Gluten Free Thanksgiving

Wow, can you believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner?

Here's my own Gluten Free guide to have a great Thanksgiving.

{Picture from lafreebee.com}

As we all know, the hardest part about being gluten free (whether with celiac disease or gluten intolerance) is social eating.  When I'm at home, I know what's in everything and how it was prepared.  Thanksgiving, the biggest social eating holiday ever could be a disaster...

or it could be delicious.  

Side tangent: what would it be like to be reckless for one day, or even one meal?  To just eat whatever and not have to think about it?  

Ok....moving on.

Use these simple steps and you can have a gluten free Thanksgiving not starving!

These tips have been perfected over the years, I'm not going to lie, my first few Thanksgivings were rough.  

A big revelation came one year to really embrace what the entire holiday was about.  I focused on being grateful to be with family and friends and grateful that there was so much food on the table that I could eat.  

This attitude helped me overcome the helplessness I felt as I passed by the stuffing and rolls.  Try it, it might be easy for some.  If you are in "mourning" about missing the old way of life I completely understand.  Just don't give in and don't cheat.  It's not worth it to feel sick or hurt your body.

Alright here we go:

1. Tell the host/hostess.  Let them know what you can and can't have.  The more upfront you are the less awkward it's going to be later.

2. Volunteer to bring items that normally contain gluten that you can't live without, such as a pie, green bean casserole, stuffing, or your own rolls....

3.  Decide what gluten-containing Thanksgiving foods you can't live without.  For me it's pie.  I have to have a big ol' slice of pie on Turkey Day.  So, I make sure to make at least one GF pie to share with everyone.

4. Find out who is making what and how they are preparing it.  Are they dusting the turkey bag with flour?  Are they stuffing the turkey?  Thickening the gravy with flour?  Simple changes can help you out a lot and not change the flavor or texture.

5.  If traveling, bring some extra flours with you.  Mix up the dry ingredients of a pie crust and place in a baggie.  The more prepared you are the easier it will be for everyone.

6.  Eating out for Thanksgiving?  Call the restaurant.  Let them know you are GF and what items you can or can't have.  Also look at their on-line menu.  Be informed about what foods you can/can't have to save some awkward moments when everyone is ordering and waiters are busy.

Ok, feeling overwhelmed?  Don't be.  

Here are some tips on what I do for each Thanksgiving food:

Turkey:

A must, right?

My first GF Thanksgiving, 9 years ago my parents had to order a free-range turkey for around $80.  Steep, I know. 

But lucky for us turkeys have become injected with different substances and many turkeys found at your grocery store are gluten free and will state that on the ingredients list.  

When preparing the turkey, remember to only use GF stuffing, or none at all and dust the turkey bag with GF mix or not at all.

Mashed Potatoes:

One of my favorites.

Mashed potatoes are gluten-free, especially if they are made from scratch.  

But, if you are using the boxed, instant potatoes be sure to carefully read the box.  There are some flavored types (garlic mashed potatoes, etc.) that have wheat flour in them.  

Read, read, read all labels.

Gravy:

Quick and easy fix.  Thicken the gravy with cornstarch or tapioca flour.

This might be one of the dishes that you could help with or bring to ensure that it's GF.

Stuffing:

Obviously a huge no-no.

Now, I'm not a huge lover of stuffing, even in the gluten days.  So consequently I haven't tried that many recipes for stuffing.  I have made stuffing before and it came out really dry and crumbly.  

You can also experiment.  If any one finds a good recipe, let me know.

Remember cornbread contains gluten.  I have been asked if I could eat cornbread, but even though it is made with corn meal, there's still flour in it.  

Cranberry Sauce:

Gluten Free!

Open up a can and enjoy.

Yams:

Oh yum.

And gluten free.  

I love candied yams, I know it takes the "healthiness" away, but oh man, these are good!

I like to get the canned yams, drain the juice. 

Then slice them in half.

Melt about 3-4 Tablespoons of butter in a frying pan.

Add about 1/4 cup of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  

Dissolve sugar and add yams.

Coat yams with sauce and cook on low heat heat until caramelized and warm.

Delicious.

Rolls:

Sorry, outta luck unless you buy or make some of your own.  

Which wouldn't be that bad.  Rolls are a perfect example of something that you can bring!

Salad:
Most of the time, salads are safe.
Green salads: can't go wrong with a big pile of leafy greens right?  Just be sure there isn't any croutons lurking throughout.  And be sure the dressing is GF.  You could ask the person bringing the salad to leave the croutons and dressing on the side.
Jello salad: Jello is GF.  It would just depend on what's mixed in.  Just ask!

Green Bean Casserole:
Can you believe that I've never actually had green bean casserole?
I know, weird right!
It was never a traditional food at our house and when I first heard about green bean casserole, someone else had made it with gluten-containing cream of chicken soup.
Since I've never made the actual casserole, you'll have to do some experimenting.
You can whip up a batch of the GF cream of chicken soup mix or you can buy GF cream of chicken soup made by Pacific Soups.

Dips/Cheese Balls
Always ask the maker what's inside.  Or read the label if store bought.
The main thing would be the wheat crackers being dipped and broken and dipped leaving behind crumbs of poisonous gluten.
Here's what I do.  Bring along some of my own GF crackers.  (Which ever ones you like).  Then, before it's been dipped into, or head for an edge that looks untouched, scoop as much as you are going to eat into a small bowl to save for yourself.  Or ask the person bringing the dip to save you out some in a different dish and you can enjoy as well.

