Thanksgiving is a time to offer thanks, the loving company of family, and to enjoy yummy holiday meals. It is a day for turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Did you know that most of the traditional Thanksgiving favorites are loaded with gluten and dairy? Don’t panic! With a few modifications, you can still enjoy all of your favorite foods. The recipes and suggestions below are a good starting point to make your “Turkey Day” gluten and dairy free.
If you are dining elsewhere, check with the host to ensure that the turkey is gluten free. If they aren’t sure, call the consumer hotline on the label to inquire. These companies usually offer gluten free turkeys: Butterball, Honeysuckle, Shelton’s, Norbest, Jenny-o, Honeysuckle, and Shadybrook. Don’t forget to bring a gluten and dairy free side dish of your own!
From our “Meal Plans Without” family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
Keep your turkey gluten free
1) Start with a turkey that’s Gluten Free. Seems like a no-brainer, but some companies add broths to their turkeys to plump them up and make them moist. Check the ingredient label of the turkey at the store. If you see wheat, flour, barley or any suspicious ingredients in the ingredients for the turkey (the gravy packet will have a separate ingredient list–see warning below), call the consumer hotline and ask if their product is gluten free.
2) Prepare a sterile, gluten free environment in the kitchen to cook the turkey. Wipe down counters where flour or other things may have fallen and rewash the occasional utensils (like a turkey baster or electric slicer) that may have been used previously for regular gluten food to make sure they are gluten free for this use.
3) Take the turkey out the bag and throw away any gravy packets that are included–they can’t be used on a gluten-free diet.
4) Clean your turkey, as usual. After thawing (if necessary), remove the giblets and set aside. Rinse your turkey, inside the cavities and out.
5) Brine overnight, if desired, for moister meat. Most brining recipes consist of a simple solution of salt water and some sugar. Find a clean bucket, fill with brine and submerge turkey overnight in the refrigerator.
6) Add desired seasonings to your turkey. Make sure they are gluten free. Single spices are usually okay. Check the package of spice mixes to make sure they aren’t using flour as a binding ingredient. If in doubt, leave it out.
7) Cook your turkey by your favorite method. Substitute rice flour (or any other gluten free flour) for any flour amounts called for, like those few tablespoons to coat the oven bags to keep them from bursting and substitute gluten free bread or cornbread if you must stuff your turkey with stuffing.
Cook and enjoy. Keep the uncontaminated gluten free turkey far away from any other dishes that contain gluten so that your gluten free guests can feel comfortable eating it. Place it in a separate location if necessary.
Sweet Potato Casserole
This is a slightly less sweet version of a family favorite in my childhood home. It’s naturally free from all “big eight” allergens, although you’ll need to check labels if you use canned sweet potatoes and the optional marshmallow topping. To make this corn-free, roast the potatoes yourself (you can do this up to 10 days ahead and refrigerate the potatoes until you make the casserole) and omit the marshmallow topping. Note that the preparation time quoted assumes the use of canned sweet potatoes; roasting will add another 90 minutes.
Prep Time: 0 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hours, 30 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 8 to 10 as a side dish with a large meal.
Ingredients:
3 16-oz. cans plain sweet potatoes (or yams), or 2 medium sweet potatoes
1 c orange juice
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt
2/3 c brown sugar, plus more for topping if not using marshmallows
allergen-free marshmallows for topping (optional)
Preparation:
1) If using whole sweet potatoes, oil skins, pierce in several places, and roast at 400 F until the potatoes are tender and you see liquid caramelizing where you pierced the potatoes. (I find this usually takes about 1 1/2 hours.) When potatoes are fully cooked, either refrigerate until ready to use, or let them cool until they’re easy to handle and scoop out all the flesh into a casserole dish. If using canned potatoes, simply pour into a casserole dish. Preheat (or reduce oven heat, if you just finished roasting the potatoes) to 325 F.
2) Add orange juice, allspice, nutmeg, a small pinch of salt, and brown sugar. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine, mashing large chunks of sweet potato with a fork, and smooth mixture evenly throughout casserole dish. Top entire surface with one layer of brown sugar, if not using marshmallows. Cover.
3) Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover. Increase heat to 350 F. If using marshmallows, add one layer to the top of the casserole at this time. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until marshmallows are golden-brown and beginning to melt, or brown sugar is darker and crumbly.
Make-ahead instructions: The topping will taste best and have the best texture the day it’s cooked, so I don’t recommend making this casserole early and microwaving it. However, to save time and energy on Thanksgiving morning, you can complete the recipe through step 2 the night before cooking with one change: Don’t add brown sugar to the top of the casserole until just before heating. Store the mixture in the refrigerator overnight and add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time when you bake the casserole.
