Help your gluten-sensitive friends out with a gluten-free Friendsgiving. Using slight alterations, you can keep a traditional menu while making it safe for your gluten-sensitive friends. Here are some quick tips and tricks.
Make cornbread stuffing instead of bread stuffing. Cornbread stuffing is more common than bread stuffing in the South so this substitution is not a total break from tradition. Be sure not to add wheat flour to the cornbread or use a GF cornbread mix.
Use gluten-free soup in green bean casserole. You can make the soup or purchase a canned gluten-free version. Top the casserole with crushed potato chips or potato stix to add the crunch you’d normally get from French fried onions.
Leave off the bread crumbs. If another casserole calls for bread crumbs, substitute gluten-free ones, potato chips, potato stix, or cheese (if appropriate).
Offer vinegar and oil with salad. In addition to your favorite bottled dressing, include vinegar and oil as a safe gluten-free option.
Serve gravy on the side. If you don’t want to worry with gluten-free gravy, just serve it on the side rather than atop the food.
Use corn starch to thicken. Gravy and pie filling can be thickened with corn starch rather than flour and you probably already have some in your pantry. In reality, many pie filling recipes won’t have to be altered. And if you don’t want to use corn starch in gravy, get some sweet white sorghum flour to substitute for wheat flour.
Buy gluten-free dinner rolls. Truth is, most of us who are gluten-free are used to being flexible. You don’t have to have rolls available, but you can find yeast rolls on the Katz website https://katzglutenfree.com/ or at stores like Natural Grocers if you want to put some on the table.
Purchase a pre-made gluten-free pie crust. Don’t worry about buying gluten-free flour and making pie crust. There are several brands and several kinds of pre-made crusts available including cookie and graham cracker-like versions.
Make banana pudding. Desserts don’t get much easier than banana pudding. Use instant vanilla pudding, (check the label for safe ingredients) substitute heavy whipping cream for half the milk, layer the pudding and banana with gluten-free vanilla wafers or animal cookies. Boom – delicious dessert in minutes. If you want it to look fancier, you can always add some whipped cream on top.
Take a photo of the label. If you aren’t sure how to spot things that contain gluten when you’re reading a label, just take a photo of the label before you leave home with your dish so you can share it later if someone asks about ingredients.
Friendsgiving is about enjoying connections and expressing gratitude. Luckily, you don’t have to spend tons of extra time in the kitchen. Make these easy adjustments and enjoy your party!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
