A little double-entendre with the pain-free promise: The recipes below are good enough to serve to anyone. They contain texture, body, flavor, and yes, fat. And without the f-word, food has no flavor. Now who wants that at Thanksgiving? Thank GOD the fat-free revolution died a quiet death sometime in the 90's. What a disaster.
Maybe your holiday guests are on board with gluten and dairy-free dining. Maybe they're not at all. It's up to you if you want to reveal the secret: the menu below is clean as a whistle. So you can indulge, go back for more than one plate, pile it high. and you won't be horizontal when dinner's over. That was always my post-Thanksgiving position...and there was no choice involved. My poor, abused stomach. It wasn't just battered from quantity, but all the offensive substances it found so difficult to digest, namely gluten and milk products. I have a sympathetic memory as I write this, of the dull throb in my gut. It lasted for hours after a holiday meal. Hours. Not anymore. Last year was my first test. I made it a gluten-free and milkless celebration. And guess what? Afterwards, I felt like dancing all night. This year I probably will.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone ♥
The first recipe is from the one and only Angella Cole, personal trainer, extraordinary baker and cook, nutrition consultant, and author of the forthcoming "My Picky Eaters" cookbook which will be packed with gluten- and dairy-free recipes for kids and adults. In the meantime, visit http://www.mypickyeaters.com/ .
ANGELLA COLE'S SPICED ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
1 LARGE BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PEELED AND SEEDED
CHILI OIL ( OPTIONAL) SEASON TO TASTE
SALT & PEPPER
LEMON PEPPER
BASIL
ITALIAN SEASONINGS
1/2 FINELY SLICED RED OINON
2 PINTS VEGETABLE BROTH
1/2 CUP SILKEN TOFU
1/2 CUP WATER
PREHEAT OVEN to 400 DEGREES. CHOP AND PEEL SQUASH SQUASH, PLACE IN ROASTING TIN, DRIZZLE WITH CHILI OIL. THEN SEASON WITH SALT, PEPPER, & LEMON PEPPER.
WHILE SQUASH IS ROASTING FOR 1 HOUR, SAUTEE ONIONS IN A LITTLE OLIVE OIL. USE ANY OTHER SEASONINGS YOU LIKE. (I USE MORE LEMON PEPPER, BASIL, ITALIAN
SEASONINGS AND SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE).
WHEN SQUASH HAS COOKED, LET COOL A BIT BEFORE SCOOPING 'MEAT' OUT OF HTE SKIN AND INTO BLENDER. ADD VEGGIE BROTH AND SILKEN TOFU. BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH AND POUR INTO A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN TO REHEAT OVER MEDIUM HEAT, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY.
SEASON WELL AND ADD SAUTEED ONIONS ON TOP!
FOR A QUICKER VERSION U CAN PEEL AND STEAM SQUASH FOR 15-2O MINS ..DRAIN WATER AND PUT IN BLENDER AND PUREE WITH SILKEN TOFU AND FOLLOW REMAINING DIRECTIONS AND
SEASONINGS.. ( ADD A LITTLE CINNAMON OR NUTMEG OPTIONAL)
ENJOY!
ANG
Mashed Potatoes
Inherently g-free, you can make mashed potatoes dairy-free by using the following instead of milk: room-temperature chevre, chicken or vegetable stock, rice, almond, coconut, or soymilk.
1 five-pound bag of potatoes *
2 6 oz. logs of room temperature chevre (goat cheese) *
A cup or so of chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Earth Balance Margarine or Extra Virgin Olive oil
* I avoid boiling vegetables the traditional way because they turn to mush and the vitamins leech into the water. Instead, I either steam them by placing a bamboo steamer in the bottom of the stockpot or using a small amount of water. I also leave potatoes unpeeled – more fiber. Who can’t use a little of that on Thanksgiving?
* If you’re not using chevre (which makes the mashed potatoes wonderfully full-bodied and tangy), use 1-2 cups of heated stock or milk to thin the potatoes. Amount will vary depending on preferred consistency.
