Holidays are a wonderful time to bring family to the table to share meals and enjoy time together, but what do you do when extended family or friends are gluten intolerant? Make Gluten Free side dishes that everyone will love! It doesn’t take much to do gluten free, and your family won’t be able to taste the difference!  Tammy Barr, personal chef and owner of Change Your Crave, gives some simple tips and recipes to help you provide gluten free options for your guests.

Food ingredient lists don’t include the actual word for gluten, so it can be difficult to know if something is gluten free. You can look for a few Warning Words: Caramel Coloring, Malt, Barley, Rye, and Monosodium Glutamate. These ingredients are usually derived from wheat products or contain gluten.

The easiest way to make sure the items you buy are gluten free is to look for the GF symbol on the shelf tags at your grocery store. You can usually find these in the organic aisle, and these are products specifically marketed/approved as gluten free.

Try one or both of these simple and TASTY recipes, both provided by Chef Tammy. No one will know they are gluten free!

Gluten Free Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing

From Tammy Barr, Personal Chef, Change Your Crave

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf white sliced Gluten Free bread (Tammy likes to use Udi White Sandwich Bread), toast each piece
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes!)
• 4 large celery ribs, chopped
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 -2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 (10 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 C Sliced Almonds
• 3 C Turkey Broth or Turkey drippings if you have them

1. Toast all the bread slices and cut into cubes.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until HOT and sizzling.
3. Add in onions, garlic and celery, stir immediately with wooden spoon; add in the poultry seasoning, Kosher salt and black pepper; sauté for about 5-6 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
4. Stir in the chopped water chestnuts, sliced almonds and cubed GF toast cubes; toss well to combine.
5. Add the turkey broth 1 cup at a time.  Carefully combine so bread does not completely fall apart. Continue adding broth until everything is well combined.
6. Transfer into a baking dish and drizzle Olive Oil over the top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes at 360 degrees.

Gluten Free Classic Thanksgiving Gravy

From Tammy Barr, Personal Chef, Change Your Crave

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 4 cups pan drippings from turkey (or see **Options below the recipe)
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I use freshly ground pepper)

Directions: 

1. Drain the pan drippings for the roasted turkey through a fine strainer.
2. Let sit and then remove any fat from the top of the drippings.
3. Add in chicken broth or water to make 4 cups if necessary.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
5. Add in black pepper.
6. Add in 1/2 cup brown rice flour; constantly whisk for about 3 minutes over low heat.
7. Slowly add in the evaporated milk and then 4 cups turkey broth/drippings; whisk constantly over medium-low heat until bubbly and thickened (about 3 minutes).
8. Use right away or keep warm over lowest heat setting, whisk again before serving.

**Options: You can use more evaporated milk or drippings to thin out if it’s too thick.