- I couldn't agree more. I love the crustless technique and plan on making a sweet potato pie that way. xox
Maya- [grin]
Dusty- It's a hassle, for sure. Here's my thoughts:
Fridge space can be shared if you make sure the GF items are covered tightly.
Use separate GF utensils for serving.
Cross contamination biggies are shared butter, jams, peanut butter, condiments, anything open. Bring your own separate condiments and butter and mark them GF.
Keep separate pans, utensils, plates, napkins, etc for GF.
Toaster and toaster ovens- keep yours separate. Blenders, anything with rubber gaskets, iron skillets, non-stick pans, wooden cutting boards and spoons need to be GF and separate.
Sponges and damp dish towels can spread gluten, in my humble opinion, so do what you can to minimize that (paper towels?).
Other than that? Piece of cake.
Enjoy your holiday and keep a sense of humor handy.
Take care!
Karina
Thank you so much Karina! I had not even thought of the sponges, towels and butter! You dont have to approve this comment, I just wanted to say thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for such an insightful post! I was just fretting over spending another turkey day among gluten-eaters.
ReplyDeleteAlthough my host is gracious enough to accommodate my dietary needs with GF substitutions, the anxiety of the cross-contamination always gets me in the end. I always show up to the house with an extra large bottle of pepto bismol!
You're words are truly encouraging. Thanks again!
Great tips, as always. I hope to read about your sweet potato pie, Karina!
ReplyDeleteRegarding Dusty's fridge question, I have a few other suggestions:
- I acquired the top shelf of fridge realty in my parents' fridge so gluteniness won't accidentally fall through the grates onto my gfness! Also, see if you can find squeeze jars for condiments to reduce the possibility of accidents. I now leave my stick of butter in a ziploc bagged marked "Michelle - GF!" in the freezer because it avoids people reaching for my butter to butter their bread (and ignoring the message). Definitely bring a sharpie to label all that is yours!
- I also have a rather large cooler and fill around my goodies with gallon sized ziplocs of ice! If you're nervous about stuff spilling into your gf food, try it! And if you're investing, I recommend one with wheels! :) These are also great for travel!
- Also, invest in extra serving utensils so every single dish has one so nobody tries to use the pasta fork for veggies or whatnot. Label them GF too (the silver sharpie rocks for black utensils). And, still, I recommend serving the gluten-freer first.
- Ask your gluten-eaters to wash their hands as soon as they are done eating, too! This also avoids colds and germs and crumbs throughout the house! :P
Good luck!
Yaaay. I was hoping you would post something like this because I'm writing a post tonight about Thanksgiving for special diets.
ReplyDeleteWith this amazing list, you must just turn some of into gluten-free eaters even if we don't have to be. This is really wonderful, Karina.
ReplyDeleteKarina, I am so excited to find this post (via ChronicBabe)! This will be my first fully gluten-free/dairy-free holiday season, so I'm a bit nervous about it. I really appreciate all of these tips!
ReplyDeleteBe well,
MJ
Great tips, and a wonderful list of recipes that I'm going to print and save. Even for those who are not GF, the recipes offer new choices for the traditional Thanksgiving table.
ReplyDeleteI can't get passed making pumpkin pie filling using coconut milk...omg, I cannot wait to try that! And who cares about the crust, it's the custard part that I want anyway.
ReplyDeleteI host the meal here, so life is good.
This is a great post! I am one of the lucky ones with a great family, especially my mom. She's even making GF beer bread (GF Mommy's recipe) for the stuffing. It's going to be a gluten free Thanksgiving, which is so nice and relaxing!
ReplyDeleteMy in-laws are a different story. My MIL once asked if I could eat KFC fried chicken if we just took off the skin! She's been very sweet about trying to adjust things and she did buy crackers b/c they said "gluten free", but I don't think she understands it like my mom does.
Karina,
ReplyDeleteI think you need a "Dear Karina" advice column on your blog. You can offer advice, or open it up to your readers, or both. What do you think?
My problem is that my friends understand only too well that it's not practical for me to eat at their homes -- they 'get it' that every cutting board, plastic bowl, and non-stick pot is gluten-infested and unsafe. And since I'm the only single one, I suppose we do all like being here, without the odd husband at their homes. You know -- girl talk, chick flicks, etc.
So they've always come here, but I've somehow ended up doing 100% of the entertaining because I'm GF and they have didn't always understand what to watch for on labels. I do all the planning, shopping, carrying it all home, prep work ahead, and obviously paying for everything, too.
