I just finished cooking for my first gluten and dairy free Thanksgiving. While I was worried that my family would have to give up holiday favorites like stuffing, gravy and pumpkin pie, I was pleasantly surprised at how these dishes came out with gluten free and dairy free ingredients. If you are interested in cooking a great turkey dinner for upcoming holidays then these tips should help you out.
Gluten and Dairy Free Gravy Tips
Normally I make gravy with a rue and turkey drippings. However, because I didn’t want to use wheat flour I instead made a great tasting gravy with organic chicken broth, turkey drippings and a tablespoon of cornstarch. When shopping for chicken broth you need to read the label as many chicken broths contain wheat.
To add extra flavor to your gravy baste the turkey with chicken broth instead of water. This will infuse the drippings with a great poultry flavor. Then when you add the drippings to the gravy it will add even more flavor. You can reduce the amount of fat in your gravy by cooking a turkey breast only instead of a whole turkey.
Gluten and Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes Tips
Mashed potatoes go fantastically with turkey. However, the creaminess of mashed potatoes relies on the cream and butter that you whip into the cooked spuds. Since both of these items are off limits you will need to find alternatives. Soy milk mixed with a teaspoon of cornstarch and non-dairy margarine work well for mashed potatoes. You can also use chicken broth to add extra flavor in addition to, or instead of soy milk.
Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Tips
While pumpkin pie may seem like the most difficult holiday dish to make without dairy and wheat, it actually is a pretty simple recipe to make for this diet. Your first challenge is replacing wheat flour with a rice flour. You will probably need to add a little moisture to form a good dough, but as long as you keep your margarine cold and as long as you don’ t overcook your crust, rice flour works fine.
The next challenge is finding a substitution for the evaporated milk in the pumpkin custard. Soy milk works great, you just need to add one or two teaspoons of cornstarch to the milk to thicken it a little bit. If you are working from a powdered milk alternative such as powdered potato milk, then use twice the powder for the amount of evaporated milk needed. This too will thicken your milk, but it will add considerably more calories to your recipe than the cornstarch method.
Gluten and Dairy Free Holidays
The gluten and dairy free lifestyle takes some getting used to, especially during your first few holidays. However, after you learn what gluten and diary free ingredients can be used to substitute for dairy and gluten ingredients, you’ll have a much easier time creating your own recipes. Check my list of articles frequently for new recipes and tips for living gluten and dairy free, or post your own tips below.