Pie:
Last, but not least.
And definitely my favorite part of Thanksgiving.
I could not live with a big slice of pumpkin pie.
I always end up making at least two pies for Thanksgiving.  Which is perfect so I can have two options.  I use this pie crust recipe and it always turns out flaky and nice.  People can usually not even guess it's gluten free.
If you need a cereal/graham style crust I love using the Gluten Free Chex crust.
This recipe is easy enough to use for any pie that you desire and handles well.
Looking for pie recipes?  Here are some of my favorites.

Good luck and hope everyone has a wonderful Gluten Free Thanksgiving!
Let me know if you have any questions.

Here's to Thanksgiving and not starving!

Gluten Free Stir Fry Tips

There are many things I love about stir fry's.

They are fast,

use up leftover veggies and rice,

and generally pretty healthy.

Here are a few tips about making tasty stir-frys that I have picked up along the way.

1. Instead of using oil to stir fry, I like to use Zesty Italian salad dressing.  

It has oil in it and adds flavor to the stir fry.

It must, must, must be the regular Italian dressing, no fat free here.  I have tried it and it's been a disaster.  To make the dressing fat free, the makers of salad dressings, whoever they may be, they replace the oil with high fructose corn syrup, which doesn't fry well.

2. Pre cut your meat into cubes when you have extra time and store in the freezer until needed.  Same with veggies.

3. Always cook the meat first and then remove from the pan.  Next add the veggies.  It will give the veggies a little more flavor.  When veggies are done, add back in the meat, pour in the sauce and you are ready to serve.

4.  I like to add in the rice into the skillet so the rice will be nice and warm and will be coated in the stir fry sauce.

5. Add nuts or fruit at the very end, or at the time of serving to add a crunch or some sweetness to the overall dish.

6. Most importantly, run hog wild with what ingredients you have!  Experiment and enjoy!

Also try:

Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

or

Gluten Free Quinoa Stir Fry

How to use Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

I have had some questions about how to use the Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup mix.  

This mix is great because you mix it all up using available ingredients and it's as if you have 8-9 cans of cream of chicken soup sitting in one container.  

Gluten Free and space innovative.

And I think it might be a little healthier without preservatives and tons of salt, but don't quote me on that.

So how to use it.

Make the mix:

Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup dry milk powder

1 cup white rice flour

2 T. dried minced onions

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. salt

3 T. Gluten Free powdered chicken bouillon (I like the brand Herb-ox)

Make this mix and keep it on your shelf.  This is the equivalent of 8-9 cans of soup.

So when a recipe calls for a can of Cream of Chicken soup, you will combine

 1/4 cup of mix 

 1 1/4 cups of water

Whisk together and bring to a boil, until thick.  It will look like you opened up a can of store bought gluten-full soup.

Your soup is then ready to use in place of any recipe that calls for Cream of Chicken soup.

Now...here are the exceptions:

1. If your recipe will be baked for more than an hour, you don't need to boil the mix and water first.  Just whisk together and pour into your recipe.  It has to be more than an hour though.  I thought I was above the cooking rules once and only baked my casserole for 45 minutes...soupy and a total failure.

2. If the recipe calls for diluted Cream of Chicken soup.  This recipe once boiled and thickened will be 1 can undiluted cream of chicken soup.  So to dilute just add the amount of liquid (water, broth, milk, etc.) that the recipe calls for to make the soup thinner.

Does all this make sense.  

I love having this mix on hand because it really is so versatile and no one will ever guess that it's gluten free.  In fact, some people tell me they like it better.  

Email or leave a comment if you have any questions.

Gluten Free 4th of July Ideas

Happy July everyone!

I should have had this list up yesterday for all of you celebrating Canada Day, but I forgot.  Sorry.

But for all you American readers here's a quick list of some Red White and Blue recipes.

Enjoy and happy Independence Day!

Red:

Gluten Free Sweet and Savory Pork Sandwiches

Gluten Free Crockpot Ribs

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake

Gluten Free Berry Pie

White:

Gluten Free Potato Salad

Gluten Free Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream- my personal fave for the 4th, or anytime! 

Blue:

Gluten Free Blueberry Dream Pie

Gluten Free Blueberry Cheesecake

Gluten Free Blueberry Whipped Topping Dessert

or just grill up a steak using my favorite recipe, pat together some burgers (try the Udi buns), make some rootbeer, (5gallons water, 5 pounds sugar, 1 bottle rootbeer extract, 5 lbs dry ice.  Mix together and let bubble until carbonated.), cut up some watermelon, shuck some corn and dig in.

Happy 4th of July!

Hope it's safe and yummy!

Gluten Free Teriyaki Stir Fry

Stir fry is a great dinner, a fast and healthy dinner, but lets be honest, the most time consuming part of making stir fry is cutting up all the veggies.

So here is the solution, cut and freeze.

My mom came the week after I had my baby.  Not only did she change diapers, clean the house, play with the toddler, cook dinner and let me have a nap and shower everyday, she made me about eight meals to put put in the freezer for when she left.

Amazing, I know.

She made two baggies: one for cut up veggies and one for cubed chicken.

I like to use whatever veggies I have on hand.  Peppers (all colors), zucchini, summer squash, onions, mushrooms, carrots, are some good suggestions.

Put both baggies in a gallon size freezer bag, label and freeze until you need a fast meal.

When you are in a rush, too tired to cook, or just need a break, pull out of your freezer that morning.

I like to use Italian dressing to place of oil for more flavor.

Heat dressing and cook veggies and chicken.

I like to add this teriyaki sauce:

While you are stirfrying make some rice and serve with stir fry.

Enjoy!

For Those Who Can't Eat Oats...

A friend let me in on this little tip if you are having a hard time with oats.

Use sliced almonds!  

She said it worked great and results were delicious.

Good to know, thanks Natalie.