Three years ago, Emma Cormier was diagnosed with celiac disease. Needless to say, it's been an adjustment for the 24-year-old woman who lives outside Truro, N.S.
“Celiac is an autoimmune disease, not an allergy, so you literally have to grieve the life you once had and completely change everything you once did or ate,” says Cormier.
It's getting easier, she says, noting how lucky she is that her family is learning alongside her. Life is, however, still restrictive. All it takes is one crumb of gluten to attack her intestines.
Because of this, Cormier tends to avoid holiday parties or events throughout the year unless it's with her family.
“Someone’s definition of gluten-free might not actually be,” she says.
Did they use a new sponge when washing the dishes? Did they double-check the ingredients for barley, rye, wheat, or malt? Did someone else cross-contaminate it – like putting a dirty knife in the butter dish?
These are questions she has to ask herself when out before eating. And because it could be so dangerous to eat anything containing gluten, Cormier ends up not going.
“I feel like it has made me pretty antisocial,” she says.
Consider everyone
Aidan Brunn was diagnosed with celiac disease 15 years ago. Since then, he has been living gluten-free. He, too, has his family’s support, and the whole house went gluten-free with him.
Today, Brunn and his wife, Jennifer Laughlin, have turned these dietary restrictions into a thriving business on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. Based in a 150-year-old converted schoolhouse, the couple operates Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet, specializing in gluten-free eats and treats. Over the years, they have introduced dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free options to meet the ever-evolving needs and dietary restrictions of their customers.
More and more, people have dietary restrictions or make dietary choices, and it’s important to consider everyone.
The holidays are a time for gathering with friends and family and a large portion of gatherings centre around food, says Danielle Farrell, the in-store dietician for the Dominion stores in St. John’s, Mount Pearl, and Conception Bay South, N.L.
For someone with dietary restrictions, gatherings with limited options can be not only disappointing but may even cause stress or anxiety.
“Especially when it comes to those dealing with celiac disease, eating out can be a chore; dealing with everything from menus with few or no options to issues of cross-contamination,” says Brunn.
It’s important for people with food sensitivities to ask if the food or products they are consuming were produced in a facility that also processes wheat or other allergens, like peanuts or sesame, to ensure there has been no cross-contamination, he adds.
“Familiarize yourself with ingredients you can and can't have, as well as any companies or local producers that make safe foods that align with your dietary needs and personal values,” says Brunn.
More options
Brunn says it's reassuring that people are starting to become more considerate of those with dietary restrictions and food allergies or sensitivities, especially at events, parties, and family functions. Availability and access to gluten-free foods have changed dramatically in the last 15 years, he says.
Gluten-free food, in particular, has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, with big businesses investing a lot of money in food science to create it, says Brunn. Most major grocery chains now have a robust line of gluten-free foods to choose from.
For example, Farrell says PC now has gluten-free, plant-based, and lactose-free lines that make it simple when shopping for a specific dietary restriction. These products are clearly marked and have a unique look so they are easy to recognize and locate in-store, she says.
Or check out smaller local companies like Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet, where everything is made fresh from scratch by hand, using local, high-quality, power-packed ingredients, without the use of factory mixes, synthetic flavouring, stabilizers, or dyes.
Being inclusive
Without looking into alternative food options for guests, people like Cormier are forced to bring their own food to events.
For example, for Christmas dinner, she brings along gluten-free bread.
“I went to a wedding this year, and when it was time to eat, when I asked if there was anything gluten-free, the panic set in on their face. It makes me feel like a burden,” says Cormier.
Instead, we should try to be inclusive, especially when planning holiday parties.
“From food allergies to personal beliefs, everyone has their own reasons behind their dietary restrictions, so we should do what we can to be as inclusive as possible and ensure that everyone can enjoy some tasty food this holiday season,” says Farrell.
Farrell suggests sticking to recipes and foods that are naturally gluten-free to accommodate this dietary concern without relying on the flavour and texture consistency of unfamiliar products.
An example would be to make a quinoa salad instead of a pasta salad or include common items, such as potato or rice, as a grain or starch option, she suggests.
Gluten-free food has come a long way over the years, says Brunn. There are many options now to appeal to everyone and gluten-free food can be delicious and identical in texture — so much so, he says, that anyone you serve it to, whether they're able to eat gluten or not, wouldn't be able to tell it's gluten-free.
