Thanksgiving is a time of year to connect with family and friends and share a meal together. However, holidays that are centered around food, are difficult when you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions. You may not know how to adjust your holiday menu to accommodate your guests. Here are some stuffing recipes, suggestions, and substitutions that your guests will be thankful for.
Binding your Stuffing with Egg Substitutes
If you have guests that are allergic to eggs or who are vegan or paelo, use one of the egg substitutions below in your stuffing recipe.
Egg Substitutes
• Use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of one egg. (Some sources recommend mixing the applesauce with ½ of teaspoon of baking powder.)
• Use ¼ cup of mashed banana for one egg
• Use ¼ cup of vegetable oil for one egg
• Use 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of baking powder to replace one egg.
Gluten Free Substitutes
Stuffing is usually made with bread, which limits people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. You can substitute using gluten-free bread, but if you are looking for a less processed alternatives try the suggestions below.
Skirlie (Scottish Oatmeal Stuffing)
Skirlie is a Scottish stuffing made with oatmeal instead of bread. Pure oats do not contain gluten, but make sure the oats you purchase are not cross-contaminated with any gluten grains. This recipe can be simply made with butter, water, onions, oatmeal, salt and pepper.
Riced Cauliflower Stuffing
Cauliflower rice is considered the new “it” vegetable. Try making cauliflower stuffing this year. This recipe can also be made dairy-free by using oil instead of butter to sweat out the veggies. Use a vegetable or mushroom stock to keep this recipe vegetarian or vegan.
Sweet Potato and Cranberry Stuffing
This sweet potato and cranberry stuffing incorporates all the fall flavors into a one delicious dish. Combine cubed sweet potatoes, sausage, butter, onions and celery, and cranberries to make this delicious dish.
Sticky Rice Stuffing
All rice is considered gluten free unless it has been processed with gluten grains. Give your Thanksgiving stuffing an Asian flair with a sticky rice stuffing.
Butternut Squash and Kale Quinoa Stuffing
Try giving your stuffing a healthy makeover with a Butternut Squash and Kale Quinoa stuffing. This stuffing is packed with fall flavors, protein rich quinoa and amino acids.
Dairy Free Delights
It’s hard to find Thanksgiving dishes that don’t require any butter, milk or cheese in it. Here are some substitutes that you can use to make your stuffing dairy-free.
Milk Substitutions
If your stuffing recipe entails milk, use one of the following milk substitutes: soy milk, almond milk, hemp milk, flax milk, rice milk, oat milk or coconut milk.
If your recipe asks for buttermilk, make a vegan buttermilk using one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of any non dairy milk. Stir and let it sit until it curdles.
Butter Substitutions
Use margarine or a dairy-free butter substitution of your choice. Avocados can also be used as a butter substitute (only use this in your recipe if you don’t mind if the stuffing has an avocado taste.) Coconut oil can also be used as a butter substitute as well.
Cheese Substitutes
Are you missing the salty bite that cheese would add to your stuffing? Use nutritional yeast as a cheese replacement. Shake some nutritional yeast flakes to your mixture to add a salty taste to your stuffing. Olives can also be cut up and added to stuffing for a salty, briny taste. Some recipes even suggest using cashews as a cheese replacement.
Nut-Free
Some stuffing recipes include nuts, but if your guests have nut-allergies, do not include the nuts in your recipe. However, if you are looking for something to substitute chestnuts, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, or hazelnuts in your stuffing, try the suggestions below.
• Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be substituted for nuts in your stuffing for a salty and crunchy bite.
• Water Chestnuts, an aquatic vegetable, can be chopped up and used a nut replacement. This will help give your stuffing a nice crunch factor.
Meat Substitutes
Most Thanksgiving stuffing recipes call for chicken stock or turkey stock. However, the items below can be used as meat-stock substitutes.
• If you have vegan or vegetarian guests, pick up a vegetable stock for your stuffing. This is the most popular replacement for chicken stock.
• If you are making a stuffing that includes mushrooms, use a mushroom stock to enhance the mushroom flavor of your dish.
• Green tea is a great alternative to stock and helps add healthy antioxidants to your stuffing.
Some stuffing dishes require meat. If you have guests that are vegetarian or vegan, you can decide to not include meat in your stuffing or substitute with the suggestions below.
• Use cremini mushrooms as a meat replacement for an earthy, rich, meaty flavor.
• Lentils are a great substitute for ground meat and are hearty and a great source of fiber.
When preparing for Thanksgiving, always ask in advance if anyone has any food allergies or dietary restrictions so you can be mindful of the ingredients you use. If you make a dish specifically for a guest with special dietary need, make sure that that dish is labeled so your guest know it is safe to consume. Use separate serving utensils to serve to avoid cross-contaminating with other dishes that could be an issue. Make sure your guests bring any allergy medicine or epinephrine auto-injectors that they might need in case of an emergency.Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving with these helpful tips.
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