What can I do or say to get them to see that all they have to do is stop by Sainsbury's, pick-up some GF meals or ingredients, and tell me that this week dinner is their treat?
Does anyone else experience this? Is there a way to drop a gentle hint? How do I handle it without seeming rude or cheap? Lately, when my friends mention the weekend, I just cringe at the thought of all the work (and expense).
Signed,
One-way Street
An early "Happy Thanksgiving" to you, Karina! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful tips with all of us GF bakers.
ReplyDeleteIA with you--Spectrum Organic shortening is a great product! Other brands are no good because they're either too soft (Jungle Shortening) or weird and clumpy (Whole Foods).
What amazing recipes and tips! and so wonderfully catagorized! thanks so much karina!
ReplyDeleteKarina,
ReplyDeleteNot only are you a goddess, but you are a God-send! Our family has been GFCF since September and boy, has it taken some getting used to. My 10 year old son (angel) is the one who can't tolerate gluten and casein. He (and the rest of the family) LOVED the dark chocolate brownies I made tonight. I am going to make this pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to try it! Thank you so much for making these recipes freely available.
Dear Karina:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. It is wonderful to know that there are people like you out there facing the same challenges. It is twice as challenging for my husband and me this year, as this is also our first vegetarian Thanksgiving, and 3 of our four children are coming. They never know what Mom and Dad are onto now, especially after we brought them up as meat-eaters! Your web site is a Godsend!
Betsy
I am going to be making my girl your pumpkin pie for this Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering, she wants a pie crust, so can I just make this recipe....minus the buckwheat, and pour it into a suitable crust?
Or does taking out the buckwheat futz up the entire recipe?
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
ReplyDeleteRuth
http://www.infrared-sauna-spot.info
YUM! and Wow!! What a great list. You are a Goddess of the kitchen. :)
ReplyDeleteNow you make me want to change up some of the stuff I am making... :)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Slacker Mom (Danielle)
(I like being Slacker Mom with you; you got it right away!!)
thanks for this one :) I sent it to my nephew who is vegan. Hope you are still painting haven't checked in as of late .. wanted to share my recent works www.marylandavere.com/canvas
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful pumpkin pie recipe. I made it for the individuals who wanted a traditional meal since I have never liked pumpkin pie but it ended up being my favorite part of the meal!
ReplyDeleteKarina,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to tell you that I made a crustless pumpkin pie using coconut milk for TG! It is amazing...and it is all mine, as no one else in this family likes pumpkin pie. I have been savoring a little every day - I will be sad when it is all gone...
Milhan
THANK YOU FOR THIS WEBSITE!
ReplyDeleteMyself and my dairy-free 1 year old LOVE it.
Unfortunetly Thanksgiving dinner didn't go as well as expected. I planned and cooked for days to accomodate my dinner and my sons. We did well, it tasted fab (LOVE coconut milk!) and all was good.
When ds cried the entire night, and woke up with a red diaper rash bum, I was so perplexed.......skip ahead my mom admited to accidentally giving him a big bite of mashed potatos...THEY'RE mashed potatoes. I made the mashed potatoes for them, so I knew it contained butter, ,milk, sour cream, and CREAM CHEESE> Dear God, no wonder he was sick.
They still don't believe me on this, they all thinks it's bunk. HELLO!, did you hear him crying all hours of the night!!
ug, sorry to post so long. We need you to keep the blog up :)
Thanks,
Jennifer
Thanks for the Pumpkin Pie recipe!!! Delicious and easy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I love reading your blog and recipes.
ReplyDeleteMy family is trying to accomodate my being GF. On Thanksgiving as soon as I walked in my cousin proudly told me they got me a pie. My first thought was "Crap they forgot I'm GF" but that wasn't the case. They found a (local to them)bakery that made GF, Dairy free, Vegan sweet potato pie. They didn't find it in time but they're ready for Christmas because they can pre-order stuffing and rolls.
Then my aunt innocently asked if I could do nut flours (so far yes), I told her I could and that there were many alternative flours to replace wheat flour. She had no idea that she couldn't always just replace any alternate flour in the case of wheat flour, or that there were that many.
To One Way Street,
It might be time to set your friends down and place some rules on your get togethers. I have a bunch of friends where we do a monthly wine tasting dinner. We rotate the host. The host buys the wine and main dish and everyone brings in side dishes. Then we divy up the cost of the main dish and wine. I know hard to do GF but doable and there are some months I drink more wine then eat but hey it happens.
