Christmas is not far away now, and cooking a Christmas dinner for families with diverse diets can be quite daunting. Whether you’re catering for coeliacs, vegans, meat eaters, or allergy suffers, there’s no reason you can’t all enjoy a good Christmas dinner together!
Take the stress out of Christmas catering with our free-from menu suggestions.
The Roast |
|---|
A traditional British Christmas Dinner usually centres around the roast. With more and more people opting not to eat meat, it’s always good to have a meat-free option on the table too. The great thing about having a nut-roast or similar meat-free alternative on the table is that it also doubles as a brilliant side dish for the meat eaters.
Lentil Roast with Balsamic Onion Gravy
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan * Nut Free * Soy Free
While Nut Roasts are the traditional meat-free swap to a Roast Dinner, it doesn’t bode well for those with nut allergies. Cue the lentil roast! This protein-packed loaf is sure to be a hit with veggies and meat-eaters alike.
Note: Oats are naturally gluten-free but can be at risk of cross contamination with gluten containing grains. Make sure to use clearly labelled gluten-free oats if necessary.
Recipe & image: Wallflower Kitchen
Wild Rice No-Meat Loaf
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Soy Free
This No-Meat Loaf not only looks great, but tastes great as well! The addition of wild rice is a lovely touch and gives it a really nice texture.
Recipe & image: Pure Ella
Vegan Haggis
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan * Soy Free * Nut Free
Many people would not consider including haggis as part of a Christmas dinner, but hear us out. With a truly impressive combination of herbs and spices, this vegan haggis is full of rich flavours, you’ll definitely be going back for seconds. It’s a super tasty alternative to Nut Roast, and if you don’t use the ‘H’ word, no one will even raise an eyebrow. Trust us on this one!
Note: Oats are naturally gluten-free but can be at risk of cross contamination with gluten containing grains. Make sure to use clearly labelled gluten-free oats if necessary.
Recipe & image: The Vegan Lass
Seitan
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Vegan * Nut Free * Soy Free
Seitan (pronounced say-tan) is remarkably easy to make, but because it’s made primarily from wheat gluten, it should definitely be avoided by people with coeliac disease or any sort of gluten intolerance. The addition of ketchup and worcestershire sauce in this recipe means it packs a good punch, and this loaf will make a great protein-rich substitute for roast meat.
Recipe & image: The Buddhist Chef
Side Dishes |
|---|
Yorkshire Puddings
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Vegan * Nut Free
Easy to adapt for: Gluten Free & Soy Free
A roast just isn’t complete without a Yorkshire Pudding! This recipe is quite straight-forward and either a packet egg-replacer such as Orgran No-Egg or a Flaxseed Egg will work quite well with this one. It also links to another recipe using chickpea flour as an egg replacer, so you can see which one works best for you.
To make this soy free: Swap out the soy milk with an alternative such as Hemp Milk.
To make this gluten free: Swap out the flour for a gluten-free option and use a little more milk so it’s not too dry.
Recipe & image: Vegan Society
Whiskey Mushroom Gravy
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Vegan * Nut Free * Soy Free
Easy to adapt for Gluten Free
While there are many good free-from and accidentally vegan gravy granules on the market, there’s something about home-made gravy that you just can’t beat! This recipe is so full of flavour, it might be worth making a little bit extra.
To make this gluten free: Swap the flour for gluten-free flour and soy sauce for gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos.
Recipe & image: Connoisseurus Veg
Nutty Wild Rice and Shredded Brussels Sprout Stuffed Mini Pumpkins
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan * Soy Free *Nut Free
Seriously, how good do these mini pumpkins look! Stuffed with caramelised brussels sprouts, wild rice, and cranberries, these could be a centrepiece in their own right!
Note: Oats are naturally gluten-free but can be at risk of cross contamination with gluten containing grains. Make sure to use clearly labelled gluten-free oats if necessary.
Recipe & image: Half Baked Harvest
Quinoa, Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts & Pomegranate Salad
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan * Soy Free * Nut Free
With roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts combined with pomegranate and a sweet vinaigrette, this recipe not only makes a fantastic side dish, but the leftovers make a great stand-alone meal too. Not only is it healthy, it looks so festive too!
Recipe & image: Chicago Jogger
Dessert |
|---|
Christmas Pudding
The most traditional dessert in a British Christmas Dinner is the Christmas Pud. We’ve found a number of great free-from recipes and put them together in a Free-From Christmas Puddings blog post for you.
Mince Pies
Soy Free * Nut Free
Easy to adapt for Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan
Mince pies at Christmas are as traditional as the Christmas Pud itself! This recipe from Jamie Oliver uses pre-made shortcrust pastry and an egg & milk wash before the pies go in the oven.
To make this egg & dairy free: Instead of using the egg & milk wash use only a dairy-free milk such as soy or hemp.
To make this gluten-free: Use a gluten-free shortcrust pastry.
Note: Most store-bought shortcrust pastry is already egg and dairy free, and Jus-Rol have recently brought out a Gluten Free option as well.
Recipe & image: Jamie Oliver
Trifle
Dairy Free * Egg Free * Gluten Free * Vegan * Soy Free * Nut Free
While there is usually a trifle on the table on Christmas Day, in most households it’s very much a Boxing Day treat. The thing we like about this recipe is that it uses ingredients that are all easily found in your local supermarket. There’s even a link to a super easy free-from sponge cake recipe, and you can use whichever fruit you would usually use in a trifle.
Recipe & image: helloyounglionsxo
Festive Drinks |
|---|
The Christmas holiday season is as much about festive drinks as food! For a great list of festive drinks that are free-from and non-alcoholic, our Alcohol Free Winter Cocktails blog is for you!
To make shopping for free-from products easier, make sure you download the free Spoon Guru app. You’ll be able to search for products and recipes that meet your dietary requirements, and scan barcodes to quickly and easily make sure you’re putting the right products in your trolley.
Have a great holiday season!
|
|
Feeling social? Find us on:
|
