Awesome meal when a key guest has celiac disease?

[Anonymous]

Our Thanksgiving this year will include a dear friend who has recently been diagnosed with celiac. We will be out of the country and have no need to have traditional fare, but I would appreciate suggestions for menu items likely to appeal to all. I am also curious as to whether anyone has made gravy with potato or other gluten free flour?

Guests will be half vegetarian and half omnivore and I would just as soon prep gluten free for all.

Any suggestions welcome. No need to stick to Thanksgiving traditions though mashed potatoes and gravy would likely make everyone happy.

[Anonymous]

I'm on keto so I have some experience with grain free alternatives. You can thicken gravy with xantham gum (fwiw I couldn't find it in the grocery stores I checked, I had to order it). Here is a recipe to give you an idea: https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/thanksgiving/a25238623/keto-gravy-recipe/

[Anonymous]

I made a gluten free pot pie and thickened the sauce with store brand gluten free flour just fine. So I imagine if your gravy recipe uses flour you’d be fine subbing GF flour. I think I’ve always just used corn starch though.

[Anonymous]

GF flour works great for gravy. Mashed potatoes, turkey, no problem. Stuffing made with GF bread is indistinguishable from the gluteny kind. GF pie crust is a heavy lift but there are a thousand apple crumble recipes that are delicious. Thanksgiving is a very easy meal to make gf.

-a celiac

[Anonymous]

Of course! I should have thought of corn starch. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Bob’s Red Mill makes a couple of types of gluten free flour— if you need something other than corn starch.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I also appreciate other celebratory ideas for the menu.

We will be in Ireland so favorite meals that include things likely easy to obtain there will be appreciated. I am thinking perhaps squabs and maybe fish pie (I erred in saying half vegetarians; most of the non-omnivores will eat fish and the true vegetarians will have plenty of additional dishes if you all help with crowd sourcing!

[Anonymous]

Celiac here.

Protein, potato, veggie and salad make a great meal.

Gravy is pretty easy with the alternative flours. I usually use arrowroot but that may be tougher to find in Ireland. The alternative flours will work.

Ireland has a large celiac population so I'm sure there are plenty of alternative flours on the market there.

[Anonymous]

I’d add that gluten free pasta is good if you wanted a lasagna or Italian dish. For my celiac DD a big issue is cross contamination. She prefers that any non-GF baking be done a day before she arrives. For dessert, you could try a mousse or something with fruit.

[Anonymous]

I would just do meat, potatoes, rice, salad/veg. Be careful of cross contamination on cutting boards, knives, plates. Ask if this is a concern.

[Anonymous]

We always make Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy with cornstarch as the thickener. Add green beans, sweet potatoes, corn, salad.

The pies and stuffing are the more difficult dishes to accommodate, but possible.

Otherwise, Mexican, Indian and Thai are easier cuisines.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it, especially tips on avoiding cross contamination!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course! I should have thought of corn starch. Thank you!

Just double check that the corn starch is gluten free. Should be but sometimes processed on shared equipment with wheat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We always make Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy with cornstarch as the thickener. Add green beans, sweet potatoes, corn, salad.

The pies and stuffing are the more difficult dishes to accommodate, but possible.

Otherwise, Mexican, Indian and Thai are easier cuisines.

Replace pumpkin pie with pumpkin cheesecake with gluten-free gingersnap crust, assuming gluten is the guest's only allergy. The New York Times has a gluten-free cranberry tart that is supposedly good, although I'm not sure how available cranberries are in Ireland (despite the band name)

[Anonymous]

Risotto