Gluten-Free Stuffing
Prep Time: 0 hours, 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hours, 20 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
2 loaves gluten-free bread, diced into one-inch cubes, toasted and cooled
2 large ribs celery, medium diced
1 large yellow onion, medium diced
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation:
1) Sautee the onion and celery in olive oil on medium-low heat until they are translucent. You will be able to smell the onions cooking at this point. Add the garlic, as well as the rosemary, sage, and thyme. Stir these in and cook until you can smell the herbs, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat.
2) Bring the chicken stock to boil on high heat. Place the egg yolk in a medium-sized bowl and carefully ladle two to three ounces of the chicken stock to the egg yolk, slowly, while whisking the mixture. Add the rest of the chicken stock to the egg mixture at this point. (Ladling a small portion of the stock into the egg first, and blending it, will prevent you from having scrambled eggs.)
3) Add the cooled celery, onion, and herbs mixture into the stock and egg mixture. Toss the bread cubes into this mixture and stir it all around with your hands (or a spoon), to coat the bread. Add the salt and pepper and toss the bread again. Place all of this into a greased casserole dish (big enough to hold three quarts) and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for twenty minutes at 425°, then remove the foil and bake for another ten minutes. Take a toothpick and stick it into the stuffing. If it comes out clean, the stuffing is done. If not, bake until the toothpick comes out clean.
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
Prep Time: 0 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hours, 35 minutes
Serving Size: 8 to 10 as a side dish with a large meal (such as Thanksgiving or Christmas), or 6 to 8 as a side dish with a smaller meal.
Ingredients:
3 pounds potatoes, peeled (cut them in half if they’re large)
1/4 c non-dairy margarine, such as Earth Balance
1 c chicken broth or stock (add more if necessary)
salt and pepper
several sprigs fresh parsley or chives, minced (optional garnish)
Preparation:
1) Boil potatoes in a large pot for 20 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked (when a fork or skewer inserted in a potato slides out immediately). Drain potatoes.
2) Put margarine in a mixing bowl large enough to hold potatoes. Add potatoes and chicken broth.
3) Mash potatoes with a ricer, mixer, or food mill until as smooth as desired, adding more chicken broth if necessary to achieve correct consistency.
4) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with parsley or chives (optional). Serve immediately.
Hint: Mashed potatoes require potatoes with a moderate-to-high amount of starch in order for them to break up easily when mashed. Yukon Gold potatoes make wonderful mashed potatoes; if they are unavailable, look for Russet potatoes or plain brown “Idaho potatoes.” Avoid red potatoes or new potatoes, however, as they tend to be waxier when mashed.
Gravy
Prep Time: 0 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hours, 30 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 c chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock), divided
2 tbsp millet flour or white rice flour, plus more if necessary
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 Tbsp dried
several leaves fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried
salt and pepper
Preparation:
1) In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups chicken broth or stock to a boil over medium-low heat. While broth is heating, combine remaining broth with 2 Tbsp millet or rice flour in a small bowl or mug. Stir thoroughly, adding more flour as necessary until you have a thick slurry (a really thick liquid) that’s still pourable.
2) When broth in pan starts to boil, reduce heat to low and slowly add the flour-broth mixture and the herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir constantly for a few minutes to ensure that lumps don’t develop. Gravy should be bubbling gently; if it isn’t, raise or lower heat as necessary. Cook to reduce to desired consistency and thickness. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary.
Reheating instructions: while this gravy can be reheated in the microwave, reheat on the stove for best results.
Hint when buying wheat-free chicken broth: many national brands of chicken broth include wheat, or may not be gluten-free. Pacific and Imagine are two of the larger brands that do offer wheat- and gluten-free chicken broth as of this writing.
Cranberry Sauce
Prep Time: 0 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hours, 20 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 8 to 10 as a condiment with a large dinner.
Ingredients:
1 c orange juice
1 (12 oz.) bag fresh cranberries (about 4 c)
1 c sugar, plus more to taste
1 1-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled, or 2 tsp powdered ginger
1 Tbsp honey (optional)
zest of 1 fresh orange or lemon, or 2 tsp dried orange zest (optional)
Preparation:
1) In a large non-reactive saucepan, heat orange juice over medium heat until boiling. Add cranberries. Add sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved. Add ginger and, if using, honey and orange zest. Immediately reduce heat to low. Partially cover with a lid to leave a little room for steam to escape.
2) Simmer gently, stirring every few minutes, for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened a bit and the berries’ skins have broken. If you run out of liquid before the berries cook completely, add water as necessary and reduce the heat (the sauce should bubble gently as it cooks).
3) Turn off the heat. Taste for sugar and adjust as necessary. If using the large fresh ginger piece, remove at this time. Serve warm, or move to containers to chill in your refrigerator.
Enjoy!!!