But my point is tell your friends that you need help with the cost and maybe have 1 friend every get together to come in early to help prep, rotate the friend so its even. Tell them that with the economy and the rising food prices you need help with the get togethers. Also that it's not fair to do all the entertaining but you're willing to host if they'll help out. If they're true friends they should understand and be willing to help out.
Love your site, Jennifer
Karina, so glad I found your site. I've been GF/casein sensitive for about five years now. Unfortunately, I also have an allergy to tapioca and arrowroot flours. I make my own mixes substituting potato starch or cornstarch for the tapioca.
ReplyDeleteSo imagine my chagrin when I showed up for Thanksgiving at my new daughter-in-law's house, and found that she had baked GF bread for stuffing and stocked Chebe rolls for me. All heavy on the tapioca. We pitched them, and I felt shame, but she was SO good about it. But just by luck she had found GF/tapioca free cookies for pumpkin pie crust, and it was fabulous.
So I guess the point is that (1) tapioca may be a problem for some who've adjusted their diets and are still having trouble: there is some evidence that those who are latex-allergic (I am) may also have issues with cassava/tapioca. And (2) my son chose well!
Keep up the good work. I'll be back, that's for sure.
Your crustless, vegan pumpkin pie is a staple at my Thanksgiving table! My husband hates pumpkin pie normally, but LOVES your recipe.
ReplyDeleteKarina, you are doing an amazing service for your readers. I don't have those kind of relatives on my husband's side, but after three gf/cf Thanksgiving meals, I think I've got that covered. On Sunday after, my family (gluten free, but they can eat dairy) are coming to my house for the festivities. I can't wait. Thank you for all of your tips. The one thing I miss is whipped cream on the punkin pie, but I whip cold coconut milk. It works, but a different taste. Love hemp milk, BTW. Love you too.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thanks for all of this. Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the recipe. My son is somewhat suffering from mild autism. As part of his diet, we make sure that his food is glutten free to help him in digesting his food.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Sarah
Totally cracking up at your uninformed family description... my immediate fam is pretty good, but you hit the nail on the head describing my extended family :) They just don't quite get it. I've been poisoned at both "GF" Thanksgivings I've had so far, but I'm planning on a lot of advance cooking and reheatable items this year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laughs and inspiration.
Elle
Hi Karina - I've been reading your blog for hints on foods for my husband since he is gluten intolerant, then found out recently I have an issue with the dreaded gluten. (its contagious?) After having a ton of non-discript and seemingly unrelated symptoms that were completely different from what my husband experiences, I went to a naturopath and tried an elimination diet. Lo and behold, its the gluten. I'm just so glad I already had the resources at my fingertips, including your site. I know what its like when you don't even know where to begin! Anyway, thank you so much for your blog, your recipes are amazing and so is your fighting spirit. Here's to gluten freedom! ~Alecia
ReplyDeleteThank you for these great tips. I was dreading NOT having traditional stuffing and the rest and now I'm looking forward to new Thanksgiving traditions. BTW, today's NYTimes has a great looking sweet potato recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/dining/111srex.html?ref=dining Only needs a butter substitute for those of us who can't do the butter. They also have a roasted cauliflower and another corn side dish as well. Yum!
ReplyDeleteHi Karina- Just love, love, love the way you write! I am printing this off for my sister. Unfortunately, I am a celiac who is not blessed with understanding people in my family. Fortunately, my friends are amazing! And I am so grateful for the blogging world out there - especially yours. Ina from the Westcoast
ReplyDeleteKarina, I've been using your recipes (and recommending them now for at least two years. I love all that you do for those of us who don't do gluten. I have one question though-- sorguhm doesn't agree with me in the least. The orange cream cupcakes and several other recipes use it-- what's a good fill in for it? We are ok with every other gf flour-- any suggestions? Does a gf oat flour sub nicely?
ReplyDeleteThank you again. I've made a great portion of your recipes. I haven't found one that i don't like. Bravo Karina, and thank you.
You're completely right, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cause me to become really anxious. Though my favorite line that I've been given is "Allergies are just in your head. If you think you can eat the pumpkin pie, you can, without any side effects." :P -Alyson
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your stories. It really does validate our collective experience! xox
ReplyDeleteAs for a sorghum sub-
I love the mild flavor and soft texture of sorghum but if you cannot find it, or tolerate it, I would suggest trying a finely ground brown rice flour, such as Authentic Foods brand. Milling rice flour fine really helps off set the grit factor.
Karina
Hi
ReplyDeleteIve tried differnt breads to make GF stuffing with always the same dissappointment. which are the best types of Gf breads to make stuffing with?
