Maybe your gluten-intolerant guest or loved one is coming to dinner, or perhaps you’re the gluten-free eater you’re cooking for. So you won’t be stuck the kitchen all season long, we’ve taken the guesswork out of how to prepare a festive gluten-free holiday feast. Although you won’t find any traces of wheat in this menu, the starter, main, and dessert are full of holiday magic and packed with traditional-yet-elevated flavours.
What is gluten, exactly?
Basically, gluten is a kind of protein that exists in certain grains, notably rye, oat, wheat, barley, and triticale.
Gluten can sneak its way into some foods that may surprise you, including chocolates, soy sauces, malt vinegars, store-bought broths and soups, sausages, deli meats, salad dressings, French fries, and seasoning mixes. That’s why it’s best to opt for fresh herbs whenever you can and be on the lookout food that’s clearly labelled gluten free.
Public service announcement: gluten intolerant is not the same as allergic! Some bodies tolerate gluten less than others, which is where the term gluten intolerance comes from. Some people get really sick when they consume any gluten at all, and these folks may have celiac disease.
Pro tips for gluten-free cooking
- Be cross-contamination careful! Some folks are gluten-intolerant, while others are completely allergic. Either way, it’s important to watch out for cross contamination in the kitchen. One great way to protect guests is to separate your cooking utensils—one set for gluten-free ingredients and the other for glutenous foods. You’d be surprised by how many products contain gluten. If you’re not 100% sure, ask your guests—they’ll know best!
- Stock up on substitutes. In your recipes, you can switch up wheat flour for a plant-based equivalent, including chickpea flour, millet flour, buckwheat flour, amaranth flour, corn flour, quinoa flour, and rice flour. See, you’ve got options!
- Ditch the breadcrumbs and go nuts. Simply toss some almonds, walnuts, or any other of your favourite nuts into the food processor and you’re minutes away from that perfectly crispy crust or succulent fish filet topper!
A flour for every season
Did you know that not all flours are created equal? Wheat flour is lighter than rye flour and oat flour, for instance. To steer clear of unpleasant gluten-free recipe results, base the amount of flour substitute you use on its weight rather than its volume. It’s also worth noting that, depending on protein content, some flours are better for bread, while others make great cakes, pastas, or pies.
Pro tip for gluten-free beginners: find a recipe that already contains the flour alternative you plan on using. Less panic, no food waste, and way jollier vibes in the kitchen!
3 gluten-free recipes
Starter: zucchini tart
Individual size tourtière, step aside! Make room for the zucchini tart and its holiday-cheer-generating creamy goat cheese, freshly chopped rosemary, and subtly savoury zucchini flavours.
Makes 16 morsels
Prep & cook time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 gluten-free puff pastry, store bought
- 2 cups zucchini, washed and sliced
- 2 tbsp old style mustard
- 3 tbsp 35% cream
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ log creamy goat cheese
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
- Unroll puff pastry onto a baking sheet or pie dish and poke holes in the dough with a fork.
- In a bowl, mix mustard, cream, honey, rosemary, and goat cheese. Spread the mixture out evenly across the surface of the puff pastry.
- Place zucchini slices on top, working from the outside in. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Main: pork meatball risotto
For a fresh take on decadent holiday eating, we’ve taken pork meatballs out of the stew pot and onto a scrumptious bed of risotto.
Makes 4 servings
Prep & cook time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
Risotto
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 3 cups snap peas, removed from pods, finely chopped, and blanched for 2 minutes
- ¾ cup parmesan, freshly grated
- Salt and pepper
Pork meatballs
- 1 lb ground lean pork
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ¼ tsp ground fennel seeds
- Salt and pepper
Directions for the meatballs
In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk, then let rest for a few minutes before adding all the other ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste, then mix well. Roll pork into balls that are about 1.5 inches in diameter.
Spread meatballs out evenly atop a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 °F (200 °C) for about 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches at least 165 °F (74 °C).
Prefer a meatless version? Switch out the pork for crushed chickpeas.
Directions for the risotto
In a pot, bring chicken broth to a boil and keep hot.
In a large saucepan, brown onion in 2 tbsp of butter at medium-high heat. Pour in the rice and mix well with butter. Cook for 1 minute. Drizzle with white wine and allow liquid to reduce almost completely.
Lower heat to medium and add 1 cup of broth. Give broth time to absorb, stirring constantly. Continue stirring for around 18 to 22 minutes, until rice is al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. Add peas and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and add parmesan as well as the remaining butter, making sure to mix evenly. Garnish meatballs with kale chips or grilled asparagus.
Dessert: Christmas cookies
Golden on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, these buttery and cinnamon-kissed cookies will fill your home with memory-making holiday aromas. To be enjoyed treeside with a glass of eggnog!
Makes 10 cookies
Prep time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup rice flower
- ¼ cup almond powder
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 packet baking powder
- ½ cup butter, room temperature, diced
- 1 egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
In a large bowl, mix rice flour, almond powder, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder.
Massage butter into the mixture. Add egg, mix evenly, and roll into a ball. Wrap ball up in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for 2 hours.
On a powdered work surface, flatten dough using a rolling pin. Next, get to work with a cookie cutter. Place newly shaped cookie dough onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, putting them in the oven one at a time for 12 or so minutes, until slightly golden.
Ready-to-eat foods: your little holiday helpers
When serving a more ample yuletide crowd, a little help in the kitchen goes a long way! At Rachelle-Béry’s ready-to-eat counter, we’ve got you covered. With tasty bites, fresh salads, delicious desserts, and much more, there’s enough healthy, organic food here for you to deck your holiday table with—or to give yourself a little holiday from the kitchen between gatherings.
If the mere thought of holiday meals makes you feel busy already, here are a few products that you can pick up at Rachelle-Béry to make your season easier and all the more jolly. Plus, they’re perfect for your gluten-free guests.
Lulubelle & Co products
Mandy’s Sweet Sesame Dressing
