Thanksgiving Recipes

Every year for Thanksgiving, families gather together to enjoy one another's company over a feast of turkey, stuffing, various sides, and of course, dessert. However, for those with diet restrictions, the holidays can be a tough time of year.

For the past three weeks, we’ve featured posts on diabetes to recognize diabetes awareness month. This month is also Celiac Awareness Month.

Celiac disease is a digestive disease. Those with celiac disease cannot eat any gluten products because gluten causes the immune system to attack the structures in the small intestine that absorb food nutrients. Thus, people with celiac disease can suffer from malnourishment if they eat gluten in their diets.

Often celiac disease is referred to as a gluten allergy, but it is not. There are those that have wheat allergies, and there are those with celiac disease. People with wheat allergies also have an immune response, but it does not result in an attack of the small intestine.

Since the holidays can be so difficult for diabetics and celiacs, we will be featuring holiday recipes that are specifically designed for these diets. Today, we will focus on appetizers and the main course. Tomorrow, we will offer some dessert options. Enjoy!!!


APPETIZERS

Marinated Vegetables

Use artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, or any vegetable that you really love
Add 1/4 tsp oregano for every 8 oz. of vegetable
Add a few tbsp. of Olive Oil and Canola Oil
Salt to taste
Toss gently and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Spinach Dip

1 package of large cap mushrooms
1 package chopped spinach (drained, uncooked)
1 cup sour cream
1 can water chestnuts
1 package Knorrs Vegetable Soup (this is gluten free, other mixes may not be)
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix (this is gluten-free, others may not be)

Mix the day before and refrigerate. Hollow out a round loaf of pumpernickel bread, fill with dip and use the extra pieces of bread for dipping.

Gluten-free substitutions: Place dip in a bowl. Use rice crackers or tortilla chips for dipping. Gluten free cornbread (below) or gluten free bread made from a store-bought mix or local bakery may also be used.

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package large cap mushrooms
1/4 of an onion, chopped
Bread crumbs, (~ 1/4 cup or added for your preferred breading consistency)
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 tbsp. butter

Chop onion and stem mushrooms. Saute the onion and stems in butter. Add bread crumbs for a thick consistency. Stuff mushroom caps, sprinke with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Gluten-free alternatives: Use wild rice or Quinoa as a substitute for bread crumbs.

MAIN COURSE

Pumpkin Soup
2 tbsp. maragarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. curry powder
1 qt chicken broth
2 cups pureed or canned pumpkin
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1 tsp. salt
1 cup cream or milk

Saute onions in margarine. Stir in flour and curry; cook umtil bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in chicken brother. Add pumpkin, sugar, ginger, mace, and salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring until mixture begins to simmer. Stir in cream or milk and heat to serving temperature. Do not boil. Serve hot sprinkled with chives or parsley; or chill and serve with a dollup of whipped or sour cream.
Gluten-free alternative: Use cornstarch or rice flour rather than wheat flour. Be sure chicken broth is gluten free.

Corn Bread (gluten free)

4 eggs
4 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp. olive oil(or butter if preferred)
4 cups yellow corn meal
2 tbsp. baking soda (gluten free)
2 tsp. sage, rubbed
2 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
dash of freshly ground black pepper

Grease 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk and olive oil with a fork to blend. In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients until blended. Stir into buttermilk mixture and stir, pour into greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake on lowest rack in oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes more, or until bread just begins to pull away from sides of pan; turn out onto wire rack. Cool thoroughly.

Cornbread Stuffing (gluten-free)

1.5 lbs Dark meat chicken- cooked and shredded
1.5 sticks butter, softened
1 lb yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped fresh
Gluten Free Corn Bread (above)
Small loaf Gluten Free Sourdough bread (optional)
1/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth

Melt 4 tbsp. butter in heavy skillet and sauté onions slowly until soft- about 15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp. butter and the celery, and sauté 10 more minutes. Add parsley. Remove from heat.

Bring chicken and all stuffing ingredients to room temperature. Trim and discard any dark brown crust from the corn bread; crumble into a large mixing bowl. Add crumbled sourdough and mix. Stir in onion/­celery mixture. Melt remaining 4 Tablespoons butter and drizzle over stuffing, tossing lightly. Add chicken. Sprinkle with just enough broth to moisten and mix lightly again. Press into prepared 9 X 13-inch pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour. Serves 8 - 12.

Spinach Casserole

2 - 10 oz. packages of frozen spinach or equivalent
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 cup self-rising flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix and pour into a buttered casserole dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Gluten-free option: Substitute gluten free flour for self-rising flour.

Cranberry Sauce

4 cups cranberries
1 cup rasberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
zest from 1 orange

Bring water to rolling boil in a saucepan and add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add cranberries and raspberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until cranberries burst (about 10 minutes). Add orange zest. Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Acorn Squash

1 Acorn squash, halved
salt, to taste
2 tbsp. butter
2-3 tbsp. brown sugar
Pure maple syrup

Cut acorn squash in half, remove seeds, and add a pinch of salt to each. Put 1 tbsp. butter in the center of each half. Sprinkle with brown sugar and lightly cover with maple syrup. Place in a bake pan with 1-inch of water at the bottom, cover with aluminum foil and cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil; bake another 30 minutes. Broil for the final few minutes.

Tomorrow we'll take a look at desserts and some alternatives for those with allergies.