Phil
Anon- I have a cornbread stuffing recipe I use. It's in the above recipe index.
ReplyDeleteAs for using gluten-free breads- I imagine rice or tapioca breads would turn very mushy. Is this what happened?
Investing in a homemade loaf of grainy bread would work better than any starchy store bought bread, I suspect. Why not try a cornbread?
In any case, I think toasting the bread cubes first helps. I toast cubes on a baking sheet.
And use less liquid with gluten-free breads. Keep the cubes more intact- don't over mix or over bake. As mentioned, gluten-free flours like rice or tapioca or potato starch turn gummy).
Karina
Thank you SOOOO much!!! We just got the diagnosis on my son yesterday! He has been very ill for over 8 years now. He will turn 16 next week. I was absolutely floored and had no clue where to start until I found your site. We will make sure we are not one of "those families". I can't wait to get started making some of these great recipes :D
ReplyDeleteOMG, you are a lifesaver!! I just got my first catering job and guess what.. there are 4 there that are gluten free. The guy who contacted me is gluten, chicken egg, dairy and soy free. I just about flipped out. LOL
ReplyDeleteThis just makes me tear up thinking of the actual hardships Celiacs have to deal with. I am going to try to make the best possible meal i can for them.
Thank you, you ARE a GODDESS!
Midel's GF gingersnaps & arrowroot cookies make great pie crusts for those pies that just aren't the same without one . . . or to fool family into thinking they're "regular" pies rather than your "weird" ones. ;D
ReplyDeleteI've successfully used Ezekiel bread (if you can tolerate it - I don't have celiac, just an extreme sensitivity to wheat & yeast) for the bread portion of dressing/stuffing.
Nice post! Great recipes . . . thanks! Found my way here from GingerLemon Girl!
hi Karina,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great and I'll be making several of your recipes for Thanksgiving. I had a question for you -- what do you serve for the Day-After-Thanksgiving brunch? We're going to have a houseful of guests, including my vegan cousins, allergy-rrific sister (no eggs, soy, gluten, meat, etc.), and diabetic grandfather who desperately needs protein in the morning and refuses to eat anything "weird."
For brunch ideas: I've got lots of brunch worthy breads and muffin recipes that are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free- from cornbread (several) to pear, apple, blueberry, and pumpkin muffins to scones. Check out my recipe index. I also have flourless quiche recipes for those who can do eggs. Several lovely quinoa salads for vegans- serve with a side of hummus. Add to that, fresh fruit salad. Fruit smoothies. Your grandfather- maybe scrambled or hard boiled eggs as a protein, or gluten-free quiche? Home fried potatoes or potato pancakes. Waffles. Sweet potato black bean enchiladas. Hope that helps spark some ideas. Check my recipe index. xox Karina
ReplyDeleteWell done! I am no where near this organized yet so I will be posting your link on my blog!
ReplyDeleteThank you Karina, I feel so encouraged now to face the in-laws with my Tupperware dinner of GFCF food. Let the scoffing and sighs and rolling of eyes begin!! But I will leave the table Satisfied and uncontaminated!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the pumpkin pie recipe, I made it last year and plan to make it again! The coconut milk adds richness and makes for a decadent treat!!
Your blog is my favorite one to share with friends, even those who are not GF.
heidi.
Thanks for all these great ideas, Karina!
ReplyDeleteI discovered that crustless pumpkin pie is actually really good-sort of a custard rather than a pie. But I prefer my flaky millet (or brown rice) and tapioca starch crust. Gotta have that texture! And being a pie artist, the fluted crust is so appealing.
Oh, trouble, my mouth is watering...
Pat
Where do you find an extended family like that? Or even friends like that?
ReplyDeleteHi Karina,
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of your help for GFers and those who love them!
The link you posted for Martha Stewart's Chef Caroline gives a 404 on Martha's Blog page. I looked for it elsewhere but could not find it. Can you help?
Thx,
Jackie
I look forward to the tofu free pumpkin pie. Plus yours is crustless and my son eats the custard not the crust anyway. My daughter can't eat crust soooo, perfect.
ReplyDeleteI want to print your post and hand it out to everyone at Thanksgiving so they can learn a little about what it is to deal with allergies and intolerances. Especially for my daughter who is only 15 mo and can't protect herself. Its not cute or funny to give her ANYTHING to eat. She suffers for days and she's been recovering from a viscious diaper rash for the last month. Just when it was returning to normal she got some wheat so the process starts all over again. I want to say to them, "Your 10 seconds of cuteness may cause her to suffer for a month"! Ugh.
