 |
| Pumpkin Chocolate Pie, Turkey, Gravy before dinner is served |
Oh, my...it's the day after Thanksgiving and while the rest of the world may be out shopping the Black Friday sales, I am in recovery mode from the 2-day stint in the kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving seafood brunch for family, and a Thanksgiving dinner for Alexx and me. Let me just say, the brunch went well and everyone raved about the meal, but the dinner was more challenging and actually the leftovers became the biggest hit of the holiday weekend for Alexx.
So here is the deal - when you are cooking for a diabetic who has joyful memories of past Thanksgiving meals, do not expect to recreate that feeling with gluten free and sugar free recipes. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it and I challenge anyone else to be successful at it. The standard Thanksgiving meal that Alexx has ingrained in his heart, mind and stomach memory is really quite simple: Roast Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, jellied cranberries (from the can), peas, creamed onions, crescent rolls and chocolate silk pie. Doesn't sound so tough to duplicate does it? But gluten free bread doesn't make stuffing that tastes like the old fashioned kind. I could have used cornbread, but corn is still a grain with a high glycemic factor, so that wouldn't work. I used the left over yeast rolls that I shared in an earlier blog, but the almond meal ingredient makes them break down in the stuffing recipe so it's rather mushy. The turkey and gravy were fine and there's no change there. And although tasty, the cranberry gelatin just isn't the same as that canned jelly with the ridges in it. I happen to love the mashed cauliflower, but Alexx just tolerates it and it certainly doesn't fill the bill for homemade mashed potatoes. And where are his buttered peas? Sorry. They just have so many carbs that I thought I could make a substitute for the traditional green bean casserole, that would satisfy him. This is my menu which I quite enjoyed, but I think next year I will go back to the traditional menu with smaller portions and just call it a cheat day. If I had served this meal on any day but Thanksgiving, I think he would have enjoyed it, and perhaps you will too...I did. But I missed seeing that satisfied look from Alexx that I used to get every holiday that I served all his favorites.
So if you want to try a gluten free and sugar free menu, this is a pretty good one. Just be ready to let your tastebuds be open to change:
So if you want to try a gluten free and sugar free menu, this is a pretty good one. Just be ready to let your tastebuds be open to change:
- Turkey
- Dressing
- Gravy
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Green Bean/Mushroom/Onion Casserole
- Sugar Free Cranberry Gelatin Salad
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
Roasted Turkey
7-10 lb fresh whole cage free turkey
1/2
cup olive oil
1/4
cup chopped thyme
1/4
cup chopped sage
salt
and pepper to taste
2 cups organic broth (vegetable or chicken)1 cup white wine
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Drizzle oil over outside of turkey. Season liberally with herbs, salt and pepper, covering entire bird inside and out.
3. Place seasoned turkey on roasting rack in a high-sided roasting pan.
4. Pour broth at the bottom of the pan. Cover loosely with foil, then roast for approximately 2 1/2 hours.
5. Remove foil and pour wine over the bird.
6. Continue roasting for another hour or so until the internal temperature registers 175ºF in the thickest part of the turkey.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Stuffing
4 cups yeast rolls cubed
1/4 lb homemade chorizo sausage*, cooked and cooled
6 fresh oysters and broth
1/4 cup organic butter
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 lightly beaten large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
1. Spread bread cubes in one layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until cubes are dry but not browned.
2. Allow the bread cubes to cool. Place cooled cubes in a large mixing bowl.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and green pepper and saute for about 10 minutes or until onions are translucent.
4. Add herbs to vegetables and saute an additional 2 minutes.
5. Add chorizo sausage, oysters and vegetable herb mixture to bread cubes and stir to mix.
6. Pour lightly beaten egg into mixture and stir to blend.
7. Add seasonings and stir to mix.
8. Add chicken broth and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
9. Transfer stuffing to a buttered baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.
* I make my own chorizo sausage. It is grass fed beef mixed with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper and organic apple cider vinegar. The amount of spice used is depending on your taste. For every 1/2 pound of meat you should add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Mix the spices and vinegar completely with your hands. Then fry the meat at a medium heat until done.
Reserved pan juices from turkey roasting pan
Cooked and deboned giblets that have been pureed in Vitamix
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon cold water until smooth
1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Pour pan juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add cornstarch mixture to the juices and stir for about 5 minutes until thickened.
3. Add cocunut milk and seasonings to taste.
4. Serve with turkey and dressing.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated + 1/4 cup for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Add garlic and thyme and sauté until cauliflower is lightly golden.
3.Place in oven and roast for 5 to 8 minutes longer.
4.Remove from oven. Spoon off and discard any excess oil. Sprinkle cauliflower with ¼ cup cheese. Return to oven for several minutes, or until cheese is melted. Taste cauliflower, adding additional salt and pepper if needed.
2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Add garlic and thyme and sauté until cauliflower is lightly golden.
3.Place in oven and roast for 5 to 8 minutes longer.
4.Remove from oven. Spoon off and discard any excess oil. Sprinkle cauliflower with ¼ cup cheese. Return to oven for several minutes, or until cheese is melted. Taste cauliflower, adding additional salt and pepper if needed.
