Gluten Free Holiday Dinner Recipes

This holiday season consider trying something different when it comes to a big dinner. Usually when you eat a large meal it leaves you feeling tired, lazy and wanting to take a nap, instead of feeling energized, right? Well, the healthy vegan menu I have put together will leave you feeling fabulous, not tired!!I It is all real, living food made from organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. All the dishes are low glycemic, wheat / dairy free and nutritious. Now I hear you are wondering, how good can this food taste? The answer to that is, Fabulous! Why? Because this is real food with all it's enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients still intact and bioavailable. This food feeds, nourishes and gives your body the building blocks for health, instead of being an energy drain. Remember, because of the large size molecules in animal protein and the strength of their bonds when you cook them, it takes approximately 75% of your total body energy to digest and break down the proteins into amino acids for use. That's a lot of energy you could be using for other more fun activities.

So why not be daring and try something different this holiday. If making the entire meal seems overwhelming, then integrate a few of these recipes into your traditional feast, you will be pleasantly surprised and thankful you did. ( especially the fabulous guilt, dairy, gluten free, low glycemic Chocolate Mousse dessert, one of my all time favorites ) Be sure to use Certified Organic ingredients whenever possible; help yourself, help our planet. All of the recipes are from my Alive n' Juicy kitchen, with the exception of two. These are from one of my associates, Elaina Love and her company, Pure Joy Living Foods. Enjoy your holiday meal!

Holiday Dinner Menu:

Drink: Holiday Nut Nog
Appetizer: Tomato Torte Stacks with Flax Chards
Soup: Fresh Garden Pea
Entree: SunLight Loaf with Ravey Gravy
Sides: Stuffed Yellow Squash and Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Dessert: Chocolate Mousse Torte

Holiday Nut Nog
Serves 4

3 cups almond milk
1/4 cup pinenuts, soaked
2 frozen bananas
5 medium dates, pitted and soaked
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla or 1/8 of a fresh vanilla bean
2 tsp flax oil
Pinch sea salt
Option: Myers or Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

Blend mixture together and serve immediately. If made ahead of time use unfrozen bananas and chill. Will last 2-3 days.

Tomato Torte Stacks
Serves 6 allowing 2 tomato stacks each

10 roma tomatoes sliced 1/4" thick into 4 rounds ( not counting the ends )
12 large basil leaves for garnish
The cheese and basil pesto are best if made the day before and given time to marinate. Then assemble and serve.

Filling:
Basil Pesto:

2 cups basil, about a 4 ounce package, de-stemmed
2-3 medium crimi mushrooms, fine diced, about 3 TBS
1/3 cup pinenuts
3 TBS olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves
1 TBS lemon juice
salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp agave

Process everything except the mushrooms in food processor until fine. Stir in the crimi mushrooms after processing.

Cheese:
1/2 cup cashews, soaked 30 minutes & drained
1/2 cup pinenuts, soaked 30 minutes & drained
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 TBS sweet white miso
3 TBS nutritional yeast
3 TBS irish moss gel ( see recipe under Sunloaf below )
1 tsp dill
1 TBS oil from Mediterranean Organic Sun dried tomatoes in oil
dash salt
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup water, just enough to blend

Blend everything together. You will have to blend and scrape the sides several times on high to get this to be smooth. Try and keep it as thick as possible. Cool in refrigerator or freezer several hours before assembling the stacks. You want the cheese to be a little stiff.

Assembly:
Place 2 basil leaves on each appetizer plate. On a flat surface lay flat 1 tomato slice, 1/4" thick, spread about 1 teaspoon of cheese on it and top with another tomato slice. On that slice spread some of the basil pesto and top with the last tomato slice. Top that with another teaspoon of cheese. Sprinkle some finely chopped basil or dill on top to garnish. Using a thin spatula place the stacks on the basil leaves. Add a small scoop of cheese to the side of each plate and anchor several flax chards in the cheese. You can make these several hours ahead. Don't put the scoop of cheese or crackers on until it's time to serve. Keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready.

Flax Chards
Makes 2 trays

1 ¼ cups golden flax seeds, soaked
1 large sweet apple, about 2 cups chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 TBS golden flax finely ground in coffee grinder
Pinch crystal salt

Place flax seeds in a bowl and cover with pure water about 1 inch over seeds. Set aside to soak.
Puree apple, celery, garlic and salt until smooth in food processor. Adjust for flavor then add the soaked flax. Pulse just enough to mix. Add the ground flax and pulse again. Evenly spread 2 cups of the mixture on dehydrator screens with teflex sheets, about 1/4" thick. Score crackers with thin knife to make chards. Dehydrate 4 -6 hours at 105 degrees. Turn by placing another screen on top and turning over. Remove teflex sheet and finish drying until crisp. Stores about 4 weeks in dry covered container.

Fresh Garden Pea Soup
Makes 2 cups, 16 ounces

juice of 1 young coconut, about 14 oz
3/4 cup fresh or frozen young sweet peas
1/2 avocado
dash salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 TBS fresh peas ( add just before serving )

Blend the coconut water, and peas until smooth. Add a dash of cayenne pepper, salt and the avocado, blend just enough to mix. Serve with chunks of avocado, and or fresh peas.

**You can make this loaf recipe ahead, freeze it and then dehydrate it 12 hours before serving. You can also make the gravy a day or 2 ahead, and then warm it in the dehydrator before serving.