As always, your recipes sound wonderful. Thank you thank you.
Jackie- They removed the posts because apparently Carolyn no longer works for Martha Stewart. Sorry! xox
ReplyDeleteThank you, Everyone- for your comments. I always feel better after you share- knowing I'm not alone! xox
Karina
Many thanks for the brunch ideas, Karina!
ReplyDeleteStephanie
"You can eat "whole" wheat crackers, right? (with the emphasis on the word whole as if somehow, the word itself makes the wheat magically safe for celiacs to consume).
ReplyDeleteAnd if they don't indulge in meta messages and all that spooky passive-aggressive weirdness they won't sigh when you politely decline a slice of Auntie Helen's pecan pie and say, Just don't eat the crust. They won't hold up a pitcher of gravy and whisper, A little bit won't kill you. Or my personal favorite, Go ahead- I'm allergic. And I cheat.
Right."
LOL! seriously, laughed so hard that i spit some of my iced pomegranate green tea (that i'm delicately sipping while recipe surfing) on my computer.
glad to know (yet sorry that) i'm not the only one... my darling hubby agreed to release me from toting my tupperware this holiday. instead i'm making your pumpkin pancakes and homemade sausage for breakfast, then your pumpkin soup (green chiles, black beans, red potatoes), playing scrabble and watching football with my love all day. i think i just fell in love with your new pumpkin pie, too. thank you! xoxoxoxox
Katrina, I hosted Thanksgiving this year and treated my adult children and grandchild to a delicious meal - gluten-free, dairy-free, and almost all egg free. I could not have done it without your site.
ReplyDeleteYour Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie with Praline and Coconut-Pecan Crust was a fabulous dessert that left everyone raving. I will make it again. Thank you!
I am so glad to have found you. My 7 yr old daughter was diagnosed in May. I have found a cupcake recipe on your blog for tomorrow's birthday party. Much appreciated. We are quite close to your old Cape Cod in southeastern Mass. You have a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure my mother-in-law thinks I just do it for attention! She did make some gf lactose free custard to bring for dinner (my husband asked her too) and said she was so suprised it worked as she thought it would probably curdle or something!
ReplyDeleteI wish we could send your great tips on to all our doubting friends and families, along with a letter stating that our health issues are physical, NOT mental :) !!
Although there is no celiac challenge in my family, I'm interested in the subject and love reading your take on it. Have made the gluten-free (dairy-free) dark chocolate brownies twice. They are the most sinful I've ever tasted. Thanks for the holiday tips which will be useful year-round.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing resource! Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteI have dealt with that whole a little bit won't kill mess too - very hard to keep my cool when people who are supposed to have my back are encouraging me to hurt myself!
ReplyDeleteI am grateful for those in my life who get it and care enough to step out of their comfort zones for/with me <3
And grateful you put all these nifty looking recipes here in one spot for us - thanks for that.
I'm glad you're not bitter about the "unbelievers." :) We have come acrossed some of that but not enough to become bitter about it---yet. It is amazing how people can justify things for themselves and expect others to do it for themselves as well....probably makes them feel less guilty! Anyway, THANK YOU for putting all these ideas together for those of us who are in the throes of having to cook for families that don't want to become "believers." As I struggle with my own diet this year, which is hopefully a temporary thing, and I came across your long list of recipes and substitutions, I just felt the need to tell you THANK YOU! This is sooooo hard sometimes and you bless us with your culinary wisdom and organization. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I don't have issues with gluten, just milk proteins, but I find your blog to be such an inspiration! After a lifetime of "angry bowels", my mom finally told me last summer that growing up I could only have soy milk, because I would otherwise "get collicky and cry all the time"... Oh mom, I love you, but I don't know at what point she decided it was ok to feed me cheese. I've tried to educate my family ("But you NEED dairy! How else will you get your calcium?!"), but I am dreading going home for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis is a little late for Thanksgiving, but Christmas is coming. I learned to make cornbread from my daddy...and in my part of the country (Texas/Arkansas) we make cornbread dressing. My cornbread is made from yellow corn meal with no flour added.
ReplyDeleteCornbread
2 cups yellow corn meal (not mix!)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil (Daddy used bacon grease.)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Stir together. Spoon into muffin tins sprayed with Pam and bake at 400 F. about 12-15 minutes...makes about 16 muffins. (I sometimes use my 10" iron skillet instead of the muffin tins.)
