In the last month or so, you’ve painstakingly prepared two delicious, gluten-free holiday meals for a family and friends. During the holiday season, sticking to a gluten-free diet is no easy feat! We’re impressed and think you deserve a break, which is why we’d like to suggest you whip up one of these simple gluten-free appetizers or drinks for your New Year’s Eve festivities.

  • Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts are all naturally gluten-free. However, some manufacturers cross-contaminate nuts during the packaging process, so look for gluten-free labels. All of Blue Diamond‘s products are gluten-free except for their Jordan Almonds and Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds.
  • Fresh fruit makes a sweet, healthy appetizer that will balance out all of the savory appetizers.
  • Vegetable trays also make great, healthy appetizers. Just make sure to pair them with a salad dressing that is certified gluten-free (Hidden Valley, Annie’s, and Organic Ville manufacturer gluten-free ranch dressings).
  • For a snack that takes seconds to throw together, cut gluten-free cheese into small slices, and place them on a platter with Glutino crackers.
  • Looking for a traditional, crowd-pleasing appetizer? Say no more: Gluten-free Chex Mix.
  • Pick a dip to pair with gluten-free chips: Guacamole, Hummus, or Spinach & Artichoke.
  • This Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread makes an irresistible, mouth-watering appetizer!
  • Make a big batch of these meatballs, stick some toothpicks in them, and you’re good to go.
  • Who doesn’t love beer? Pick up a few packs of New Planet Beer’s Blonde, Raspberry, or Pale Ale. You can also make some refreshing mixed drinks using New Plant Beer.
  • Make sure you have some Champagne to toast with at midnight!

From all of us here at New Planet Beer, happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2013!

gingerbread cookieThere may still be twelve days left until Christmas, but we’re already dreaming about all of the gluten-free treats we’ll get to enjoy with family and friends. But why should you have to wait until the end of December to start spreading the holiday cheer? Using the recipes below, bake some gluten-free sugar or gingerbread cookies, then hand deliver them to family and friends’ houses.

Feeling extra-festive? Invite some friends over to make gluten-free gingerbread houses (just make sure to use gluten-free candy)!

Gluten-Free Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup amaranth flour
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • A pinch fresh nutmeg

Directions:

Whisk all of the flours together in a medium-sized bowl, then carefully sift them through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum to that bowl before whisking everything together again. Set aside.

Stir the butter in a separate bowl, or use the beater attachment of a stand mixer to stir it. Add the sugar, then cream them together until they have combined. Add the two eggs and vanilla extract before beating the mixture for a couple more minutes. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg.

Sift the dry ingredients mixture into the liquid one, one cup at a time. Make sure that everything is entirely mixed together. The thick batter won’t be as stiff as traditional rolled cookie dough and won’t be completely sticky to the touch. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it overnight.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature, but don’t let it reach complete pliability. Ideally, the dough should still be rather stiff from refrigeration. Preheat the oven to 375° F, then roll out the cookie dough on a gluten-free cutting board, or between two pieces of parchment paper. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut out holiday shapes or create your own.

Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven and how crispy you’d like them to be. Let them cool 10 minutes before tasting them.

Makes about 15-20 cookies, depending on shapes.

Gingerbread Cookies or House (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup arrowroot flour
  • 1 ¼ cup sorghum flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 1 ¼ cup teff flour
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (or a sugar of your choice)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup maple syrup (can also use agave or honey)
  • 1 tbsp molasses
  • ¼- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 ½ tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp warm water (the applesauce and flax replace 2 eggs)
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum

Directions:

Combine maple syrup, molasses, oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Add applesauce and flax-water mixture to the large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine baking soda, flours, sea salt, spices and xanthan gum. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir.  Add 1/4 cup of milk, then stir in remaining flour.  Add more milk if necessary.

The dough should be a little sticky at this point, so use floured hands to roll it into a ball and wrap it in plastic before refrigerating. If you’d rather keep it in the bowl while you refrigerate it, scrape the dough down the sides of the bowl before you chill it. Refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking tray with parchment. Remove dough from fridge and divide in half.  Roll out each half on a floured, gluten-free surface to 1/4 inch thickness before cutting into desired shapes. Place cookies at least 1 inch from one another on the parchment and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven and how crispy you’d like them.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies (depending on size) or 1 gingerbread house and a few accessories.

Adapted from Gluten Free Girl and She Let Them Eat Cake.

Happy holidays!

What: Celiac Awareness tour, Pittsburgh, PA

When: 1/26,  9am-2pm

Where: Doubletree Pittsburgh/Monroeville Convention Center : 101 Mall Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146

Website: http://celiacawarenesstourpittsburgh.eventbrite.com/

Come and taste New Planet’s line of Crafted Gluten Free beers along with lots of other gluten free goodies too.