Tips and tricks
While it's difficult to anticipate and prepare for all dietary considerations, there are some easy swaps hosts can focus on to be more inclusive when you're unaware of your guests' needs.
These include:
- Serving vegetable dishes that will accommodate not only vegetarian and vegan diets but also gluten-free diets, including salads and fresh salsas.
- Adapt recipes to include items such as lactose-free cheeses, gluten-free grains, or vegan mayo.
- Incorporate plant-based proteins, such as legumes, as a main course option.
- Be aware of food allergies or avoid using priority allergens, such as peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, wheat/triticale, fish, shellfish, mustard, soy, and sesame.
Other tips for hosts include asking guests in advance for any dietary restrictions and tweaking your menu, says Brunn, who suggests focusing on whole foods.
Farrell suggests including a variety of nutrients on your menu. Think about how attendees will build a balanced plate with the options provided: half a plate of vegetables and fruit, a quarter of a plate of whole grains/starches, and a quarter of a plate of protein.
Knowing there will most likely be an option (or several) to choose from makes putting yourself out there a lot easier, says Brunn.
The holidays can get pretty hectic, he adds. It's also a magical time of year and can be a whole lot of fun if you stay organized and prepare as much as you can in advance.
Hosting friends and family with food allergies, restrictions, and sensitivities doesn't need to be stressful — with so many great options available, you may even find new alternatives that replace some of your old favourites, he adds.
Gluten-free cornbread from Schoolhouse
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter plus a bit more for greasing the pan
- 1 cup buttermilk (or plain milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup millet flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp xanthum gum
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Mix all wet ingredients in a stand mixer then fold in dry ingredients. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Pour into 9x9-inch pan and smooth out with a spatula.
- Bake for 20-25 mins until light golden brown.
- Allow to cool, then cut into squares.
Gluten-free gingerbread cookies
Ingredients
Dry Mix (measure into stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment handy or mix by hand):
- 4 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix (we use 1 3/4 cups brown rice flour, 1 3/4 cups millet flour, 1 cup tapioca flour, and 2 tsp. xanthan gum)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
Wet Mix (measure ingredients into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. On medium heat, as butter is melting, add molasses and whisk in. Then add sugar and stir until dissolved. Don’t let it bubble or overheat. Once combined, pour into glass measuring cup for safe handling):
- 1 cup of butter
- 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 cup brown sugar
Directions
- Pour wet mix into dry mix (if using a stand mixer to combine, set on low). Pour slowly and allow dough to form and combine. Dough will be a bit sticky, but oily and easy to handle. Use a dough scraper to scrape sides of the bowl or the side of your hand works just as well. Divide dough into three parts and wrap with plastic. Let dough rest in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Line 2-4 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Prepare your favourite cookie cutters. Grab the rolling pin. Prep two more pieces of parchment in equal size and place on the countertop to roll out dough (a silicone mat works, as well).
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Take a piece of chilled dough out of the fridge. Flatten with your hands onto parchment into a rectangle and slowly roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out as many shapes as you can. Get family and friends involved and repeat the process with remaining dough. Gently lift cookies onto lined baking sheets.
- Baking times vary. For hard gingerbread, about 10-12 minutes. For softer gingerbread, about 8-10 minutes.
- Make royal icing to decorate. You’ll need: 3 egg whites (make sure you have no yolk in there), 4 cups of icing sugar and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar.
- Add egg whites to a stand-mixing bowl and beat until foamy. Add icing sugar (sift with fine mesh strainer if clumpy) and cream of tartar. Whisk until smooth and thick, but not pasty. If it is too thick, add 1 tsp water at a time to loosen up. Cover icing with plastic until ready to start decorating. After decorating, allow cookies an hour or so to set.
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to seven days in an air-tight container, with parchment or wax paper between cookie layers.
Pomegranate Pear Salsa
Danielle Farrell says as long as this is served with gluten-free crackers or chips, it's gluten-free, free of all priority allergens, lactose-free and vegan.
- 2 pears, cored and diced
- Seeds from one pomegranate
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Juice from one lime
- Salt and pepper as desired
Mix together, serve with gluten-free crackers or chips.
