Anti-Candida Diet Friendly Thanksgiving Meals???

[onlyme]

So, we're hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year. I am following the anti-candida diet, my mother can't tolerate ANY garlic, onion, pepper, or anything "spicy", and my brother, sister-in-law, and husband like anything as long as it is unhealthy (I've made my husband several of the recipes in the FAQ and he always has to garnish them with things like processed cheese and supplement them with things like pop-tarts - ugh!).

I made butternut squash soup this weekend and my husband thinks it's "vile." So, so much for that (I like it though).

Following are some recipes I found in this month's Real Simple magazine. I plan on making a smaller portion of plain-jane versions of everything for my mom. Will someone please analyze and let me know of substitutes I can make to bring the recipes in line with the anti-candida diet? I'm kind of clueless when it comes to things like grains. Thanks!

Basic Roast Turkey - I plan to buy an organic free-range turkey from the health food co-op -- it's a 30 mile drive each way, but I think it will be worth it for this meal.

Wild Rice Dressing-
1 32 oz. container organic chicken broth
1 cup wild rice
1-1/4 cups brown rice
1 stick (unsalted butter)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, finley chopped
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup cranberries, roughly chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper


Is the brown rice okay? Should it be basmati? No pungent spices or beans in this one though, so not sure if any rice besides the wild rice is okay . . .

I plan to use ghee instead of unsalted butter

What about the cranberries? Unsweetened cranberry juice is supposed to be okay, so I am thinking that cranberries themselves are okay too . . . ???


Butternut Squash With Cumin Couscous

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
1 32-ounce container vegetable broth
1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-1/2 cup couscous
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

I plan to leave out the tomatoes and raisins (any substitutes?)

What is a good substitute for couscous? The diet allows quinoia, amaranth, teff, and the occasional millet and barley.

I plan to soak and bake the almonds first.


Of course, I'll make mashed potatoes and cornbread for the rest of the family, but I don't plan to eat those.

Any ideas for dessert? I'll probably just have them bring a pie or something and I won't eat it.

[shelley]

Hey, it's Thanksgiving. ONE night. Rock out! IT won't set you back too much.

The recipes (with deletions) are great! Cranberries are fine, raisins are questionable for most people during the first month or two.

Couscous is an easily digested pasta, okay unless you are sensitive to glutena nd still have leaky gut. IF you are, substitute with Quinoa - it will taste just as good!

Unsweetened Apple pie is one of the safest desserts.

[onlyme]

Thank you Shelley!

I think I'll substitute with the quinoa. I've enjoyed it in the morrocan soup and so has my hubby. Hopefully the rest of the family will as well.

[onlyme]

Everyone loved the gluten-free, sugar-free, anti-candida-diet-friendly Thanksgiving dishes I prepared. If anyone is interested in the full recipes, just ask and I'll post them here. They came from the November 2006 issue of Real Simple (I modified them to make them cleansing-friendly). Used all organic ingredients (even the turkey - that was one pricey bird)!

And, best of all, I now have lots of homemade turkey soup (made with quinoa) in the freezer!