A Thanksgiving Delight (Allergen Friendly)

I tend to have a difference of opinion when it comes to Halloween as I know a lot of people who are obsessed. I am just one of those people who rejoices when it’s over. The absent of scary commercials, mischievous clowns, and the worry of having enough candy to pass out to children is done for another year.

November 1st is my absolute favorite day. I think I enjoy it more than my birthday! You can semi feel the coolness that’s in the air, Christmas commercials start to play (whether you like it or not), and people seem to simply be a little nicer and above all, calmer.

I’m not sure if it’s due to the movies and television shows that portray a sense of family warmness or if the cooler weather does in fact, chill people out. Regardless, it’s a beautiful time, my favorite time!

Even though Kevin and I have already put our Christmas tree up (shhhhhh…), we must first settle down on the Jingle Bells and Mistletoe candles and first focus on Thanksgiving.

The main “problem” I have with Thanksgiving is that it is very hard with somebody who has allergies to indulge in the traditional feast. Usually, every casserole has a dairy or wheat product in it. So, today I’m going to focus on those who have allergies (like me) and offer y’all some recipes to prepare so you won’t feel like you’re missing out on all the goodies.

These recipes are strictly catered to Gluten & Dairy free peeps.

Side Dishes

Green Bean Casserole – Ever Since I was a little girl, I have adored green bean casserole! However, I could never eat too much of it because of the cream of mushroom soup that was guaranteed to be found in the recipe. My mom, over the years, figured out how to make this dish allergen friendly by making a dairy free gravy and she completed the dish by adding potato chips on top instead of the normal fried onions. It is all very good but the crispy onion straws on top is what I feel completed the casserole. GOOD NEWS. Aldi now carries Gluten Free fried onions! They taste just like the real thing besides the fact that they are less greasy which isn’t a bad thing.

Sweet Potato Casserole – Another one of my favorites! In order to cater to my dairy allergy, we would make this yummy casserole by using almond milk and of course it couldn’t be completed without adding lots of marshmallows!

Stuffing – While you can make gluten free stuffing from scratch, it is much easier to buy it straight from the shelves. That’s right, Aldi also now carries gluten free stuffing straight from a box! Call me lazy but the least amount of work on a holiday I have to do, the better. Aldi currently carries GF turkey and chicken stuffing!

Dinner Rolls – Rolls! Definitely a staple on our Thanksgiving table. Now you can buy gluten free dinner rolls right in the frozen section of most stores, but nothing beats homemade.

Mashed Potatoes – I make mashed potatoes on the regular at our house and Kevin honestly can’t tell I make them without milk. I use dairy free butter, and replace the milk with chicken broth. I’m telling ya, it’s just as good!