Soulful Adventures of a Gluten Free and Casein Free Momma

I was up late last night trying to figure out about how to handle the holidays and maintain our diet without my kids or family feeling pressured to eat the very things that aided in our health issues. So I started searching for positive ways of handling our holiday meals.  I found this article below by recipes.com. My favorite is number 10, I may add another suggestion, Bring your own ice chest of goodies and snacks, if there are no Whole Foods, Sprouts or Trader Joe options.  Dessert options can be limited... so get creative, if you don't have local gluten free bakery...Udi's has great Chocolate Chocolate chip muffins that you can easily turn into cupcakes with frosting. I will be posting recipes in the next few days. I am determined to have a cobbler and cake option for you!

Top 10 Tips for a Gluten-Free Holiday

Eating gluten-free is always a challenge, especially during the holidays. Use these 10 Tips to stay healthy and happy as you dine with family and friends.

1. Be part of the planning. Call the host in advance to discuss the menu and what can be made gluten-free. It's not difficult for someone to make turkey gravy with cornstarch or gluten-free flour instead of traditional flour if they know in advance. Waiting until the last minute will leave you with fewer options.

2. Make gluten-free versions of your must-have dishes.Whether it's stuffing, sweet potato casserole, rolls, pie or cheesecake, offer to bring a gluten-free version of that dish to make sure it really feels like the holidays for you.

3. Offer to be the host. When you are the host, you can relax and enjoy all of the food, knowing that everything is gluten-free.

4. Do a test run. Gluten-free flours or ingredients may behave slightly differently when you use them in a traditional recipe. Try making stuffing or gravy for a dinner before the holiday to make sure you work out any kinks. Click here to see how to prepare gluten-free dressing andgravy.

5. Double-check ingredients. Ask anyone bringing dishes that you think might be gluten-free to save ingredient lists or packaging so that you can double-check that everything is gluten-free.

6. Be aware of potential cross-contamination. Even if some of the dishes are gluten free, it's easy for someone to casually use the same serving utensil for gluten and gluten-free dishes alike. If the dinner is being served "buffet-style" try setting up a side-table with the gluten-free dishes.

7. Don't eat it if you aren't sure it's gluten- free. "When in doubt, leave it out." If there are any questionable ingredients, don't risk it. Feeling sick is no way to spend a holiday.

8. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cookies, pies and cakes can all be made gluten-free with a few simple adjustments and advanced planning. Check out these videos on making holiday favorites gluten-free: Gluten-Free Turkey,  Gluten-Free Herbed Bread Stuffing,  Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy, Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole, Gluten-Free Pecan Pie, and Gluten-Free Pineapple Cheesecake.

9. Enjoy all of the naturally gluten-free foods the holidays have to offer. Fresh fruits, vegetables and meat are all naturally gluten-free. Click here for naturally gluten-free appetizers, soups, and desserts.

10. Remember the real reason for the holiday. Take advantage of this opportunity to spend time with family and friends and focus on the people rather than the food.