Wash potatoes and cut into chunks (quarter if potatoes are small). Add two inches of purified water to a large stockpot. Place bamboo steamer in the pan and add cut potatoes. If you don’t have a steamer, pour about 2 inches of purified water into the pot and then add potatoes. Bring water to a boil and then turn heat back to medium and steam for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove from pot carefully (there will be lots of steam) and place in large mixing bowl or casserole dish. If there’s a little excess water, leave it in. Add first log of chevre and mash with electric hand beater or with a potato masher until blended. Then add second log. You may need to add warm stock or milk if it’s too thick. Add the salt, pepper, Earth Balance, or Olive Oil to taste and serve immediately or cover to keep warm.
Gluten-Free Gravy
2 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
½ cup pan drippings from the turkey
½ cup rice flour
Coconut or Almond Milk
Heat stock and drippings in a medium saucepan over medium high heat till bubbling. With wire whisk, beat vigorously while sprinkling flour in gradually. Don’t add all at once because you may not need it all. Continue to whisk as it thickens until it reaches desired consistency. Note: if you use pan drippings, you won’t need to add fat or salt. If no drippings are available or you want to keep it vegan, add Earth Balance or Olive Oil to give it more body.
Cranberry Sauce Without White Sugar
This is one of the easiest and healthiest ways I’ve ever known to make cranberry sauce. You’ll definitely get your Vitamin C allotment for the day with this recipe:
http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/cranberry-sauce-a-healthy
Broccoli Puree
If you like your broccoli the traditional way, go right ahead. The texture of cruciferous vegetables has always turned me off, so I found a more appealing way to get it down the hatch:
1 bag frozen broccoli
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
Earth Balance Margarine or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste
In a large saucepan, bring stock to a boil and add broccoli. Simmer covered over medium heat for 10 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove from heat; add margarine or olive oil and salt. Puree using an immersion blender or electric hand mixer. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately or cover and keep warm till ready to serve.
Cornbread
Another item that’s inherently gluten-free. Of course, there are recipes available on the cornmeal container, but here is one of my personal favorites. Love Karina Allrich’s version for its exotic touches of cinnamon, nutmeg, and bourbon vanilla.
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/05/vanilla-cornbread.html
Gluten-Free Stuffing
Yes Virginia, a really delicious gluten-free stuffing is absolutely do-able. Sure it costs significantly more, but it’s worth the price of a loaf of gluten-free bread. And I’m down 12 sizes, so...fair trade.
http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/gfree-stuffing
Escalloped Corn
Found this recipe through the friend of a Facebook friend. Thank You Tiajuana Anderson Neel! I amended some ingredients to make it dairy-free….but it’s still appropriately decadent for Thanksgiving.
1 cup cornmeal
2 TBS. Sugar or Agave
½ tsp. salt
2 cans drained whole kernel corn or 16 oz. frozen corn
8 ounces of tofu sour cream or goat yogurt, room temperature
1 stick butter, or Earth Balance, softened to room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350
Place cornmeal, sugar, corn, sour cream, and butter in large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix vigorously until smooth. Crack eggs into small bowl and whip with a fork or whisk until very blended. Add to corn mixture. Spray a casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray and add corn mixture. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until set.
Tofu Chocolate Mousse
This is a lovely ending to a meal – particularly a heavy one. It’s the perfect hit of chocolate sweetness, minus the fat-laden heaviness of cake, pie, or traditional mousse.
http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/holy-hit-of-chocolate-batman
Sesame Wafers
Another light option. You won’t have to force these light, crispy cookies down the hatch. Serve plain or with ice cream made of coconut or almond milk. This recipe was given to me by Lisa Hall of Bolton Landing, N.Y. They were a major hit at a lakeside reception at the Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum in June and I knew HFFT readers would appreciate their uniqueness.
2 cups brown sugar
¾ cup butter or Earth Balance, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Sorghum or Rice Flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Toast sesame seeds in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop until golden brown. Cream the butter and sugar together, add beaten egg. Sift flour with salt and baking powder, stir into butter mixture. Add vanilla and sesame seeds. Drop by ½ teaspoon on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Allow to cool for one minute before removing from sheet. Makes about 100.
(Lisa finds that the thin, cheap cookie sheets work the best for this recipe. The insulated type makes the wafers puff up.)
