Creating Your Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Table

Creating Your Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Table

Planning a holiday meal can be a lot of work but it doesn’t have to be. When adjusting to new dietary norms it can be easy to assume that you won’t be able to enjoy your favorite foods. However, there are many ways that you can still enjoy your favorites with a few simple substitutions. Planning your Thanksgiving dinner can be easy with a few tips. Here are a few ways to plan an allergy-friendly Thanksgiving.

Tips to Plan an Allergy-friendly Thanksgiving

Buy allergy-friendly ingredients 

When planning an allergy-friendly Thanksgiving, start by buying from brands that sell safe food options. There are gluten free bread brands, vegan bread brands, and more available to choose from. Items such as stuffing, bread, and even bread crumbs can be purchased to simplify your favorite recipes. By making simple switches you can enjoy some of your favorite foods such as a rich stuffing or dinner rolls.

Gluten Free Vegan Stuffing Recipe

Adapted from Gluten Free Palate

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag Ener-G Traditional Stuffing
  • ¾ cups dairy-free butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 4 sticks celery (thinly sliced)
  • 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ¾ tsp ground sage
  • ½ tsp rosemary
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 cups vegetable broth

Directions:

  1. Melt the dairy-free butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat
  2. Stir in thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper
  3. Add stuffing and mix until evenly coated
  4. Drizzle broth over the stuffing mixture and toss until well mixed
  5. Bake in a greased casserole dish at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes

Substitute ingredients when possible

While there may be a family recipe that comes down from generations, it may not be allergy-friendly. This is where having healthy substitutions can help you to still enjoy an old favorite. Items like flour, dairy, or egg can be substituted out by using alternatives. For eggs, you can use an egg replacer. For items like flour, move to a gluten-free flour and for dairy, use non-dairy alternatives to replace it. Changing a few ingredients can make your favorite dishes allergy-friendly.

Allergy Friendly Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from Eating with Food Allergies

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold) peeled and cubed into 1" cubes
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • ¾ cups alternative milk (almond, rice, oat, etc…)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • ½ tbsp garlic
  • ½ tsp onion powder

Directions:

  1. Place sliced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water
  2. Bring to a boil
  3. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender
  4. Drain the potatoes and add all remaining ingredients
  5. Use a hand mixer on a low setting to mash until the desired consistency

Change sauces, seasonings, and marinades

Many of the sauces, seasonings, and marinades on the market have allergens in them that can be harmful. Changing out these seasonings for healthy alternatives can make a world of difference. This might mean moving to a gluten free seasoning or switching out a marinade that includes dairy. Many of these can be found in stores and online today. However, you can also make your own if you need to.

Gluten Free Thanksgiving Turkey and Vegetables

Adapted from Simply Gluten Free

Ingredients: 

  • 1 - 13 to 15 lb gluten-free turkey (Check labels when buying your turkey as some are processed with gluten or dairy.)
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried sage
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots - chopped
  • 1 ½ cups red potatoes - chopped

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to Bake at 350°F
  2. Brush oil over the bottom of a roasting pan
  3. Remove giblets from the turkey as well as any other debris from the cavity
  4. Dry the skin completely
  5. Coat with 3 tbsp of olive oil
  6. Mix thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper together
  7. Sprinkle ⅔ of the herb mixture over the bird
  8. Place rosemary sprigs inside of the cavity
  9. Arrange all root vegetables around the base of the bird
  10. Sprinkle root vegetables with the remaining herb blend
  11. Place turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes per lb
  12. Begin checking the internal temperature after 2 hours
  13. Turkey is done when the breast meat is 150°F and thigh meat is 165°F
  14. Let rest for 20 minutes when done cooking before serving

Don’t skip dessert

One thing many people with food allergies miss out on are their favorite desserts. While you will have to modify how you enjoy them, you don’t have to give dessert up completely. Instead, you may have to modify a dessert recipe with a different flour or create a new take on an old favorite. Using items like a gluten-free flour or an egg substitute can help you to continue eating your favorite treats. With a few tweaks you can still enjoy your favorite desserts.

Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cup gluten-free flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 6 tsp cold, vegan butter
  • 4 - 6 tsp cold water
  • 2 ¾ cups pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup vegan milk (Pick the milk alternative you prefer.)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ½ tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 1 ¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ tsp salt 

Directions:

  1. Add gluten-free flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine
  2. Slice the cold vegan butter in and work gently with a fork to cut in (Don’t overwork it.)
  3. Add ice cold water a small amount at a time and use a wooden spoon to stir
  4. Only add as much water as you need to make it come together into a loose dough
  5. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and work gently with your hands to form a ½" thick disc
  6. Wrap firmly and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 2 days
  7. Let your pie crust warm back up slightly before using
  8. Preheat oven to Bake at 350°F
  9. Add all remaining ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth
  10. To roll out crust, unwrap the disc and place between two sizable layers of wax paper
  11. Use a rolling pin to gently roll it into the shape of your pie pan
  12. Remove the top layer of wax paper and gently lay the pie dish face down on the pie crust
  13. Quickly but carefully flip the crust and pie dish so the pie crust falls into the dish
  14. Use your hands to form the crust to the pie pan
  15. Pour filling into the pie crust and bake for 60 minutes
  16. The crust should be light golden brown and the filling will still be a bit jiggly and have cracks
  17. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before loosely covering and letting set in the refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours
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