6 Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Ideas That Anyone Will Love

Ingredients:

• 6 medium portobellos or about 20 smaller crimini/baby bella mushrooms.
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1 bell pepper (you’ll use half in the mix and the other half chopped fine as a garnish)
• 1 1/2 cups raw spinach
• 1/2 c. walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 of a small onion
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and blend until smooth. Wash mushrooms, carefully remove stems to create a pocket for the filling, and brush with balsamic vinegar. Evenly divide filling amongst mushrooms.
2. Place stuffed mushrooms on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until mushrooms have softened and released their moisture. Remove from oven, carefully use tongs or a spatula to transfer mushrooms to serving dish, and top with chopped bell pepper.

2. Bacon Deviled Eggs With Caramelized Onions and Cheddar Cheese

We found these Bacon Deviled Eggs on theendlessmeal.com. Better make sure there are enough for anyone around.

Ingredients:

• 6 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked crispy (reserve fat for cooking onions)
• ¼ cup onions, finely minced
• 1½ tablespoons mayonaise
• A small handful finely grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Finely chop cooked bacon, remove any pieces that are chewy
2. Saute onions over medium heat in a few tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes
3. Carefully remove yolks from hardboiled eggs and place in a medium sized bowl.
4. Add all other ingredients and mash together with a fork until everything is well incorporated.
5. Add salt to taste
6. Place a heaping teaspoon of the yolk/bacon mix into each egg white
7. Sprinkle with freshly grated pepper before serving.

Notes: These can easily be made a day ahead. Keep covered in your refrigerator until serving. 

Gluten-Free Main Courses 

3. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Pear Cider

This delicious gluten-free soup is from Shauna James Ahern from glutenfreegirl.com. A heart-warming soup for this Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 5 stalks celery, rough chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 large onions, peeled and rough chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 8 large leaves sage
• 1 Bartlett pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3–4 scrapes of fresh nutmeg
• 1 cup pear cider (apple is fine too)
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Directions: 

1. Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Put the butternut squash, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, sage, and pear into a large bowl. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and fruit and toss them together well. Pour them onto a baking sheet.
3. Put the baking sheet into the hot oven. Roast the vegetables until they are soft, about 30 to 40 minutes. (You should be able to put a fork right through them.) Take the baking sheet out of the oven.
4. Pour 1/3 of the roasted vegetables into a blender, with 1/3 of the chicken stock. Blend until smooth. Add 1/3 of the oil. Puree until really smooth. Pour that soup into a large bowl and repeat with the remaining vegetables, stock, and oil.
5. Strain the soup through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cider. Season the soup with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and taste. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.

4. Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Casserole by Lydia Walshin from theperfectpantry.com is a fantastic gluten-free Thanksgiving entree. Check it out!

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, 2- to 2-1/2 lbs
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 by 1-inch slices
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced (I like to use different color peppers)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup medium black olives
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano or romano cheese
• 4 oz grated low-fat Italian cheese blend (or mozzarella)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
3. Place the two halves cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle each half with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife.
4. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the rest of the dish; then, use a fork to scrape the “spaghetti” out of the skin. Now that your squash is cooked….
5. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
6. Add olive oil, chicken and onion.
7. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink.
8. Toss in the bell peppers, garlic, thyme and olives. Continue to cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until the peppers are softened slightly.
9. Pour in the wine, salt and pepper. Stir until everything is combined, and cook for 2 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.
10. Place the “spaghetti” strands in a large mixing bowl, and add the chicken and pepper mixture from the frying pan.
11. Stir in the two cheeses and parsley, until everything is combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
12. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
13. Serve hot. Can be made up to one day ahead and reheated in a 350° oven.

Desserts

5. Pumpkin Pecan Pie Pudding 

For all pumpkin lovers, Amber from slimpickinskitchen.com has a tasty paleo pumpkin pecan pie pudding.

Ingredients:

• ¼ raw whole pecans, shelled
• 1 can organic, full-fat coconut milk
• 1 can organic pumpkin puree
• 2½ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp all natural maple syrup or organic agave nectar (separated)
• 2 heavy pinches sea salt
• vegan coconut cool whip (optional)

Directions: