A Thanksgiving Day meal can seem like a dangerous minefield for someone who has celiac disease. All of those dishes and various ingredients could spell disaster, especially if someone else has prepared the meal.
However, one simple solution is for the individual in question to have the meal at her home, preparing the food herself. Guests could come and help to prepare the given ingredients instead of bringing a dish made without supervision.
If people want to contribute to the meal in a more material way, they could bring over specified ingredients the day before; items such as vegetables or specific brands of food.
Naturally Gluten-free Thanksgiving Day Foods
There are several traditional Thanksgiving Day foods that are naturally gluten-free and can be prepared relatively easily:
Turkey
Traditionally, the turkey is the main course of a Thanksgiving Day meal. Fortunately, a fresh or frozen whole turkey is already gluten-free, provided it is not pre-basted or seasoned. As long as any herbs, spices and oil used on the turkey don’t have any gluten ingredients added to them, the turkey should be safe cooked as is.
The gravy is also not a problem. Instead of wheat flour for the thickening, gluten-free cornstarch or gluten-free flour can be used.
Vegetables
Vegetables in their whole state are naturally gluten-free. They can be cooked as they are and jazzed up with some herbs and oil, free of gluten-containing ingredients. For example, mashed potato with some chives, parsley and sunflower oil are delicious. Sometimes the amazing taste of a fresh local vegetable by itself is all that is needed.
Fruits
Fruits are also naturally gluten-free in their whole state. They can be baked into a dessert or served fresh. Most store-bought cranberry sauce is also gluten-free, but the labels always need to be checked.
Gluten-free Stuffing for Thanksgiving Day
Stuffing and desserts represent the trickiest parts of a Thanksgiving Day meal. However, they are doable. There are many recipes for a gluten-free stuffing. This is a simple example:
In a large mixing bowl, 6 cups gluten-free bread crumbs, 1 cup chopped green onion, 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms, 1 tsp sage, 1/2 tsp rosemary and salt and pepper to taste are combined. After these ingredients are combined, 1/2 cup butter is melted and mixed in well. This stuffing can be used to stuff the turkey or it can be steamed on the side.
Gluten-free Thanksgiving Day Dessert
As with the stuffing, there are many delicious gluten-free dessert recipes that are easy to prepare. Gluten-free blueberry crisp makes a great finish to the Thanksgiving Day feast. It can be assembled and then baked while the main part of the meal is being eaten.
For a great gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake, the following adjustments can be made to this gluten-free bakeapple cheesecake recipe:
- The crust procedure is followed as it is.
- 1 cup pumpkin (cooked or canned), 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and1/4 tsp cloves are added to the filling and the rest of the procedure is followed as is.
- Gluten-free whipped cream can be substituted for a topping when the cheesecake is served.
- Steps 1- 4 are followed to assemble the cheesecake.
The original gluten-free bakeapple cheesecake is also a nice make-ahead dessert idea.
A complete gluten-free Thanksgiving Day meal can be accomplished by a person with celiac disease, and still be shared with family and friends.
Stella Walsh - Stella Walsh is a Christian writer, student of theology, elementary school teacher, committed church volunteer and photography ...
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