My First Gluten Free Thanksgiving

Okay a few days behind schedule but what is new.  Thanksgiving weekend has been packed with a lot of hurry up and wait.  There was the first freeze of the year and that brought with it new challenges.  Tomatoes!  I'll get that story a little later.  

Then there was holiday shopping.  I was surprised at the number of stores that were open on Thanksgiving Day giving early shoppers a change to shop before Black Friday.  There was the movie that didn't happen on Thanksgiving and the meal.

For months now  I have searched the web finding delicious recipes  in which to prepare a simple, gluten-free Thanksgiving meal for a small group.  The efforts were worth it and the meal turned out great.  A big thank you to all the people and website in which I discovered the delicious recipes.

Thanksgiving Menu 2010

Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing 

Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes 

Haricot Vert - French Green Beans with Garlic and Sliced Almonds

Cranberry Sauce 

Pamela's Sweet Dinner Rolls 

What Thanksgiving feast would be complete without dessert?   Thanks to the folks at Live Gluten Freely I made an amazing seasonal dessert of Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

Being gluten-free does have restrictions but doesn't mean one can't enjoy a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving feast filled with good things to eat.  Now off to the gym to work off some of those calories.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

A Gluten Free Thanksgiving

Hello all!  Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.  This is my first Thanksgiving being gluten free.  I just finished making a fantastic gluten free breakfast that I wanted to share.  As with most of my recipes this is an adaption of a recipe I found on-line.  I have never been one to follow a recipe well.  The dessert this year used 1 cup of pumpkin puree which left 1 cup in the can.  What better way to start off the day than with Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 1  cups canned evaporated milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 eggs, white and yolk seperated
• 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (preferably without added xanthan or guar gum)
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
•  2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon guar gum OR xanthan gum (OMIT if you are using a GF all-purpose flour mix that contains xanthan or guar gum)
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

1.  Combine milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, oil, vinegar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and beat well.

2. In a separate medium mixing bowl combine gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda spices, salt and xanthan OR guar gum. Whisk until thoroughly combined.  

3.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. In a small bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.  Fold into pancake batter.

4.  Spray a heavy skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into preheated skillet and smooth into a circle with a spoon. 

5.  Cook each side of pancake until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Spray skillet as needed for each pancake. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Yield- About 12 4-inch pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes 

Leftovers are always great frozen and reheated for a quick breakfast treat.  

Traveling Gluten Free

My goodness where has time gone!  It seems like only yesterday that it the kiddos were getting ready to go out trick or treating and now here it is a week away from Thanksgiving. 

On November 6 we headed off to Vegas for a wonderful week.  Being gluten free can be challenging enough at home so how would this work while on the go?  This was our first trip where we stayed at the condo.  It was very large with a full size kitchen.  Only a few blocks away was a Whole Foods which was well equipped to meet gluten free dietary needs.

I purchased a smoked chicken, fresh vegetables and got to try Udi's Gluten Free Bread.  The bread was a real lifesaver.  I was able to enjoy morning toast and sandwiches then for a light dinner or lunch.  I will look for and not hesitate to buy other products by Udi.

Vegas also means great restaurants.  I was very pleased at the knowledge of the wait staff concerning special dietary needs.  The first restaurant we ate at was Olives at Bellagio.  I enjoyed a delicious meal of Kurobuta Pork Medallions.  The pork was served on a bed of whipped apple mousseline, confit fennel, roasted spaghetti squash, a cider reduction and watercress salad.  I informed the waiter of the need for a gluten free meal.  He seemed educated of the subject, checked out my selection with the chef and then confirmed that it was indeed gluten free.  I was able to eat and enjoy the meal without fear of unpleasant after effects.  
 
Another evening out was at Vintner Grill.  While the food was good the service was lacking. It took over 30 minutes before our orders were taken and then the wait to be served.  This is not a place to go eat and have a table conversation.  The acoustics are poor and the conversations from tables around you prevent your conversation from being heard.  The wait staff was not quite as helpful but was willing to check with the kitchen to ensure a safe meal. I did have a lovely meal of Salmon Tagine in a Saffron Tomato Sauce.  

Then I had the pleasure of eating at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill.  My selection of Shrimp Tacos was easily adapted to gluten free.  The presentation was wonderful as was the food.  I did not that the restaurant had a very limited selection of dessert options that fit into a gluten free diet.


During my week of travel I also found that In-N-Out Burger and Wendy's  were able to do a lettuce wrap on burgers.  All in all the trip was wonderful.  There is much more in Vegas than the strip.  We had a good time and look forward to a repeat visit in the future.