Top 5 Gluten-Free Holiday Entertaining Tips and Festive Recipes from cookbook author, Victoria Yeh

TORONTO, CANADA, December 09, 2010

You love entertaining guests at the holidays - celebrating with old friends and relatives and clinking glasses around a big feast. But what if one of your guests can't eat gluten? Whether your guest is Celiac, has a food allergy or is trying a detox diet, here are five easy tips to take the stress out of entertaining them for the holidays:

1. Ask first, ask early. When you're inviting guests, be sure to ask them right away if they have any dietary restrictions. The earlier you ask, the more time you'll have to prepare, and the more time your guest will have to help you if needed.

2. Identify the culprits. Nobody with food sensitivities expects you to prepare an entirely separate meal just for them. List off your meal as you had originally planned, then highlight any dishes that aren't suitable for your guest. As long as your guest can enjoy a few different dishes, they'll be delighted.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for advice. Avoiding things like gluten and dairy can be complicated because there are so many hidden sources and alternate names for these culprit foods. Once you've planned your meal, don't be afraid to call up your guest with an ingredient list and ask if what you've chosen is ok. There's no need to do hours of research when your guest has surely done so already.

4. Make simple substitutions. If most of your meal list is off-limits, then check for the simplest substitutions. "Substitutions can be as easy as swapping couscous (which contains gluten) for a similarly textured gluten-free grain like quinoa or millet; or using gluten-free bread instead of regular bread in your turkey stuffing" says Victoria Yeh, author of Where Do I Start? Your Essential Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Sugar-Free Food Allergy Cookbook. "And best of all, the rest of your guests won't even notice a difference, and you'll save yourself from doubling your meal prep time."

5. Cover me! If you are making a mix of gluten and gluten-free dishes, be sure you prepare and put away the gluten-free foods first. You can easily cross-contaminate a gluten-free dish just by passing a basket of bread overtop (dropping crumbs) or by accidentally dipping the same spoon into two dishes. So keep those gluten-free foods covered and separated from the rest.

Converting your favourite holiday recipes into gluten-free dishes can be very simple. To get you started, here are some delicious recipes, courtesy glutenfreeliving.ca:

GLUTEN-FREE TURKEY STUFFING RECIPE

Ingrediets:
Turkey giblets (excluding liver)
1 Celery stalk, chopped
1 Onion, quartered
1 Carrot, chopped
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

6 cups Gluten-free bread
4 tbsp Butter, melted (use grapeseed oil for a dairy-free version)
1 Onion, chopped
1 cup Celery, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
1 tsp Sage, dried
1/2 tsp Rosemary, dried
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
1 Apple, chopped
1/2 cup Cranberries, dried (optional)
3/4 - 1 cup Chicken or Turkey broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. The night before, fill a medium-size crockpot 3/4 full with water and add giblets, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 onion, 1 chopped carrot, and ½ t sea salt & pepper.
2. Cook on low overnight. In morning strain liquid and finely chop giblets.
3. Spread cubed bread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes until evenly toasted.
4. In a large skillet melt butter. Add onion, celery and garlic and saute until soft & clear.
5. Add seasonings, chopped apple and dried cranberries. Simmer 5 minutes on low heat. Add chopped giblets.
6. Lightly oil a large baking dish. Transfer mixture from skillet. Slowly add broth and mix gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Place baking dish in oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes uncovered. Transfer to a crockpot, covered on low, until ready to serve. Add more broth or drippings from your turkey if desired for extra flavour.


GLUTEN-FREE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups Brown rice flour
1 cup Tapioca starch
2 tsp Ginger, ground
2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp Dry mustard
1/8 tsp Cloves, ground
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp Allspice

1 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Molasses
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 cup Maple syrup

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In separate bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in molasses, egg, vanilla and maple syrup.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating well. Dough should be tacky but not overly sticky. If dough seems too moist and sticky, you may add up to 1/2 cup (125ml) more tapioca starch to achieve desired texture.
5. Form dough into balls, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
6. Prepare clean counter by covering with a sheet of wax paper. Unwrap chilled dough and place over wax paper. Flatten dough with the palm of your hand to 1 inch thickness. (You may lightly oil your hands to keep dough from sticking).
7. Place a second sheet of wax paper over the flattened dough. Use a rolling pin to roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness throughout.
8. Gently peel away top sheet of wax paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. If dough becomes too sticky or soft to handle, return to refrigerator for 10-20 minutes before continuing.
9. Transfer cookies to baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes until edges begin to darken.

Victoria Yeh is Toronto based author of Where Do I Start? Your Essential Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Sugar-Free Food Allergy Cookbook and owner of Gluten-Free Toronto. For over eight years, she has lived with multiple food intolerances to wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, corn and yeast. With the launch of her new book, seminars, and consulting services, Victoria is setting out to help educate others on how to adapt to their specific dietary needs and achieve greater health. Her book can be purchased directly from http://www.glutenfreeliving.ca or at select health food stores and holistic clinics.

For further information or interview requests please contact:
Victoria Yeh
416-799-0737
victoria@glutenfreetoronto.com