Going gluten free this Thanksgiving

By Kasey Joyce

KSDK -- Catering to everyone's special dietary requests on Thanksgiving can be a challenge, but it's getting easier to prepare gluten free food for those at your table who can't tolerate wheat.

People who suffer from Celiac's disease can't tolerate wheat at all; others may just have a slight wheat intolerance that causes a multitude of digestive symptoms, headaches and lethargy. So if you cut it out of your diet, you may start to feel better.

And it's getting easier to make a meal without it.

Bakeries like Andrea's Fine Foods in Chesterfield cater to the gluten free crowd and they're extremely busy this time of year. They've got almost everything you need for a gluten free thanksgiving: pies, rolls, stuffing mix, gravy, chicken stock and even green bean casseroles.

"We've been pretty busy," Andrea Kosinski, the chief tasting officer at Andrea's Fine Foods said. "We're gearing up, last year we were surprised at how busy we were. This year we're a little better prepared. As you can see around you, pies everywhere. We've been cranking out a lot of pie crusts."

Mashed potatoes, fruits and veggies are naturally gluten free, but not all your thanksgiving favorites are. Gravy, stuffing, rolls and even some of the dressings for your turkey may have wheat products in them. There are now replacement products for all your Thanksgiving favorites at stores like Andrea's and even local grocery stores.

Julia Erker stopped eating wheat a few years ago. She doesn't have Celiac's, she just noticed she had a headache and would get very tired every time she ate wheat. Now, that's gone.

"Last year was my first gluten free Thanksgiving and I was able to enjoy the company a little more," Erker said. "I still ate too much and had a little food coma like everybody else, but I didn't collapse. I didn't lay down in the other room and sleep forever. I was able to enjoy myself."

Doctors say they're starting to see more and more patients like Erker, who show some signs of wheat intolerance.

"There certainly has been an increase in awareness to those who benefit from a gluten free diet, everything from individuals who benefit from the diet to those who truly have Celiac's disease," Dr. Charlene Prather, a SLUCare Gastroenterologist said.

Erker said beer was one of the hardest things to cut out of her diet. But she can still have wine and some spirits and there are even gluten free beers.

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Recipes from Andrea Kosinski for a Gluten Free Thanksgiving

Stuffing
(Serves 6 - 8)

Full Flavor Foods Chicken Stock Mix
4 cups water
Mix Together.
This makes 4 cups of stock, enough for 2 times the recipe below.
If you don't need that much stuffing,
use the broth in your gravy or save to cook vegetable or use for soup.

15 oz. (1 bag) Andrea's Gluten Free Herb Stuffing Bread
3 T Butter
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
2 cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
(Full Flavor Foods Chicken Stock or substitute)
4 - 6 oz. Cooked Pork Sausage (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sauté celery and onion in butter until transparent.
Mix celery, onion and butter with remaining ingredients.
Pour into an oven safe pan.
(Stuffing can be made ahead until this point and refrigerated.)
Bake, covered, at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.
Uncover for 10 minutes if you like a crunchy top.

Green Bean Casserole
(Serves 12 - 14)

1 Package Full Flavor Foods Vegetable Mushroom Sauce
1 ½ cups cold water
Whisk Mix into cold water.

6 Tablespoons Butter
½ cup chopped onion
3 - 14 ½ oz cans of Green Beans
Funyons

Sauté onions in butter until onions are transparent.
Add Mushroom Sauce Mixed with water.
Stir and heat until Sauce thickens.
Sir in Green Beans.
Spray baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
Fill with Green Bean mixture.
Bake about 20 minutes.
Top with Funyons.
Return to oven for 10 minutes.