5. Pour all ingredients in Vitamix and blend until smooth.
Place in baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup cheese. Return to oven
and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole
1 small bag frozen green beans - about 8 oz. thawed
4 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Herb de Provence
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup organic canned coconut milk
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water until dissolved
2 tablespoons almond meal
Cajun spice to taste
1 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1. Chop half of the onion and saute it with mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add salt and seasonings.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture.
4. Add the coconut milk and simmer for one minute.
5. Mix the beans with the saucy mixture and place in a baking dish.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - while baking make the topping:
7. Saute the remaining onion in 1 tablespoon oil.
8. Add salt and Cajun spice.
9. When the onions are soft, remove from heat and toss with almond meal and Parmesan cheese.
10. Add the topping to the baking casserole and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the mixture browns.
Cranberry Gelatin Salad
6 ounces fresh cranberries
2 ounces unsweetened applesauce
1 ounce crushed unsweetened pineapple
7 ounces Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar free raspberry gelatin
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Cook the cranberries according to the directions on the package.
2. Place the cooked cranberries in the Vitamix while they are still warm.
3. Add the applsauce and gelatin and puree for 1 minute on high.
4. Add the cold juice and blend for 20 seconds.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
6. Stir in the pineapple and walnuts.
7. Chill for 4 hours.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. liquid vanilla stevia
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
1/2 tsp. xanthum gum
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar free maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or sugarfree chocolate chunks
2 cups pecan halves
1. Mix ingredients together and press into a pie pan - set aside
2. Beat together eggs, syrup and oil
3. Add chocolate and nuts
4. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees
6. Cool and serve with whipped cream
Tip for Leftovers
The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers! But more than one day of reheating the goodies above is too much for us. So on the third day, I make soup. I made soup with and without Dreamfield noodles, but the soup with the noodles didn't test well for Alexx. But we found he liked the soup almost as well sans the noodles. This is a great way to finish the leftovers and it freezes really well.
Mix the leftover gravy and turkey (shredding or diced) with chicken broth. Add the leftover Cauliflower Mash and Green Bean casserole. Add chopped chili peppers (either Hatch or jalapeno) and 1/2 small onion. Cook on very low heat for an hour or more. I like to add a few peas (not many as they are very high glycemic, but a few appease Alexx's Thanksgiving craving that he misses.) I serve this with the leftover cranberry gelatin and a slice of leftover pie and whipped cream. It feels like a different meal but it finishes the leftovers and it feels like a night off in the kitchen!
Happy Holidays!
Green Bean Casserole
1 small bag frozen green beans - about 8 oz. thawed
4 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Herb de Provence
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup organic canned coconut milk
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water until dissolved
2 tablespoons almond meal
Cajun spice to taste
1 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1. Chop half of the onion and saute it with mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add salt and seasonings.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture.
4. Add the coconut milk and simmer for one minute.
5. Mix the beans with the saucy mixture and place in a baking dish.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - while baking make the topping:
7. Saute the remaining onion in 1 tablespoon oil.
8. Add salt and Cajun spice.
9. When the onions are soft, remove from heat and toss with almond meal and Parmesan cheese.
10. Add the topping to the baking casserole and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the mixture browns.
Cranberry Gelatin Salad
6 ounces fresh cranberries
2 ounces unsweetened applesauce
1 ounce crushed unsweetened pineapple
7 ounces Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar free raspberry gelatin
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Cook the cranberries according to the directions on the package.
2. Place the cooked cranberries in the Vitamix while they are still warm.
3. Add the applsauce and gelatin and puree for 1 minute on high.
4. Add the cold juice and blend for 20 seconds.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
6. Stir in the pineapple and walnuts.
7. Chill for 4 hours.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. liquid vanilla stevia
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
1/2 tsp. xanthum gum
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar free maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or sugarfree chocolate chunks
2 cups pecan halves
1. Mix ingredients together and press into a pie pan - set aside
2. Beat together eggs, syrup and oil
3. Add chocolate and nuts
4. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees
6. Cool and serve with whipped cream
Tip for Leftovers
The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers! But more than one day of reheating the goodies above is too much for us. So on the third day, I make soup. I made soup with and without Dreamfield noodles, but the soup with the noodles didn't test well for Alexx. But we found he liked the soup almost as well sans the noodles. This is a great way to finish the leftovers and it freezes really well.
Mix the leftover gravy and turkey (shredding or diced) with chicken broth. Add the leftover Cauliflower Mash and Green Bean casserole. Add chopped chili peppers (either Hatch or jalapeno) and 1/2 small onion. Cook on very low heat for an hour or more. I like to add a few peas (not many as they are very high glycemic, but a few appease Alexx's Thanksgiving craving that he misses.) I serve this with the leftover cranberry gelatin and a slice of leftover pie and whipped cream. It feels like a different meal but it finishes the leftovers and it feels like a night off in the kitchen!
Happy Holidays!
No comments:
Post a Comment