The holiday season is the ideal time to reconnect with family, friends, and your fork. It is no surprise that over the Christmas break we are all constantly surrounded by food. However, this time of year can be tricky to navigate for those of us with multiple allergies. I personally am allergic to dairy. I get bloated, break out and overall feel horrible if I have any. This makes the holiday season difficult. Everywhere you turn there is a chocolate truffle or cheesecake.
No one wants to be the guest constantly turning down the hosts varying delicious dishes. A quick fix to this problem, without making anyone feel uncomfortable, is offering to bring your own dessert or main dish to share with everyone. Most hosts are very receptive to this and welcome any extra food, but it is always nice to ask first.
Another challenge is that many people veer away from anything that is gluten or dairy-free or in other words “healthy” over the holiday, so how you disguise a dish that works for you and your loved ones? I have compiled a brief list of my favourite seasonal recipes that are all vegan-friendly and gluten free!
Apple Butter Spice Cake
This is a go-to fall and winter recipe for me. It is moist, tasty, and you would never know it is both gluten free and vegan friendly. It is also great for sharing. Here is the recipe for the cake and additionally here is a simple apple butter recipe. If you don’t have access to any apple butter it is quick and simple to make.
In terms of the cake recipe, I substitute buttermilk for almond milk (you can also use soy or cashew depending on your preference), I substitute the real butter for more apple butter and lastly I substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free, wheat-free all purpose flour (for example almond flour or many grocery stores now sell allergen free flour blends).
Macarons
My family’s background is partially French-Canadian and us Frenchies love our macarons. Luckily, these delicious treats are not only beautiful to look at, but also dairy and gluten-free. Unfortunately, they do contain eggs, so if you have an allergy to eggs these may not be for you. These are a perfect post-dinner treat and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea. Here is my most favourite macaron recipe.
Homemade Soup
Another delicious way to get some veggies in your diet at this time of year is soup. Soup is always great because it is perfect to serve before a meal for guests, and there are so many different homemade soup recipes out there, that require very simple ingredients. Here is my favourite butternut squash soup recipe.
Bon Appétit and Happy Holidays Collegiettes!