Following a GF/CF diet doesn’t mean you have to forego traditional—and delicious—holiday dinners…
My favorite time of the year is almost here: the holidays. As with many families, we gather around the table and pass around our favorite dishes in celebration of the season. I think everyone has that “one” dish they look forward to all year long. Enjoying delicious traditional foods while staying true to your gluten- and casein-free lifestyle is not only possible, but it’s simpler than you might think.
There are so many seasonal standards: turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce—and who doesn’t love fresh baked bread with their annual holiday dinners? We have gathered some time-honored traditional favorites and made them all 100% gluten- and casein-free. Now, instead of eating just a touch of what is spread on the table or foregoing the season’s traditional fare altogether, you can indulge right along with everyone else.
Pass around these and other GF/CF recipes with your friends and family so that anyone following the diet can still enjoy a traditional holiday gathering and all that goes with it. And don’t forget, after-dinner-naps are GF/CF as well. Enjoy—and happy holidays from my home to yours!
Cranberry Sauce
Makes 10 servings
This simple standard cranberry recipe allows you to adjust the sweetness or enhance it with a more tart taste.
¾ C orange juice
¼ C white sugar
¼ C honey
3 C fresh cranberries (Frozen can be used if drained really well.)
For a tarter version, replace the orange juice with water to remove some of the sweetness, or add more cranberries.
1. Place juice (or water), honey and sugar in a saucepan on medium. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
2. Slowly stir in the cranberries and return to a boil. Simmer until cranberries begin to burst (around 10 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat, cool at room temperature, chill in the refrigerator.
If you want to add anything to it, do so immediately after removing from heat. It will congeal as it cools.
Each serving contains 69 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 0g protein
Three-Flour Bread
Makes 14 servings per loaf
2 C tepid water
½ tsp. salt
2 T honey
2 packages of FRESH dry yeast
Flour Mixture:
4 C brown rice flour
3 C tapioca flour
1 C sorghum flour
1. Mix all ingredients except flour. Let stand for 30 minutes
2. Mix in approximate 4 cups of the flour mixture. The dough should be “spoonable” similar to a muffin mixture. (If
the dough appears too grainy or thick, slowly add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.)
3. Grease the bottom & sides of 2 loaf pans.
4. Divide batter into the pans & allow it to rise to the top in a WARM area for 3-4 hours.
5. Bake at 350 20-30 minutes or until top is firm and slightly brown, or if you tap the top and its sounds “hollow”.
6. For a crunchier crust, apply a milk wash on top with a pastry brush.
Each serving contains 140 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 62mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein
Waldorf Salad
Makes 12 servings
This salad is crunchy and chewy and makes a perfect dish to add to your holiday meals.
5 or 6 apples, unpeeled, cut from the core, and chopped into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
1 ½ T lemon juice
¾ C raisins
1 ½ C chopped celery
1 C walnuts OR pecans (optional)
¾ C GFCF mayonnaise
1 T sugar
1. Prepare the apples. Don’t bother peeling them, but give them a really good scrubbing to remove toxins. Chop into
bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over pieces.
2. Plump the raisins by measuring them into a bowl and covering with warm water. Allow them to sit for a few
minutes, drain off the water and squeeze if necessary to get dry, then add to apples.
3. Wash and scrub 2 stalks of celery and cut them in half length-wise. Chop finely and add to the bowl. (If you’re using
walnuts or pecans add them too.)
4. Add mayonnaise and sugar to the mixture. Stir with a fork or spoon until everything is evenly coated with the
creamy dressing. You can serve the salad right away or refrigerate until the next day.
Tip: Grapes may also be added.
Each serving contains 140 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 62mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein
Brussels Sprouts with bacon, shallots and garlic
Makes 4 servings
16 Brussels sprouts
1 ½ tsp olive oil
4 pieces of thick bacon chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
2 T GF/CF butter
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Roasted garlic (optional)
- Fill a medium-sized pot with water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
- While water comes to a boil, put bacon and olive oil in a medium sauté pan and slowly heat until bacon becomes crisp.
- Meanwhile, remove any loose leaves from sprouts, trim ends, and score an “X” on the bottoms. Blanch in boiling water for 2-4 minutes (depending on size) until they can be pierced with a knife without much resistance.
