Gluten-Free Christmas Dinner

If you have celiac disease, or your children are autistic, you know how difficult it can be to find things you can eat during the holidays. Here is a guide to delicious Christmas treats the whole family will enjoy.

There are two basic approaches to gluten-free eating. The first is to find foods that are naturally gluten free to eat. The second is to find substitutes for gluten-containing foods such as breads and pastas.

Note: Many celiacs are able to tolerate distilled vinegars and items that contain small amounts of wheat starch... and many others, such as myself, have reactions to these foods. Always use wisdom and sound medical advice when deciding what restrictions you should place on your diet.

Many of these ideas are great to bring to a party to share! If you're very concerned about cross-contamination in a party setting, consider using individual condiment cups for dips and dressings (that way no one dunks a hunk of bread into the hummus!) If you're cooking in a "mixed" kitchen with gluten-containing and gluten-free foods, be sure to avoid cross-contamination (always make the GF *first*) and mark the dishes so there's no doubt what's GF and what's not!

APPETIZERS and SNACKIES

• Deviled Eggs are very easy - just make sure your mayo, pickle relish, and spices are GF.
• Veggie Tray - you can make a gorgeous tray of celery and carrot sticks, pepper slices, broccoli and cauliflower, and use home-made hummus or ranch dressing as a dip.
• Fruit Tray - slice apples, oranges, melons, pears, and other fruits. Provide either GF chocolate or sweetened yogurt for dipping.
• Stuffed Dates - Choose whole dried dates. Remove pits if necessary. Mix cream cheese, vanilla extract or cinnamon, and powdered sugar to a frosting-like consistency. Cut dates in half and stuff. Top with a walnut half.
• Sausage Balls - mix GF sausage with crumbled GF bread, an egg, and shredded cheese. Form balls and bake like you would any meatball.
• Cheese Tray - slice and dice a variety of cheeses. Pair with apples and several types of GF crackers.
• If you're wanting finger-food throughout the day, try popcorn or mixed nuts.
• Many candies are gluten free, but check with the manufacturer to be sure. If "starch" is an ingredient, be aware that many candy makers use wheat starch, which can pose a problem for some people. It's often not declared as "wheat" on the label. That said, many holiday favorites, like GF candy canes and GF chocolate-covered cherries, are easily found in many stores!
  

MEAT

• Turkey is perhaps the most popular Christmas meat. Beware of self-basting birds - they often contain gluten. These days it's much easier to find a GF bird than it used to be. Just look for "gluten free" on the label. Most stores carry them and they are no more expensive than any other turkey. Stuff with an apple, an orange, and an onion (more for larger birds), and lightly glaze with olive oil and fresh sage. Cook as usual.
• Ham is another popular Christmas meat, but it's harder to find a GF ham. Many of the flavorings and seasonings that add the delicious smoky flavors also add gluten. As of this writing, Hormel's Black Label hams are GF, but always check current info with the company.
• Bored with turkey and ham? Try a duck or goose, pork roast, crown roast, or lamb. Some families even roast a whole chicken or get something called a Turduckhen.
  

SIDE DISHES

• Mashed potatoes are naturally gluten-free. Whip them up with butter and milk or sour cream. Try adding a little cream cheese or top with cheddar, if you'd like something different.
• Likewise, most veggies are GF. Try adding a handful of pearl onions in with your green peas, or lemon and a touch of maple syrup with your carrots. Green beans by themselves are GF. Traditionally Southern cooks make a dish of green beans, mushroom soup, and french-fried onions - gluten city! You can approximate this by sauteeing mushrooms in butter and a little broth. Thicken with cornstarch. Slice onions very thin and coat with cornmeal and pan-fry in a little hot oil. Prepare as usual.
• Likewise, sweet potatoes (some call them yams) are naturally gluten-free. If you prepare them with a little butter and maple syrup, they're delicious by themselves. Tradition, however, calls for "candying" - top with marshmallows and brown them. You can find GF marshmallows at most stores; as of this writing, Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows are GF.
• Try roasting root vegetables for incredible, intense flavors.
• Cranberry sauce (whole and jellied) is gluten-free.
• Stuffing or Dressing - Depending on where you live, you either eat stuffing (usually loose fluffy chunks of some sort of bread) or dressing (those loose fluffy chunks bound by more liquid and an egg or two). In either case, these foods are not "traditionally" GF. You can, however, make excellent gluten-free stuffing or gluten-free dressing. First, prepare a loaf of your favorite GF bread. You can also use GF cornbread (note that most cornbread mixes are NOT GF!). Slice it, and let it sit overnight (inside the cold oven is a good place). Cut into small cubes and toss in a skillet with butter. Then prepare your stuffing as usual. If you use add-ins like sausage, be sure that's gluten-free as well.
  

BREADS

• If you're not used to making your own GF bread, there are several excellent breads that can be found in the freezer case at larger grocery stores and health food stores. I cannot guarantee they'll make a good stuffing because I haven't tried them, but they are great for eating!
• You can also buy great GF bread mixes for making by hand or in the bread machine.
• I have two great GF bread recipes online: one based on a variety of specialty flours, and the other based on bean flours.
  

DRINKS

• Most non-alcoholic drinks are naturally GF. In the USA, nearly all sodas are gluten-free. Beware of herbal teas and "mix" type drinks - always check the label! Hot cocoa mixes tend not to be GF or have cross-contamination issues; this is best made from scratch.
• Some commercial eggnog is GF - and some is not. Check the label carefully and if in doubt, call the manufacturer.
• Alcoholic drinks are much more restricted. "Technically" distilled liquor, even from gluten-containing items like wheat and barley, end up gluten free. In practice, however, most celiacs have a bad reaction. GlutenFreeDrinks.com has a comprehensive list, however, some companies base their GF determination on distillation, not on source. Check with your doctor if you're unsure what will be safe.
  
• For a festive party punch, dump a large bottle of any fruit juice, a bottle of ginger ale or clear soda, and half a carton of GF Sherbet (any fruit flavor) into a punch bowl. Or, freeze any bright-red juice in ice cube trays and float in a yellow or orange juice.
  

DESSERTS

Dessert tends to be the scariest part of Christmas Dinner. Gluten-Free desserts are easy and simple to make!

• Use GF bread (above) to make a bread pudding with your favorite recipe.
• Mix certified gluten-free oats with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a few teaspoons of rice flour. Use as a topping on any sliced fruit. Add a handful of whole cranberries for extra YUM factor! Bake until fruit is cooked and topping is brown and bubbly!
• This gluten-free chocolate cake is beloved by everyone who eats it.
• Make a pumpkin pie - and forget the crust. It's just as good without it!
• Or make pumpkin "mousse" a day ahead of time. It takes under a minute to make. Empty 1 can of pumpkin, 1 package of GF vanilla pudding, 1/4 package of cream cheese, and 1/2 can of condensed milk into a bowl. Add GF pumpkin pie spices. Whip with a hand mixer. Fold in half a carton of Cool Whip or GF whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate overnight. This will become a family favorite, I promise!

Use GF crispy rice cereal (available in several brands at the health food store) and GF marshmallows to make Crispy Bars. Add some GF chocolate chips as an extra treat!

As you can see, Christmas dinner can be as rich and full and fattening and delicious on a gluten-free diet as it is with "Regular" food!