Most of the loved ones that I celebrated Thanksgiving with this year.
As far as non-Jewish holidays go, Thanksgiving is my absolute-favorite – Passover will always trump Thanksgiving in my book. What I love most about Thanksgiving is how pure of a holiday it is – it’s not about presents or “stuff”. It’s about family, good food and laughter. Thanksgiving is an annual reminder to reevaluate our priorities and to remember what’s really important – what we should be thankful for.
The last few years my family has asked everyone joining us at dinner to write a note about what they are thankful for and place it in a big woven basket before dinner begins. Between dinner and dessert the notes get passed around the table and read out loud. There are no names on the notes so no one knows who wrote what. It’s a sweet, but quick way to commemorate the holiday and I really enjoy hearing the kind words that my relatives share.
I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s some of the delicious gluten free (except for the rosemary bread) and dairy free food that we enjoyed this Thanksgiving. I am so lucky for so many reasons including having a family that is incredibly supportive of my dietary limitations – although this meal hardly felt limiting to anyone.
Local turkey
Quinoa with herbs and pomegranates
Roasted veggies
Asparagus with mustard glaze
Whole wheat rosemary bread (recipe below)
Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients:
6 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast (active dry)
3 teaspoon salt
3 cups warm water
3/4 – 1 cup honey
6 twigs package Rosemary, stems removed and leaves chopped
Directions:
Measure out yeast in a bowl and add warm water. Stir until yeast dissolves.
Add in flour, salt, honey and chopped Rosemary.
Stir ingredients until flour is all mixed in.
Let flour rise overnight.
Grease Dutch oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with Dutch oven inside.
Put dough into Dutch oven and cook for 45 minutes. Take off lid and cook for 15 minutes.
To remove bread from Dutch oven, turn Dutch oven upside down.
Another shot of the bread because it was so delicious (so I heard).
Triple Chocolate Brownies (recipe by www.MyraKornfeld.com)
Triple Chocolate Brownies (recipe by www.MyraKornfeld.com)
Ingredients:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups natural sugar – maple or succanat
1 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Melt the semisweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate together over a double boiler. Stir continually to prevent burning or hardening – about 5 minutes. Mix in the cocoa powder and remove the double boiler from the heat.
Blend together the sugar, tofu and coconut oil in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl, stir in the chocolate, then the flour, cayenne, baking powder and salt.
Pour the batter into the baking pan, making sure it spreads evenly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until slightly puffed. You’ll know it’s done if a toothpick inserted at the center comes out with some crumbs.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 2 hours before cutting into squares and serving.
Banana bread
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
3 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup raw honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease loaf pan
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl
Use electric mixer to blend ingredients almost thoroughly – I like it with a few banana chunks remaining
Pour batter into loaf pan and bake until top is brown – about 45 to 60 minutes
Allow loaf to cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving
