Today we have a special guest post by health editor Brandi Koskie of DietsInReview.com. In November, Brandi was a panelist for our first Twitter party and we asked her to share some of her favorite gluten-free holiday recipes with our readers. You can follow Diets In Review at @DietsInReview or www.facebook.com/dietsinreview.
Holiday meals just aren’t the same without the turkey. Or maybe you’d say the pumpkin pie. Some would argue that the candied yams make the day. Personally, my great-grandmother’s baked macaroni and cheese is something I look forward to all year long. For our friends and family who have a gluten intolerance or allergy, they might look forward to those same things, but they can’t have most of them.
If you’re hosting a holiday meal this year, make sure all of your guests can enjoy your hard work. Be sure to prepare a side or two, and even a dessert, that’s gluten free and label it clearly. Then, no one feels left out!
If you’re on the guest list, ask the host if you can contribute a side or dessert. Rarely will someone tell you no, and this way you can ensure there’s at least one thing on the table that you can eat without pause.
Aside from the turkey, the stuffing is usually a centerpiece in the holiday meal. With more and more quality gluten-free breads and products available to consumers it’s easier than ever to make this traditional side dish. Wendy Gregory Kaho, of Celiacs in the House, created this gluten-free stuffing recipe for DietsInReview.com, and with it shared a few tips for ensuring that not only are your recipes gf-friendly, but that your food prep is, too.
A few of her tips include:
1. Use only metal or glass utensils and baking dishes if you don’t have a gluten-free kitchen. Porous utensils and dishes, like wooden cutting boards, aren’t able to get rid of all of the wheat.
2. Read labels on packaged broths. Not all are gluten free and may have soy sauce or other gluten-containing ingredients.
3. Serve gluten-free foods to your gluten-free guests with dedicated serving spoons and preferably away from the gluten-containing foods where serving utensils can get mixed up.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil or a combination
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 1½ teaspoons of dried sage and ½ teaspoon of thyme
1½ teaspoons of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of dried parsley or add ¼ cup of fresh chopped
4 cups of gluten-free bread cubes. (I used about 6 slices of whole grain and 6 slices of white sandwich bread.)
2 cups of cornbread cubes (I used ½ pan of Pamela’s Cornbread Mix made without sugar. The other half will be frozen and go into the Christmas stuffing.)
2 cups of gluten-free broth
1 beaten egg
Instructions
1. Toast the bread cubes in a 325 oven for 20-25 minutes on a baking sheet turning once.
2. While the bread is toasting melt butter or add olive oil to a skillet and cook onion and celery until onion is tender. Add the salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
3. Place the toasted bread cubes in a large bowl and add the vegetables and seasonings, the parsley, the broth, and the egg. Stir gently to combine.
4. Pour mixture into an oiled casserole and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 or until top is lightly browned.
