Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without pie … but if you’re not eating gluten, a typical pie crust presents a challenge. Fortunately, we’ve got a terrific gluten-free pie crust recipe as part of this Almond Apple Pie recipe, courtesy of natural foods chef Alison Anton. (She provided all the special gluten-free dessert recipes in our Oct08 issue.) The key is to have and keep ALL ingredients cold (put the flours in the fridge before making it, for example); chill the finished dough before rolling (wrap it in plastic first); and to treat the dough gently when rolling on waxed paper. Don’t worry if it tears a bit when rolling; just patch as you go, as you would with any crust. Elana of Elana’s Pantry also provides this gluten-free, almond-flour-based pie crust; I haven’t tried it yet, but since I just ordered a big bag of almond flour last week, it’s next on my list.

I love planning out Thanksgiving side dishes almost as much as eating them. The Delicious Living healthy recipe archives are full of great side dish options — and I can vouch for every one of them, having made them more than once. Here are a few of my favorites; all of them can be made gluten free, so my gluten-free son can indulge along with the rest of us. I’ll post more favorite Thanksgiving recipes in the days ahead. And I’d love to hear about yours!

1. Apple, Date, and Almond Stuffing. Hands down, my favorite stuffing ever … and it’s gluten free! It’s made with sauteed apples, zipped up with citrus zest, and given crunch with chopped almonds. This gets raves every single time I serve it. (I also make it often with roast chicken.) Gluten-free kids will love it, as will your adult guests.

2. Brussels Sprouts in Sage Butter. I love these sweet-savory brussels sprouts with pecans. Even if think you don’t like brussels sprouts, try these; browning them gives them a wonderful flavor. To make the dish even lighter, use half olive oil and half butter.

3. Sweet Potato Bake with Maple-Cinnamon Pecans. I developed this recipe a long while back for something sweet yet not drowned with marshmallows. (Not that I have anything in particular against marshmallows … just not on sweet potatoes.) It’s super easy and kids love it.

4. Quinoa Corn Muffins. Another great gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish. Pair it with this dairy-free Pumpkin Seed Spread.

5. Roasted Green Beans with Lemon and Dill. A really nice change from steamed or casserole green beans; and I love the currants, though it’s good even if you leave them out.

6. Mache Salad with Candied Pecans, Pears, and Gorgonzola. One of my go-to special salads. I leave out the gorgonzola for my gluten-free son because sometimes gorgonzola can have gluten in it (plus he doesn’t like gorgonzola). Mache is a delicious, slightly nutty, tender green; you’ll find it in clamshell packaging in the salad section of natural markets. But you may also substitute any tender greens, such as butter lettuce or even green leaf lettuce, or a mix.

Looking for fair-trade gifts to give this holiday season? Check out this beautiful Fair Trade Gift Guide, produced by Lotus Foods and Fair Trade the White House, a grassroots coalition that’s petitioning First Lady Michelle Obama to declare the White House a “fair-trade home.” (You can sign the petition here.) With gift ideas as lovely as South African-made messenger bags, gorgeous scarves and hats, adorable toys and puzzles, and chocolates galore — from such fair-trade organizations as World of Good, Ten Thousand Villages, Equal Exchange, and more — you’re sure to find something that does the recipient AND the world some good. And lots of the catalog items have coupon codes for free shipping, discounts, and the like. Let the holiday goodwill begin!

If you hurry into your neighborhood Jamba Juice today from 2:00 to 5:00pm, you might be among the first 150 customers to get a free California flatbread; yes, free! Flavors include Tomo Artichoko, Smokehouse Chicken, MedterranYum, and Four Cheesey. Though I’m sure these aren’t gluten-free, I’m already a fan of Jamba Juice because of their gluten-free smoothies, which my gluten-free son boosts with protein and uses as a meal on occasion when he’s not able to get to his dorm for food. Jamba also offers fresh-squeezed juices, steel-cut oatmeal, and other yummy, healthy, fast options. more

