Christmas Eve: Follow Traditions with a Gluten-Free Diet
Christmas Eve is the evening and night before Christmas, associated with the preparation for the celebration of one of the most important holidays in the Christian world. This holiday is usually celebrated with the closest people in the family circle. Of course, for believers, it is important to spend a festive night at prayer at home or in a temple.
This night brings together generations and traditions. Adults, together with children, decorate the house, read Christmas stories and poems and say kind and good words to each other. All the traditions of Christmas Eve are very symbolic; their observance will help make the holiday special and create a unique bright atmosphere in the house.
Traditional Christmas Eve
In the old days, Christmas Eve was spent very quietly, modestly, in a family way. It was customary to congratulate godfathers and mothers, all close and distant relatives. Some of the famous Christmas eve traditions are:
Helping others
For our ancestors, Christmas Eve was a special time that united people and strengthened good relationships with each other. Particular attention was paid to helping the poor and suffering, and homeless animals were also fed that night.
Despite the fact that Christmas is an exclusive family holiday, lonely friends and neighbors were always invited to dinner, and it didn’t matter what faith they were – Orthodox, Muslim or Jewish. Random guests, including beggars, were gladly seated at the table. According to belief, it is not known in what guise the Lord can come to the house.
Observe a fast
According to tradition, the whole day before the onset of Christmas, it was necessary to observe a strict fast and sit down at the table only after the first star appeared in the sky.
In the last hours before the onset of Christmas, it was customary to pray at home or in the temple. Going to a festive service or sitting down at the table, our ancestors put on new things with white attributes. On Christmas Eve and throughout Holy Week, young people and girls gathered in the company and caroled, praising the Savior and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
Decorating the house
In the evening, the whole family decorates the house and prepares Christmas treats. And with the sunset, candles were lit in the house, which means the victory of light over darkness.
Christmas eve table
Dinner on Christmas Eve is not just a meal. This is a whole mystery. And as our ancestors believed, this action depended on what the whole next year would be like. They sat down at the table with the first star, if it was cloudy, then they began to dine as it got dark.
The table was covered with a snow-white tablecloth, and twelve Lenten dishes were placed on it – according to the number of the apostles. In memory of the manner in which the Savior was born, a bundle of fresh hay was always placed in the center of the table.
Just before the start of the meal, candles were lit in front of the images, festive prayers were held, and only after that, the family sat down to the meal. During the meal, only good deeds were discussed.
Sharing Gifts
Family members exchanged gifts and good deeds. Of course, the gift depends on the degree of acquaintance and the significance of the date for you personally. If you were invited to dinner, you should give the hosts something pleasant and symbolic. For example, a beautiful spruce wreath, various souvenirs, candles, and home accessories. Closer friends can exchange socks, sweaters, and scarves. Children are usually given sweets, books, and toys.
You can give your beloved girl mittens, a thermal mug, or a bouquet of sweets. She will also be delighted with unusual things for the home that creates comfort. Guys should give more practical gifts: a tool, accessories for a car or gadget.
Christmas eve dinner
Every housewife has her own proven set of dishes that can be prepared for Christmas. Part of the table consists of lean dishes: vegetable salads, pickles, pastries without milk, and eggs. Those who have not fasted can cook their favorite meals. Olivier salad, jellied meat, and other familiar New Year’s delicacies appear on the Christmas eve table.
In Europe, they serve goose baked with apples. Turkey is popular in the US and Canada. Some cook fish or duck in the oven. Seafood is popular in countries with warmer climates.
A traditional Christmas table includes 12 dishes:
- Kutya.
- Uzvar.
- The vinaigrette.
- Pickles.
- Lean dumplings with potatoes.
- Kapustnyak (or lean borscht).
- Cabbage rolls with mushrooms and millet.
- Ragout vegetable.
- Fish (permitted in a variant of non-strict fasting).
- Pies.
- Fritters.
- Baked apples.
Fruits, sweets, and various drinks also appear on the table. In addition to uzvar, you can cook jelly, make homemade mulled wine, or punch.
Christmas eve dinner and gluten intolerance
As we have mentioned above, the time of Christmas Eve and Christmas is a big holiday and a festival of traditional dishes. Usually, at this time, people on special diets or food allergies and intolerances wonder if they can eat the same foods as everyone else or if they have to limit themselves. Gluten intolerance is one of the most common food intolerances. So it is not surprising if someone with this disease appears in your family. How to make a gluten-free Christmas Eve?
A gluten-free Christmas Eve is absolutely possible.If you have gluten intolerance, your Christmas table may be different, perhaps simpler and less expensive. The main thing is that peace and joy reign behind him.
People on a gluten-free diet don’t have to cut out many foods on Christmas Eve. It’s also very easy to make an entire Christmas Eve gluten-free by using gluten-free products, which are widely available now in markets.
Some gluten-free dishes that you can try on this Christmas eve are:
- Bacon and Brie Holiday Melts
- White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms
- Boneless Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Spinach Mushroom Lasagne
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole
- Whipped Gingerbread Spice Butternut Squash
- Massaged Kale Salad with Pomegranate
- Pumpkin Pie
- Honey Cinnamon Graham Crackers
The best gluten-free dishes for your Christmas eve 2022
Recipe # 1: Stir-Fry with Gluten Free Soy Sauce and oyster sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1chopped onion
- 1/2 pound stir-fried meat
- 18 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 thinly sliced yellow pepper
- 1/2 thinly sliced red pepper
- 2 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup gluten-free Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Step-by-step Instructions
- Take a large sauté pan and heat it over medium flame. When it’s hot, add meat and brown both sides for 2-4 minutes, depending on the thinness. When it’s brown, remove it to a plate.
- Then add onion into the same pan and fry until golden. Now add mushrooms and minced garlic and fry until the mushrooms start to shrink in size. Add red and yellow pepper and fry again until they start to soften.
- Mix 1 tablespoon water to potato starch and whisk well to create a slurry
- Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and potato starch slurry and cook it for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Now add this sauce to the meat.
- Now add salt, red pepper, sherry, and honey.
- Place the noodles on separate plates and serve the stir-fry on top, with roasted broccoli on the side.
Recipe # 2: Gluten-Free Brownies with Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 to 4 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9-inch square baking pan with butter, and line it with parchment paper.
- Take a completely dry and clean large glass bowl, and add the butter and chocolate. Put this bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Let the chocolate and butter melt, occasionally stirring, for 5 – 7 minutes. When it’s smooth, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Take another bowl, and whisk together the cocoa powder, almond meal, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and soy sauce. Whisk well.
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix well to combine. Then fold in the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch square baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 165°F – 210°F temperatures. The higher the temperature, the more cakier your brownies will be.
- Remove and allow to cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour, then stash in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour more.
- Cut into 16 pieces. Serve on the Christmas eve table as a sweet dish. Your guest will definitely like it.
Take Away!!
If you want to buy gluten-free soy sauce or gluten-free oyster sauce, feel free to visit our site. It is made, like our classic soy sauce, by natural fermentation. Our sauce is also suitable for preparing halal dishes among Muslims. It can be used in place of our other sauces because it’s just as versatile and delicious as the classic version. People without food intolerance also like it very much, so from now on, you can enjoy the benefits of gluten-free and the taste of authentic soy sauce in one bottle.
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