To make the dressing, simply crumble the cornbread, add a medium to large onion, chopped, 3 ribs celery, chopped, poultry seasoning or sage, chicken broth (or turkey broth), and 2 eggs. I do not add any bread or biscuits to the dressing, like many people do. Bake at 350 F about 45 minutes...until golden brown.
I do not have to eat GF, but we do have family who do, and they were surprised that my dressing is GF. Hope this helps people who like cornbread and/or cornbread dressing.
Thank you for such a great post! We have only been gluten free for about a month (my husband was diagnosed with lupus and I have a yeast/allergy problem), so this will be our first gluten free holiday. We are traveling out of town to be with family, and I had been wondering what the heck we were going to eat! I will definitely be trying some of these recipes!
ReplyDelete"The attentive Moms and Dads, compassionate Aunts and Uncles, smart-as-a-whip Grandmas and Bubbes and best buds who believe that if food is love, Thanksgiving should be fun and worry-free and delicious."
ReplyDeleteI just love this, so simple and yet so powerful.
LOL! So true of so many in my family (and my hubby's, and among friends, and at my workplace!).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite comment from gluten-full eaters: "Is this normal, or one of your weird food things?" Mind you, my "weird food things" get devoured, but also talked about and fun poked at me because of them.
The family's standard: "Oh, I forgot. You can't eat that. Well, what *can* you eat?"
I take food for me in a cooler, and share if someone at the gathering wants some of it. I'm not allowed to mention what I cannot eat -- it bothers everyone. Seriously.
My best: my daughter in law made her first turkey & dressing at our house last year. Yep, white bread stuffing. Of which I had to eat a spoonful or face the wrath of my son, my husband, and my daughter in law. Was sick that evening and the next day. Refuse to do that ever again, and if someone gets hurt feelings and p.o.'d because I choose not to make myself sick -- oh well.
Hi Karina!
ReplyDeleteMy husband just received a celiac diagnosis. I found your blog almost immediately and your gluten-free bread is the first one that turns out well! :)
So I ordered your book and spread the word about your website... But then I realised : I live in Quebec (the French speaking Canadian province) and although I'm bilingual (French/English and currently studiing translation), most of the other celiac I meet are not. And the French book made in France are full of weird measures (they weight ingredients, which is very time consuming!).
Would you be interested to get your book translated in French? If you are, you can contact me! (my email is in my Blogger profile) :)
Hi. I just baked a banana bread from one of my old favorite recipes. Have been trying to get around using xanthan gum and it gives me a belly ache. I added 1 teaspoon of chia seeds to the dry ingredients then mixed in the the wet. My bread came out perfect. I think, tho, that I will grind the seeds for my next baking experiment: carrot/raisen bread.
ReplyDeleteBake on!! Just in time the Christmas baking!
THANK YOU, Karina ~ as usual, YOU ROCK and quite frankly, I don't know what we'd do in this household without you!
ReplyDeleteand I thought passive aggressive weirdness was only found in Minnesota! Seriously, though, this compendium of options is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Karina. Thank you for these recipes. I have a question for you. Can you substitute applesauce for the oil in gluten free recipes? Have a beautiful day!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janet
Thank you - everyone- for your thoughtful comments and camaraderie. xox
ReplyDeleteAs for subbing oil with applesauce- it is possible, but not always reliable. It will change texture and taste. Better in some recipes than others (muffins come to mind). Because I don't care for it, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it. Try and see what you think.
Cheers and gratitude,
Karina
Wow, this is amazing, thank you!! This will be my first holidays while GF. I sent out an email explaining cross-contaminations, where gluten lurks, what I can't have to my mom, MIL, and the 2 cousins who will be attending our family dinner and making foods.
ReplyDeleteThe only person who is giving me a little hassle?
My mom.
Yeah. And she's the one out of them all who should also be GF. But she won't do it.
I'm stressed to no end about all of this. And yeah, I'm gonna really miss my mom's piecrust. She had the best tasting, flakiest piecrust. Everyone raves about it. I used to take leftover scraps as a kid, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and bake my "piecrust cookies".
Great resource. I featured a link to this on my weekly collection of best articles on the net at http://zenpresence.com/2012/11/modern-zen-stories-xii-thanksgiving.html
ReplyDeleteKarina,
ReplyDeleteWould you consider coming up with a good sugar cookie recipe? You know, the kind of cookie you can decorate with the kiddos around the holidays after rolling out the dough and using cookie cutters to make fun shapes? A gluten and dairy free recipe would be amazing. Thanks!
A huge fan,
Kristine