- Prepare a bowl with ice and cold water. Remove blanched sprouts from boiling water and put in ice bath to stop cooking , 1-2 minutes. Drain and cut into quarters. Set aside.
- Add shallots and garlic to bacon. Continue cooking over low heat until softened, 4-5 minutes.
- Raise the heat to medium and add Brussels sprouts and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
- Season with salt & pepper and serve.
Each serving contains 230 calories, 20 g total fat, 7 g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 19mg cholesterol, 313mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 6g protein
Dressing with cranberries and apples
Makes 6 servings
1 pan of gluten free cornbread (see recipe below)
5 T extra virgin olive oil, to taste
1 C celery, diced
1 c.sweet onion, diced
2 large granny smith apples (peeled and diced)
1 tsp. thyme, dried
1 ½ tsp. mild GF curry powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 C fresh cranberries, chopped
1 C light vegetable broth (slowly add more if needed)
2 T pure maple syrup
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Start by making a pan of your favorite gluten-free cornbread. (See bottom for recipe if needed.)
2. Plan on making an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cornbread two to three days ahead; cut it up into 5 or 6 squares
and freeze. (You could also make corn muffins, if you prefer.)
3. Allow the cornbread to thaw a little bit and cut the squares into cubes before totally defrosted. (This makes for
easier slicing and it will crumble much less.)
4. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
5. Toast cornbread cubes on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes. (Keep an eye on them so they don’t get too browned.)
6. When nicely toasted, remove from oven, set aside and allow cubes to cool.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large deep skillet and stir in e thyme, curry and cinnamon
8. Add celery, onion and apples; cook until softened.
9. Remove skillet from the burner and set aside to cool a bit.
10. Add in chopped cranberries, and stir in the toasted cornbread. Mix well.
11. Add in remaining olive oil and broth, pouring in a little at a time and gently stirring to combine.
12. Add maple syrup and stir.
13. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Note: For a softer dressing, add more broth.
Giblet Gravy
Makes 12 servings
1 ½ lbs. turkey giblets (neck may be added as well)
1½ quarts gluten-free chicken stock
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 ½ stalk celery, chopped
2 C water
2 C juice from roasted turkey
4-5 T corn starch (approximate)*
3 T tomato paste
3 T cranberry sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1. While the turkey is roasting, place the turkey giblets and neck into a large saucepan with the carrots, celery, water, and chicken stock.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce heat to low, and simmer the stock for 3 hours.
3. Skim off the fat, strain the stock, and set aside. There should be close 5 cups of stock.
4. Take carrots and celery and press through a strainer. Spoon strained carrots and celery into the stock and stir.
5. Skim off and discard all but ¼ cup of the fat from the drippings in the roasting pan, and place the roasting pan over medium heat.
6. Whisk in the corn starch, then heat and stir the corn starch mixture until it becomes pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. To avoid lumps, mix the starch with an equal amount of cold liquid until it forms a paste, and then whisk it into the liquid you’re trying to thicken. Once the thickener is added, cook it briefly to remove any starchy flavor. Don’t overcook.
7. Whisk in the stock and tomato paste; bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, then whisk in the cranberry sauce. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Tip: One tablespoon corn starch (1/4 ounce) thickens one cup of liquid
Each serving contains 119 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 44mg cholesterol, 675mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 13g protein
Pumpkin Pie
Makes 8 servings
1 ¼ C canned pumpkin (not sweetened canned pumpkin pie mix)
¾ C sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp.amaranth flour
2 lightly beaten large eggs
1 C evaporated milk
2 T water
½ tsp. vanilla
Heavy, whipping cream for garnish (optional)
1 9-inch unbaked gluten-free pie crust (There are several GF/CF pie crust mixes you can buy, but if you’d prefer to make your own, visit our website: www.autismfile.com.)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F
- Combine all ingredients for pie filling in a large mixing bowl. Beat until mixture is smooth and blended, about 1 minute.
- Set the unbaked gluten free pie crust on a large baking sheet. Pour filling mixture into the pie crust.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pie comes out clean. Over baking can cause the top of the pie to crack.
- Garnish with fresh whipped cream, dusted with cinnamon sugar (optional).
Each serving contains 359 calories, 14g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 53mg cholesterol, 178mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein
*Whipped Coconut Topping makes 4 servings
Each serving contains 289calories, 25g total fat, 21g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 35mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 2g protein
From Age of Autism