SunLight Loaf
By Elaina Love
Serves 4-8

2 cups soaked walnuts ( 1 1/4 cup before soaking )
2 cups soaked sunflower seeds ( 1 cup before soaking )
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 jalepeno, chopped
1 1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1 cup green cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp crystal salt
1 TBS dark red miso
1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary, chopped
1 TBS onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBS nama shoyu or tamari
1/2 cup irish moss gel, recipe below

In a food processor puree all ingredients until smooth. Shape into loaf on a dehydrator tray with a teflex sheet or freeze batter in a loaf pan, then remove and slice while frozen and place slices on dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate at 150 degrees for ONLY 2 HOURS. Lower to 115 degrees, flip the loaf or slices, remove any teflex sheets and continue during until the loaf is firm on the outside and moist on the inside. About 10 hours, less for slices depending on their thickness. Serve warm with ravey gravy.

Irish moss gel: Blend on high until smooth, 1/4 cup soaked, packed irish moss. Rinse very well and soak about 3 hours and 1 cup pure water. This sometimes take a minute to blend smooth, scrap the sides and keep blending until very smooth. Stores 10 days in glass container in refrigerator or freeze.

Ravey Gravy
By Elaina Love
Makes about 2 cups

7 brazil nuts
1 TBS pumpkin seed oil, or macadamia nut , olive, almond, flax
1/2 cup irish moss gel
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup zucchini, peeled and chopped
2 TBS dark or red miso
1/2 tsp garlic powde
1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp fresh or dry rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar or 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth. Stores 5 days in refrigerator. Warm to room temperature in dehydrator before serving if made ahead.

Cranberry Orange Relish
Makes 6 servings

1 package fresh organic cranberries, 8oz
1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned
1 cup chunked fresh pineapple
5-7 dates, pitted and soaked until soft
¾ cup dried cranberries ( optional )
Agave or yacon syrup to taste or coconut palm sugar
2 tsp grated orange rind

dash crystal salt

option: use fresh persimmons instead of pineapple and blend with the dates. Add chopped walnuts or pecans before serving

Put ¾ of the package of cranberries in a food processor and pulse chop. Remove to a bowl. Place the dates and remaining cranberries in processor and grind until fine and thick paste. Add the orange and pineapple chunks and process. May leave some chunks, but make the sauce a medium thick consistency. Sweeten to taste with agave, yacon or coconut palm sugar. Pour over chopped cranberries and stir. Add dry cranberries and mix. May add chopped pecans or walnuts just before serving.

Stuffed Yellow Squash w/ Lemon Tarragon Vegetables
Serves 6

6 yellow pattypan, sunburst or scollop squash
1 heaping cup mixed fresh vegetables, green beans, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, diced
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp tarragon
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil or macadamia nut oil
1 tsp cayenne ( optional )

Trim the bottom off each squash to make it stand up. Then carefully cut around the top and lift it off. Using a teaspoon scoop out the flesh to make a cup, chop and add to the mixed vegetables. Place upright in a glass covered glass dish.
Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and tarragon. Pour a little of the marinade into each squash and coat the sides. Place vegetables in a bowl and pour the marinade over then and mix well. Grate the lemon rind over the vegetables and into the open squash cups. Place in a covered glass dish and put both in the dehydrator for 3 -4 hours, stirring every hour. If you do not have a dehydrator then lightly bake the squash cups and saute the vegetables for just a few minutes until they change color. Fill the cups and serve. The idea is to just heat the vegetables not totally cook them.

Chocolate Mousse Torte
Serves 8

Crust:

2 1/2 cups almond meal ( or process in food processor almonds, walnuts or pecans to make a meal)
12 medjool dates, pitted and soft
1 tsp vanilla powder
dash salt
coconut oil to grease pan sides
Option: Brownie Crust
Add to above recipe:
4 TBS cacao powder
4 TBS coconut sugar
1 TBS cacao butter
3 medjool dates, pitted and halved

parchment paper, cut to fit tart pan bottom
9" tart pan w/ removable bottom

If using whole nuts, process those first along with the other dry ingredients to make a meal. Then add the dates and process until the dough sticks together when you squeeze it in your hand. Use a little coconut butter to grease the edge of your tart pan. Mold dough into 9" tart pan being sure to press well along sides. Freeze several hours before filling.

Filling:

1 cup coconut meat
1/2 cup cashews, soaked
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup irish moss gel ( see above recipe, under sunlight loaf)
1/2 cup coconut water ( less if softer coconut meat )
6 TBS cacao butter, melted
10 TBS cacao powder
10 TBS coconut palm sugar or rapadura, powdered
2 TBS raw honey ( or substitute more coconut sugar )
2 tsp vanilla powder
dash salt

Blend coconut meat, cashews, cacao powder, irish moss, coconut sugar, honey, vanilla salt together with just enough coconut water to make the mixture turn, until smooth and well blended. Add the cacao butter, avocado and blend again. Test for sweetness, add more coconut sugar or honey if needed, and blend just enough to mix. Fill the crust evenly. Use an offset spatula to smooth top. Freeze overnight. Remove when frozen and cut into serving size pieces. Can be decorated before serving with fresh raspberries, fresh sliced strawberries, ground cacao nibs or shredded coconut. Lasts 7 days in the refrigerator, 3 months in the freezer.

I hope you are enthusiastic this year, and will try these recipes for a different, healthy and energizing holiday dinner.

There are a few demos of these recipes on my Alive n' Juicy Channel.

If you need to find some of the ingredients check the following links:

Pure Joy Planet

Mountain Rose Herbs

Z Natural Foods

Whole Foods Market