When I am cooking for my family, I find that I often need to make trade-offs to accommodate my family’s food allergies. Do I serve the burgers without cheese? Or do I ask the child with food allergies to watch the rest of eat cheese, while he has a naked burger? Likewise, with my food-allergic son away at college, he finds that he often needs to forego dinner at the cafeteria with his friends, as he waits for a meal that is specially prepared for him. This is why I strive to make holiday dinners in my home completely allergen-free.
For a few days a year, I want my food-allergic son to be able to eat every single dish that is served. Of course, this means some menu preparation, but it also means that the meal needs to be suitable to serve to relatives and family members without food allergies.
Is it possible? Yes! I use a meat or rice stuffing for the turkey, I use olive oil rather than butter on the turkey itself, and I make my own breads, cranberry sauce, and desserts. Mashed potatoes in my house have always been a critical staple at holiday meals. In the old days (before we discovered my son’s food allergies), my husband would make them with milk and butter… lots and lots of butter. Today, I make the mashed potatoes myself, and want to share my allergen-free recipe with you today.
Dairy-Free Holiday Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 8-10 medium to large russet potatoes (approx 5 lbs)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper (substitute black pepper if white not available)
- ¾ cup original Living Harvest Tempt hemp milk
- 5 tbsp Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread
Directions:
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Chop into cubes.
- Place potatoes in a large saucepan or stockpot, and cover with water. Add an additional inch of water.
- Boil on medium-high heat until a fork inserted through the potatoes causes it to crumble (approx. 20 minutes).
- Drain water from potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add salt, pepper, hemp milk, and buttery spread.
- Use a potato masher to combine the ingredients.
- Use blender on med-low for 2-3 minutes until potatoes are creamy.
Add additional hemp milk if desired to make the potatoes creamier. Makes 10-12 servings.
Serve immediately, or transfer to a baking dish and warm in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes before serving.
These potatoes can easily be made ahead of time, and the recipe can be adjusted for larger or smaller gatherings. In my house there is no such thing as too much mashed potatoes, so I tend to make enough for leftovers.
Leftovers can either be heated in the microwave (add a little more hemp milk to soften) or make a shepherd’s pie. Simply layer cooked ground beef and corn with an inch of mashed potatoes in a deep casserole dish, and bake until warm. Or, try a holiday version of shepherd’s pie by layering leftover turkey, veggies, and mashed potatoes.
Whatever you do, have a safe, happy, and allergen-free holiday!