The thought of Thanksgiving (TG) without gluten and dairy may at first seem like the end of the world.
Actually, much of Thanksgiving does not involve gluten and dairy – thank goodness!
For example, turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables are inherently free of gluten and dairy. Even some stuffing recipes (rice, corn) don’t contain gluten and dairy.
So it might not be as difficult as you originally thought! : )
Some simple steps could be…
- Gravy made with cornstarch instead of (wheat flour)
- Sweet or white potatoes made with rice/almond/coconut milk instead of cow milk
- Or make the potatoes roasted with onions and olive oil instead of mashed or as a souffle
- Stuffing made with rice, corn or gluten-free bread crumbs instead of wheat bread
One important note is the most people who are intolerant to dairy CAN have butter. This is because butter is composed of the fats from cow milk, not the sugar (lactose) or protein (whey and casein).
Even pumpkin pie can be made without gluten and dairy with a few relatively simple tweaks. My challenge this year is to make a pumpkin pie that is gluten and dairy free, but also egg and sugar free. I did a trial run on the pie yesterday and will post the recipe for you below.
One concern that patients have mentioned is when you are going to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving. Here are a few possibilities I recommend:
- Offer to bring a dish – the one least likely to be gluten, dairy free in a traditional TG
- Navigate through the meal to choose the foods that don’t contain gluten & dairy
- If you do end up getting exposed to gluten/dairy, then this becomes an opportunity to see how your body responds to them (notice how you feel for the next few days)
Here are websites I LOVE for finding gluten-free, dairy-free and even egg-free recipes:
I would love to hear about the recipes you find and try out! Please join in and post them on the Summit Holistic Medicine FaceBook Page! Share Here!
One more note about Thanksgiving: The way we traditionally eat TG is a HUGE challenge on our digestion and insulin because the tendency is to load our plates with more food and carbohydrates then we usually eat at any one time.
In fact, I believe that the sleepiness after TG dinner, that we usually consider to be associated with serotonin in the turkey, is actually due to eating more food than the digestive enzymes can handle, and raising the blood sugar (glucose) higher then the insulin is ready to transport into the cells.
One thing you could try this Thanksgiving is to modify the way you eat, in terms of time and amount.
Here is a sample menu for the day based on my ideal eating recommendations…
Noon: Pre-dinner snacks that are 50:50 protein and carbs
2 pm: 1st TG dinner = 3 oz turkey and 1/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes and 1/4 cup steamed veggies
(approximately 200-300 kcal of 50:50 protein and carbs)
5 pm: 2nd TG dinner = 3 oz turkey and 1/2 cup rice stuffing
Dr. Trojano’s GF, DF, EF, SF Pumpkin Pie
Pie crust, pre-made, frozen, by Gillian’s (or home made)
15 oz can of Organic Pumpkin
EnerG (egg replacer) 2 tsp in 1 Tb water
2 Tb Maltitol
1/2 cup almond milk
Cinnamon (1/2 tsp), ginger (1/4 tsp), cloves (1/8 tsp), nutmeg (1/4 tsp) and salt (1/4 tsp)
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes
I hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Dr. Hilary
Hilary Trojano, ND is a natural health expert and Naturopathic Doctor with a private practice in Exeter NH. She specializes in helping women and their families achieve their wellness goals by finally getting the answers they’ve been looking for to their most perplexing health challenges. To learn more about Dr. Hilary Trojano and her unique approach to achieving health naturally, please visit Summit Holistic Medicine today.