Whether you plan to host Thanksgiving this year or show up as an invited guest, dietary restrictions are surely one of your top concerns. As a host, you might already be worried about accommodating a crowd of people and their wild assortment of food needs. And if you have plans to be a guest, you might be anticipating another ungratifying year, punished for your mindful eating habits and banished to the living room with a growling stomach.
Once upon a time, when calorie bomb holiday feasting reigned supreme, someone’s diet was a peripheral concern and largely ignored. But these days, gluten-free, plant-based, whole food diets have gone mainstream; and hospitality means attending to these needs rather than ignoring them.
Potluck helps solve some of these issues, but there are so many questionable ingredients and hidden allergens in foods these days, it makes it more difficult than ever to provide enough options to safely accommodate everyone.
The following recipes are gluten free and kosher-, keto-, paleo-, and Whole30-friendly, so your guests will be able to eat at least two holiday dishes without anyone fretting.
Fennel and Celery Root Bisque with an Infused Smoky Orange Oil:
Like most holiday recipes, both recipes below include more ingredients than average, but many steps can be broken down and completed ahead of time. The veggies can be roasted and sautéed ahead of time. The stock can be made in advance and frozen for up to six months. The smoky orange oil may also be infused ahead of time. Both recipes call for vegetable broth. Although a packaged broth will do in a pinch, we recommend a quick, homemade vegetable broth made with natural ingredients that are chock full of the rich, umami flavors of kombu, mushrooms and onions (recipe included).
Thanksgiving Stuffing for Almost Any Diet:
In this stuffing recipe we’ve left out the sage, which has a slightly acrid taste without the traditional addition of eggs or bread to temper it. If you really need the aromatics of sage in your life at Thanksgiving, make sure to add dried sage only (not fresh) and only use 1 teaspoon or less.
