Thanksgiving Transformation: Festive Ideas for Special Diets

Posted by Caroline Wright

Some of you might have stumbled across my posts this week about hosting a first Thanksgiving. In my attempt to thoroughly study Thanksgiving for our Thanksgiving newbies, I felt that there is a whole other group out there that could use a little Thanksgiving conversation and community: those who struggle on their favorite holidays to come up with festive foods that fit into their special diets.

I've emailed, posted threads, and exchanged tweets with some of my blogger friends and learned that there are some pretty cool -- and vocal -- foodies out there who've found festive vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free ways to alter their Thanksgiving menus. So, where to start?

Gluten-Free
For her stuffing, my gluten-free blogger buddy Karina tosses cubes of toasted gluten-free cornbread (check out her sweet-potato cornbread recipe) with a skillet of softened onions, celery, chopped apple, and cranberries seasoned with a touch of curry and moistened with broth.

Another gluten-free goddess friend, Shauna, makes a classic stuffing with gluten-free bread. Karina has also tried many alternative flours as the base to creamy sauce and gravies, and prefers sweet rice flour or potato starch to soy or bean flours. (Shauna agrees with Karina's sweet rice flour choice in her yummy-looking gravy recipe.)

For baking, Karina sticks to nut-crust or crumb-crust pies and uses the best store-bought, gluten-free gingersnaps, chocolate, or lemon cookies she can find to follow a recipe like ours. Shauna's pumpkin pie recipe brings together a few different flours for a unique -- and delicious -- Thanksgiving finale.

Check out more of Karina's gluten-free baking tips -- and her solution for gluten-free breadcrumbs. Are you having only gluten-free folk over? Shauna has posted some great gluten-free guidelines to consider when thinking gluten-friendly. Need more guidelines? Another gluten-free friend and registered dietician, Cheryl, has compiled a list of her favorite gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes. Take a nod from Karina and Shauna and try our Butter-Pecan Pie and substitute a sweet rice flour for the recipe's small amount of all-purpose. (Hey, I'd come to your place for that!)

Vegan and Vegetarian
Angie, a buddy of mine from the Post Punk Kitchen food forum, convinced me that, with a few substitutions, you can "veganize" many traditional holiday dishes easily. She suggests that swapping a casserole for a simple preparation of a key ingredient, like a roasted sweet potato for a sugary casserole, is tastier and healthier.

Another forum friend of mine loves Body+Soul's recipe for roasted Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi. My gluten-free blogger buddy Karina is also dairy-free and uses coconut milk as a nondairy substitution in her whipped sweet potatoes. (What a delicious and cool idea.) Another Post Punk Kitchen friend proclaimed her love for this Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe -- have a look at it and you'll see why!

Another friend turned me on to this recipe for Pumpkin Manicotti -- it's festive and looks incredibly delicious! For two less traditional -- but still festive -- vegetarian main-dish ideas, check out our Penne with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce and Baked Shells with Winter Squash. Also, check out Living's suggestions for more ideas on how to put together a vegetarian Thanksgiving.

Speak up! What are your favorite ways to transform your Thanksgiving traditions to fit your diet?

Comments

[VeggieGirl]

I'm vegan AND gluten-free, so this post is ESPECIALLY helpful - thank you!! :-)

[Mitzi]

I am a vegetarian who shies away from eggs and dairy products, and this blog was very helpful! Thanks so much!

[Karina's Kitchen]

Am I hungry yet? What a lovely round-up of gluten-free and vegan recipes.

[mandy (with the small oven)]

Caroline,

You are THE BEST! I avoid sugar because it gives me severe acne, but your tips for gluten free recipes are great. I have been inspired and have been checking other blogs for healthy gluten free/sugar free recipes as well. I really like http://www.elanaspantry.com/

I can't wait to try Shauna's stuffing recipe.

[Melinda]

There's nothing harder than trying to get your family to alter their cooking habits for a food allergy. My daughter is dairy-allergic...just imagine all the places dairy pops up in thanksgiving meals! My mom has handled it wonderfully, with everything from basting the turkey with white wine and olive oil, sauteeing everything with olive oil instead of butter, and even whipping up a dairy-free pumpkin pie. Let me just say, I am so grateful that she works so hard to make my little one feel welcome and included. So, in turn, I'm grateful for your post here--THANK YOU!

[Cheryl Harris]

Thanks for doing such a great job, Caroline! So many recipes, so little time. Have a great holiday.