The Gluten-Free Homemaker

Here are links to some of my recipes that you might want to use for Christmas.  Also, the vegetable and side dishes I posted in my Thanksgiving recipe round up are good for any special meal.  Happy holiday baking!

Labels: holidays

This is a guest post from Cheryl Harris of Gluten Free Goodness and Harris Whole Health.

I’m delighted to stop by here right in time for the holidays. Linda has done such a great job to support our happy little (but growing) gluten-free community, especially with Gluten-free Wednesdays. I’ve been hosting a weekly menu plan on my website for the past few years (although we’re much smaller) and everyone is of course welcome to stop by and get inspiration there, too!

So, I love to bake, cook and eat…and I’m a dietitian and nutritionist. It’s all about finding the right balance between the delights of food and friends and eating well to feel great throughout the holidays. Since we’re smack in the middle of eating (and shopping) season, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy the spirit of the season and favorite holiday foods, while staying reasonably healthy, too.

Holiday Tips

Balance: If you are going to a holiday party in the evening, make an extra effort to eat well on other days. Add in more vegetables, fruits, beans, gluten-free whole grains, etc. and move more, too! A piece of chocolate cake one day won't make or break a diet, but treats every day will add up.

Move the goodies out of sight: One of the biggest challenges of the season is a see-food diet, otherwise known as "if I see it, I eat it". Studies show that when people keep food out of sight, they eat less. Avoid the constant temptation. Instead, put fruits on the counter or in your refrigerator where they are easy to grab. Seasonal fruits in the winter months include Clementines, oranges, pineapples, grapefruits, grapes, pomegranates, persimmons, mangos, and more.

Fill your table with fruit and veggie dishes: Have your holiday meals feature seasonal vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, collards or other greens. Make roasted chestnuts as a snack. Have a fruit inspired dessert, like baked apples, poached pears, sautéed bananas, etc.

Soups: As long as they're not cream based, most soups are a healthy snack or part of a filling meal. Chicken and turkey soup with brown or wild rice, butternut squash soup, lentil soups and other beans soups are a great way to stay warm and enjoy seasonal flavors.



Image via office.microsoft.com

Cheryl Harris is a Registered Dietitian and nutritionist in Alexandria, VA providing nutrition session and classes on Celiac disease and other food intolerances. She writes on Celiac Disease for her Today’s Dietitian, the Gluten Intolerance Group, DC Celiacs and her own free monthly gluten-free newsletter.  She considers herself incredibly lucky, because she loves her work and the chance to help others enjoy healthy and safe foods, even with food restrictions. For more information on Cheryl and many gluten free resources, see www.harriswholehealth.com or her gluten free and allergen avoiding recipes on www.gfgoodness.com

Labels: gluten-free diet, holidays

If you need to purchase a gift for a gluten-free loved one, or need ideas to pass on to those who are getting gifts for you, here are a few ideas.  These items can easily be purchased at Amazon.  The following Amazon links are affiliate links.  You can read more about that farther down in this post.




Gluten-Free Gift Baskets - You could also try individual companies and see if they offer a gift basket.  Or, put together your own basket.








Gluten-Free Foods- especially ones you might not normally buy for yourself. Maye a favorite cookie or granola.  You could also purchase frozen baked goods from a store.








 Gluten-Free Cookbooks- There are lots of good ones to choose from.  This is one of my favorites.







Kitchen Gadgets - Though not especially gluten free, these can be a lot of fun and very useful.  Check out my Tools of the Trade posts to see  which ones I like.




You may have noticed that my title said gluten-free gifts for you and me.  I’ll get to my most wanted gift in a minute, but first I want to tell you about affiliate links.  An affiliate link such as the Amazon.com links in this post are links that are connected to my account.  When you go to Amazon through one of my links, they know you came from me, and they give me a very small commission on orders made through my links.  In fact, you don’t even have to purchase the items I link to.  Anything you order after getting to Amazon through my link will earn me commission.  That is one small way you could say thank you and give me a gift this year.

What would I most like from my readers?  I love receiving your comments and emails that tell me how my blog or recipes have been helpful to you. Last December I received an email from a reader, Sharon.  She wrote me such a nice thank you letter that I have been treasuring it all year.  Blogging is work, and your feedback keeps me going.  Even criticism and suggestions are welcome.  So if you would like to give me a Christmas gift this year, send me your thoughts in an email.

Labels: holidays

 
I thought I would give you a round up of some of my recipes that might be useful for Thanksgiving.