I loved this article in the New York Times, “A White House Chef Who Wears Two Hats,” about the new, 29-year-old White House chef, Sam Kass. He sounds like someone who gets it; “when he’s not grilling fish for the first family or tending tomatillos in the White House garden, he is pondering the details of child nutrition legislation, funding streams for the school lunch program and the best tactics to fight childhood obesity.” Interesting read, including the snarky bits from big-ag interests and naysayers who think organic and locally grown isn’t realistic (for more on that, read “In Defense of Organics” from DL’s Sept issue). I appreciate Kass’s opinion on the challenges to feed healthy food to kids: “It’s got to taste good, you know?” he said. “They’re not going to eat it, no matter how healthy it is, if it doesn’t taste good.”

Vanilla beans — actually whole pods, with the beans inside — are easy to use and add a wonderful hit of intense vanilla taste to any recipe that would normally use vanilla extract. When you see a recipe that calls for using or scraping a whole vanilla bean, you can substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for each pod … but using the bean pod itself is fun and the results are extremely tasty. Here’s how to prepare and use a whole vanilla bean pod.

1. Look for whole vanilla bean pods sold in jars in the same spice section as vanilla extract. They ARE expensive, but don’t worry, you’ll use the whole thing.

2. Lay vanilla bean flat on a cutting board (unfold if necessary). Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut off the hard dried tip, than make a slit down the entire length of the bean.

3. Fold the edges back, revealing the pasty vanilla beans themselves — each smaller than a grain of sand.

4. Use the back of your knife, or a spoon, to scrape the entire length of the bean, capturing all those tasty beans in a small blob. Add to your pie crust, cake batter, or anything else you’re baking; mix well to distribute.

5. Don’t toss the husk! Chop it up into 1-inch pieces and add it to a cup of granulated sugar; over several days, it will flavor the sugar nicely (mix every so often to distribute flavor). Or add to plain vodka and let sit for several weeks, stirring occasionally, to make your own vanilla extract.

The FDA just announced plans to treat all Gulf Coast oysters harvested in warm months to irradiation … and the Gulf Coast oyster community is in an uproar. Raw oysters have been a part of Gulf Coast culture for hundreds of years, and opponents to the government’s plan launched an online petition right away called Save the Gulf Coast Oyster Industry. (Also check out Raw Oyster blog, which covers the issue.) Opponents to irradiation argue that irradiation itself poses potential risks, and there are so few illnesses and deaths (less than 20 annually, and those are people with already compromised immune systems) from oyster bacteria that the FDA’s measures are unnecessarily extreme and could destroy a local and cultural industry. “Hundreds more [people] die each year choking on hot dogs, thousands more die from eating tainted vegetables and meat,” the petition notes. “The dangers of irradiated foods are just beginning to be studied and there are some health risks for workers at irradiation/processing facilities.”

I’ve just signed the petition because I recently visited Southern Louisiana and New Orleans, and my biggest culinary surprise were the incredible raw oysters at P&J Oyster Company in New Orlean’s French Quarter. Briny and astoundingly fresh, this zinc-rich and eco-friendly seafood was a revelation of pure taste and perfect texture — which I did not expect. (That’s me in the photo at right.) I understand that the government is worried about food safety, but making the raw oyster its target just doesn’t make sense to me; people who might be at risk simply don’t have to eat them. If you agree that irradiation is overkill for oysters, sign the petition.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of vinegar — I have no fewer than 10 varieties in my pantry at any given time, mostly to make salad dressings and as a shortcut to flavorful sauces. Now I’m in love with a new vinegar: A L’Olivier fruit vinegars, recently named the 2009 Outstanding Product Line by the National Association for Specialty Food Trade. I got a sample of the passion fruit vinegar, and I’ve never tasted any vinegar quite like it; it’s thick, complex, rich, sweet and tangy all at once. I used it in a simple salad dressing with extra-virgin olive oil and salt, and it was fabulous. Other L’Olivier fruit vinegar flavors include fig (yum, try it on cheese), raspberry, mango, tomato, black currant, and esplette pepper. It’s pricey — $16 per bottle — but you only use a little bit at a time, and the flavor boost makes it worth it (or makes it a great gift). Look for it in gourmet food stores or on igourmet.com. Here’s an EASY recipe from A L’Olivier:

