Regardless if you have chosen or were forced to change your dietary habits, the holidays can be the worst time of year for us who need to show some restraint. As someone who has Celiac Disease, I always feel like I’m burdening people during Christmas and Thanksgiving. Usually I try to bring something for myself, but if I’m hosting it ends up being a madhouse of trying not to cross contaminate and to please everyone else. I have other relatives and friends who share my struggle or are vegetarian and vegan. With so many restrictions, sometimes it’s best just to cook a full meal that is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, or a combination there of! People are beginning to understand that alternatives can be tasty! So, let’s dive into some cookbooks that’ll blow people’s socks off!
After taking a look at Gluten-Free Kitchen: How to Enjoy Pasta, Breads, Cakes, Cookies and More on a Gluten-free Diet (via Amazon; affiliate link) I knew this would be a handy book not just for the holidays, but throughout the year! I was drawn to this book particularly because they explain breadmaking with gluten free flours. I miss bread so much! Especially during Thanksgiving with buttered rolls. Being able to make my own and share them with the family is so exciting! This cookbook has over 165 recipes and techniques for makings delicious gluten free foods.
I may have a lot of restrictions, but so do vegans. Cheese, meat, and, eggs are such a prominent thing during the winter holidays. Even Halloween it can be difficult to navigate all the different foods. What I love most about Vegan Christmas: Plant-Based Recipes For the Festive Season (via Amazon; affiliate link) is that it provides more than just desserts. There is so much meat surrounding Christmas that it can be very difficult for vegans to enjoy the celebration. With this cookbook you can find amazing appetizers and main courses without the use of any animal byproduct!
The pictures in Vegan Holiday Cookbook: Festive Plant-Based Meals and Desserts for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Table (via Amazon; affiliate link) are so bright and inspiring! This is another wonderful vegan holiday book with 75 recipes inside. Dessert, main courses, appetizers, the full meal deal! The pesto pinwheels, I can already tell you, would be a hit at my family Christmas gathering.
My stepmom makes amazing German cookies with jam in the center every Christmas. Being gluten free for almost a decade I haven’t been able to eat them, but it is something I miss! I’m hoping that I can find something similar in The Artisanal Kitchen: Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies (via Amazon; affiliate link). With over 30 cookie recipes I’m sure I can find it. Better yet, they are all gluten free.
We have found many holiday cookbooks that can be altered to fit any tummy troubles or food preference lifestyle during the holidays. It is just a lot easier to buy a cookbook that has the recipes all laid out so there aren’t any mistakes.
I know people mean well, but it is really hard to read labels on things that you wouldn’t expect to have gluten or an animal byproducts. Plus, if you aren’t used to looking for specific labels, there are certain terms and ingredients that many people don’t catch unless they practice any of these diets on a regular basis! I’ve made this mistake before during a big celebration, so I try to have all kinds of cookbooks handy!
What are some foods you miss or want a recreation of?
Comment below!
~Kaiti
