Planning a holiday meal can be stressful at times, especially if you add special restricted diets to the mix. No one relishes the thought of a family member or friend sitting at the table with very little on their plate due to allergies or preferences. From vegetarian, vegan, lactose sensitivities, gluten intolerance, nut allergies, sodium-restricted diets, and others, there are a variety of different needs a guest may have. “It’s like the start of a bad joke: a vegan, a gluten-free and a paleo walk into a bar — except it’s your house, and they’re gathered around your Thanksgiving table,” NPR.
It is helpful to check with guest prior to cooking to see if anyone has any allergies or preferences. Many vegan and vegetarian options are also gluten free. A couple tricks if you want to adapt your meal to fit everyone’s needs–try sunflower oil instead of butter, use coconut milk in place of cream, and puree silken tofu to replace products like sour cream, according to Whole Foods Market. Or depending on your guests’ allergies, Greek yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. Panko breadcrumbs are a great alternative for traditional breadcrumbs. Be sure to check the nutrition labels when you are at the store and watch for hidden ingredients. For example gravy does not have much flour, but enough to give a gluten intolerant guest quite a stomachache. Also be aware of cross contamination with utensils; make your other guests aware so they are careful to place the utensils back in the appropriate dish. A potluck style Thanksgivings is a great option too: you can offer to cook the turkey and ask your guests to bring different sides. Everyone contributes and people with food sensitivities will likely bring a dish that themselves and everyone can enjoy.
Below are a few delicious recipes that may make the added challenge of special diets to the traditional Thanksgiving feast simpler.
Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash– a delicious vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free main dish alternative.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
- 2 cups cooked rice, barley or quinoa
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water and drained
- 2/3 cup chopped sweet potato or carrot, steamed until just tender
- 1/2 cup grated peeled apple
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- Sea salt, to taste
- Ground pepper, to taste
- 3 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
In a small pan, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft but not browned. Place in a large bowl and add rice, cranberries, sweet potato, apple, walnuts, parsley, and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange squash cut-side down in large baking dish or roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of vegetable stock, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, reserve any remaining stock, and place face side up in pan. Fill each cavity with about 1/2 to 2/3 cup stuffing. Drizzle with olive oil and any remaining stock, and cover tightly with foil. Bake until squashes are cooked and slightly soft to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
(Source: Whole Foods Market)
Foolproof Turkey Gravy- Easy pan gravy that is dairy free, and gluten free.
Ingredients:
- Drippings from turkey
- 4 cups chicken broth (make sure to buy gluten-free), divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Heat turkey drippings in a saucepan. Add 3 ½-cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir cornstarch into remaining 1/2-cup cold chicken broth. Stir cornstarch mixture into gravy base and stir continually until it returns to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(Source: Whole Foods Market)
Spicy Pumpkin Hummus– holiday crowd pleaser! Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free.
Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 1 13.5 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional salt and black pepper, to taste
In a food processor fitted with a blade, process pumpkin, chickpeas and garlic until fairly smooth. Add olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper; process until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn tortilla chips.
Source: (New Seasons Market)