Vegetables & Side Dishes:


If you are looking for a stuffing recipe, Shirley’s Surprise Stuffing uses tortilla chips instead of bread cubes, which makes it an easy option.  I made this just for myself to eat last year, and it was quite good.  If you are not particular about stuffing, you’ll probably like it.  I think I’ll make it again this year for me and my gluten-free son.  Also, Iris shared an  Acorn Squash Stuffing with us the other day that looks delicious.

Labels: holidays

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and Christmas is only five weeks away! Some of you may be approaching the holidays with a bit (or a lot) of fear and trepidation.  Food is a huge part of holidays whether it is family gatherings, office parties, or a special meal for you and your immediate family.  If you are on a special diet of any kind, these occasions can be a real challenge.  Although I’ve been gluten free for ten years, this year will be an adjustment for me as I face the holidays with new diet restrictions--dairy and soy free.  In addition, I now have a son who is gluten free, and I want to make the holidays as easy for him as possible.

With that in mind, I thought some holiday tips would be helpful to both you and me.  These tips are geared towards food and eating, but I would like to start by reminding you that your relationships with family and friends really are the most important part of the holidays.  Food is quickly consumed, and then it’s gone.  Relationships are lasting.  Try to focus on time with people, and the food might not seem so important.

1.  Plan.  Plan.  Plan.   I know.  It used to be so much easier, didn’t it?  You probably had to do some planning then, but now you have to do a lot.  If you are one of those people who really doesn’t care much about food, then you can get away with minimal planning, but if food is important, you have to plan.  See the following points for the specifics of planning.

2.  Communicate and Educate.  This is best done ahead of time (hence the planning point).  If you will be eating at someone else’s home or a restaurant, talk to the cook (or cooks) ahead of time.  Let them know of your diet restrictions, and find out if anything they are making is gluten free or could easily be made so.  Most people don’t mind using corn starch to thicken gravy instead of flour, but they won’t do it if they don’t know.  Educate them on cross contamination and the need for clean surfaces, utensils, bowls, pans, etc.  Communicate nicely, and don’t expect them to make everything gluten-free. 

3.  Contribute to the Meal.  You might want to contribute to the main meal and the dessert so you have something you are sure is safe for both.  Desserts in particular often contain gluten, but gluten-free desserts are just as delicious and can be enjoyed by all. 

4.  Bring Your Own Food.  In addition to contributing food for everyone, you may want to bring something just for you.  If attending a holiday party, bringing your own crackers could be helpful, or maybe you will want to take your own stuffing or dinner roll for Thanksgiving. 

5.  Prepare and Freeze Food in Advance.  It’s no fun to be stressed out over food when you should be enjoying the holiday.  If you plan ahead and know what foods you want to have for particular occasions, many of those foods can be prepared and frozen.  I have made multiple pumpkin rolls and frozen them a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. 

6.  Oversee Food Preparation.  You can’t do this in every situation, but you often can.  If the event is at your home, of course, this is easy.  But even at a family member’s home you can often work with the cook to make sure contamination is avoided. 

7.  Watch Out for Contamination When Food is Served.  Your efforts to keep something gluten free while it is being cooked can be totally destroyed by crumbs from rolls or a serving utensil that is used for the stuffing then dipped into the green beans. 

8.  Get Your Food First.  I know this can seem a bit awkward, but getting your food first can ensure that it stays uncontaminated from situations like I mentioned in number seven above.  Take as much as you think you will want and don’t go back for seconds.

9.  Set Food Aside.  Hold back some food from the serving dishes so that all of it doesn’t risk contamination.  That way you can enjoy some of the leftovers too.

10.  Smile.  Smile.  Smile.  Even if you don’t feel like it.  Smiling will enhance your mood and help you feel less stressed.  Reflect on how much better you feel being on a gluten-free diet.  Remember that a diet change is better than taking medications.  Enjoy your gluten-free food, and treasure your relationships.

Labels: gluten-free diet, holidays

If you are looking for some great gluten-free holiday baking recipes, all in one place, you’re in luck!  Jeanine at The Baking Beauties has put together a collection of  recipes submitted by bloggers and readers.  This eBook contains over 35 recipes and it is completely free and available for you to download. 

You’ll find cookies, pies, truffles, cakes, and of course I had to contribute my cinnamon rolls.  It’s a great resource, and since it’s free, there’s no reason not to download it.  Stop by The Baking Beauties and learn more about it.  While you’re there, remember to thank Jeanine for doing this.

Labels: holidays