BY SAND Member and Editor: Michelle Maire | Pumpkin spice season is coming to a close; everyone’s gotten over the catastrophe that is the sun setting early; and protective parkas are the new oversized sweaters. That’s right, the only thing on anyone’s mind is Turkey Day. On every social media site, you can find a bunch of countdowns (15 days!!! Ya know…just by the way). The typical Thanksgiving meal is full of turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. What do you do when a family member, or maybe even yourself, is allergic to some of these mouth-watering dishes? Going Gluten-Free Turkey stuffing is mainly just *ding ding* dried bread. To make that stuffing gluten-free for your Aunt Samantha, you can go the easy route and pick up a box of gluten-free stuffing at your local grocery store. The more fun option is obviously making your own! It’s pretty simple: all you need is gluten-free bread. |
You can take any popular gluten-free bread brand items, like Udi’s, Glutino, and Rudi’s, and chop it into cubes. Bake those bits and pieces in the oven until crisp (about 12-15 minutes). Then, mix with celery, onions, spices, and herbs of your choosing (thyme works best) in a skillet with some olive oil, chicken broth, and egg. Voila! You’ve made your Aunt Sammy one happy camper.
Can’t Bare the Cranberry
There are two kinds of people on Thanksgiving: the picky eaters, and the ones with a legitimate reason why they can’t indulge in the delicacy that is cranberry sauce. Cousin Tim is one of those people. Surprisingly, there are more people than you think that have a cranberry allergy. Heartbreakingly, this includes blueberries too. So what can you do to help ‘em out? I mean, Timmy’s gotta experience some fruity goodness to put on his turkey.
A plum and pear compote (fancy word for fruit preserve) with chia seeds can be bought or made from scratch as an alternative to cranberry sauce. Your cousin will still be getting his sweet tooth fix, and the chia seeds give him an extra dose of omega-3’s, fiber, antioxidants, and even protein! Naturally, chia seeds expand and develop a dewy texture when mixed with fluids, so you won’t have to worry about your fruity sauce tasting grainy or seedy.
High Cholesterol? No ‘Taters Allowed
I can practically taste it: those creamy, garlic mashed potatoes that mom makes just for Turkey Day. Rarely anyone gives any thought into what they’re made of (cheese, cream, and butter), ‘cause who cares? Thanksgiving Day = Guilt-Free Eating Day; but not for your grandma suffering from high cholesterol. Here’s how to switch it up so that she can enjoy her ‘taters too.
Step one: don’t use ‘taters. Cauliflower is a great substitute for starchy foods like potatoes and pizza crust. Carbs found in white potatoes, white rice, and white bread—essentially anything white—boosts blood sugar levels that, in turn, causes granny’s cholesterol skyrocket.
Boil a large head of cauliflower and blend in a food processor or blender with olive oil, skim mozzarella cheese (naturally low cholesterol), and salt and pepper. These faux-tatoes help replace the originally high-fat, high-cholesterol side dish with veggies, and the skim mozzarella is a great source of calcium (good for grandma’s bones, too!).
Of course, Thanksgiving is a time to indulge, but there will be those sitting at the table with health issues that range from food allergy to food aversion. Keep in mind that there is always an alternative so that your guest can enjoy their Thanksgiving meal too! And it’s not the worst idea to talk the ‘rents into trying out some different options to make Turkey Day that much more nutritious.
Can’t Bare the Cranberry
There are two kinds of people on Thanksgiving: the picky eaters, and the ones with a legitimate reason why they can’t indulge in the delicacy that is cranberry sauce. Cousin Tim is one of those people. Surprisingly, there are more people than you think that have a cranberry allergy. Heartbreakingly, this includes blueberries too. So what can you do to help ‘em out? I mean, Timmy’s gotta experience some fruity goodness to put on his turkey.
A plum and pear compote (fancy word for fruit preserve) with chia seeds can be bought or made from scratch as an alternative to cranberry sauce. Your cousin will still be getting his sweet tooth fix, and the chia seeds give him an extra dose of omega-3’s, fiber, antioxidants, and even protein! Naturally, chia seeds expand and develop a dewy texture when mixed with fluids, so you won’t have to worry about your fruity sauce tasting grainy or seedy.
High Cholesterol? No ‘Taters Allowed
I can practically taste it: those creamy, garlic mashed potatoes that mom makes just for Turkey Day. Rarely anyone gives any thought into what they’re made of (cheese, cream, and butter), ‘cause who cares? Thanksgiving Day = Guilt-Free Eating Day; but not for your grandma suffering from high cholesterol. Here’s how to switch it up so that she can enjoy her ‘taters too.
Step one: don’t use ‘taters. Cauliflower is a great substitute for starchy foods like potatoes and pizza crust. Carbs found in white potatoes, white rice, and white bread—essentially anything white—boosts blood sugar levels that, in turn, causes granny’s cholesterol skyrocket.
Boil a large head of cauliflower and blend in a food processor or blender with olive oil, skim mozzarella cheese (naturally low cholesterol), and salt and pepper. These faux-tatoes help replace the originally high-fat, high-cholesterol side dish with veggies, and the skim mozzarella is a great source of calcium (good for grandma’s bones, too!).
Of course, Thanksgiving is a time to indulge, but there will be those sitting at the table with health issues that range from food allergy to food aversion. Keep in mind that there is always an alternative so that your guest can enjoy their Thanksgiving meal too! And it’s not the worst idea to talk the ‘rents into trying out some different options to make Turkey Day that much more nutritious.