Warm Passion Fruit Vinaigrette on Seared Salmon

4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons minced shallot (1 large)

4 tablespoons passion fruit vinegar (if you must, you could substitute good-quality wine vinegar mixed with fruit puree or marmalade)

2 tablespoons grainy mustard

1 teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/4 cup dry white wine

4 cups mixed greens

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add salmon and cook about 4 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

2. Return skillet to low heat; add 1/2 tablespoon butter and shallots. Cook, stirring, until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add passion fruit vinegar, mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, and wine. Raise heat to high; cook until reduced and thick enough to coat a spoon, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in remaining butter. Divide greens and place salmon on top; drizzle with sauce.

Pomegranates may seem mysterious, but they are not to be missed; and they’ve just come into season, from now until about January. Pomegranates are one of my favorite seasonal fruits; they’re juicy, sweet, healthy (loaded with antioxidants), and gorgeous, and they work well in all kinds of dishes. Here’s how to peel a pomegranate:

1. Use a knife to score through the outer skin of the entire pomegranate, into four or six sections (as if you were cutting an orange, but not as deeply).

2. Get a large bowl of water, or fill your sink halfway.

3. Hold the pomegranate underwater and break sections apart; this way, the crimson juice won’t splatter and stain your nice apron.

4. Bend sections back to release the red seeds, called arils. The seeds will sink while the skin and white membranes will float.

5. Discard skin and membranes; drain water and eat the seeds.

Of course, if you’re not worried about the red juice (which does stain), you can dispense with the water and just peel the sections back slowly and gently.

Check out DL’s archive of pomegranate recipes; the seeds are fantastic in salads, and the juice is yummy in dressings, marinades, and sauces. (It’s even easier to buy pomegranate juice; look for it in the refrigerated section of your natural market.) I’m going to try this easy, nutritious recipe for a POM Morning Shake, courtesy the people at POM Wonderful.

POM Morning Shake

TIME TO TABLE: 10 MINUTES

Makes 2 servings

Juice from 2–3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates* or 1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

3/4 cup vanilla soymilk or regular low-fat milk

2 ice cubes

1 large banana, peeled and broken into chunks

2 tablespoons slivered or sliced almonds

2–4 tablespoons protein powder (optional)

1 teaspoon honey or to taste

1. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice* (or use bottled).

2. In a blender combine the pomegranate juice with soymilk, ice cubes, banana, almonds, protein powder (optional), and honey to taste. Cover and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve immediately.

* For 1 cup of juice, cut 2–3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

Nutrients Per Serving (11-1/2 oz., with protein supplement): 283 calories, 11g protein, 51g carbohydrate, 6g total fat (.5g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 102mg sodium, 824mg potassium, 43mcg vitamin A RE, 15mg vitamin C, 1mg riboflavin (B2), 1mg manganese.

The Full Plate Diet, a new book coming out in January 2010 from the nonprofit Lifestyle Center of America, is based on “one simple, proven concept: fiber.” Almost no Americans get adequate fiber — estimates are only 1 in 5 gets enough, even though fiber’s health benefits are myriad and well documented, from weight loss to lowering risk of cancer and heart disease. Current recommendations 28g for women daily and 35g for men, but The Full Plate Diet authors recommend 40g fiber per day. I like it already: a “diet” that’s really just smart ways to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — the cornerstones of healthy eating. And the book has all kinds of cool “top 5″ lists for making better food choices; I’ll start with their top five beans, a food group they consider unsurpassed in fiber content (as well as being a stellar source of protein).

1. Navy beans: 9.6g

2. Lentils: 7.8g

3. Pinto beans: 7.7g

4. Black beans: 7.5g

5. Kidney beans: 5.7g

Honorable mentions include green peas, lima beans, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and green beans.