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.”

One of the best ways to help your children develop a strong immune system is to make sure they eat well and develop healthy eating habits. Christina Schmidt, M.S., Nutritionist and Author of The Toddler Bistro: Child-Approved Recipes and Expert Nutrition Advice for the Toddler Years offers this checklist of nutrient rich healthy foods to help you and your family fend off H1N1 and seasonal flu this year:

1. Vitamin C: citrus fruits, berries, kiwis, peppers, tomatoes

2. Vitamin E: wheat germ, nuts, fortified cereals, sweet potatoes

3. Beta Carotene (Pro-Vitamin A): yellow and dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, orange squash, apricots, cantaloupe

4. Zinc: meats, fish, poultry, fortified cereals, milk

5. Iron: meats, poultry, fish, egg yolk, dried fruits, fortified grains, dark molasses

6. Copper: meats, nuts, chocolate, cherries, whole grains

7. Selenium: grains, meats, onions, milk

8. Folic Acid: green leafy vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, beans, broccoli

9. Vitamin B6: wheat germ, milk, egg yolk, meats

10. Vitamin B12: milk, eggs, meats

11. Omega 3 Fats: cold water fish, flax oil, soybeans, walnuts, dark green leafy vegetables

12. Probiotics: yogurts with the “Live and Active Cultures” seal, fortified foods, supplements

13. Garlic: as single ingredient or in variety of sauces, soups, ready to eat meals, supplements

Recently, CNN reported that an alarming 70 percent of children in the U.S. may be seriously lacking in vitamin D and it’s estimated even fewer U.S. adults may have adequate vitamin D levels to prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. (Women, read up on the latest from Christiane Northrup on vitamin D and breast cancer protection.) Should you beef up on vitamin D–rich foods, get more sun, or pop a supplement? Harvard researchers say go ahead and take the vitamin D supplement—it’s the surest way to know you’re getting enough.

For the child (or adult) who’s just been diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, not being able to eat favorite foods like chicken nuggets can be hard. Applegate Farms has recently come to the rescue with all-natural, gluten-free chicken nuggets. I got a sample of these and had my gluten-intolerant son try them out. The verdict: Two happy thumbs up! They’re not only gluten free, but like all Applegate Farms products, the meat is raised without any hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, or nitrites. We were already fans of Applegate’s organic hot dogs; now there’s a new food choice to love. Look (or ask) for them at your local natural foods store.

During my first visit to North Carolina last week (our daughter is now a freshman at Duke), we were treated to a North Carolina feast as part of new student orientation. Rather than serving a standard catered dinner, Duke partnered with the Bon Appetit Management Company, a catering group that’s a leader in sustainable and healthy food service, and I was delighted to see that the spread celebrated and showcased the region’s local foods and producers. I especially enjoyed the cucumber, onion, and heirloom tomato salad; green bean salad with herb vinaigrette; grilled-in-husk corn on the cob; North Carolina melons; and strawberry shortcake with fresh North Carolina strawberries. (OK, the classic pulled pork was really good, too.)

With a daughter starting kindergarten and a 2-year-old headed off to preschool (like such a big boy!), I’ve begun to pay more attention to health alerts, such as those about H1N1 virus outbreaks. Although up until now I’ve managed to take swine flu news (and press releases, so many press releases!) in stride, H1N1 is inching its way up my list of concerns. Today I spoke with Chicagohealers.com practitioner Martha Howard, MD, a holistic doctor who recommends a number of simple strategies and natural remedies to boost immunity and combat the H1N1 swine flu virus. more