Dairy Free Thanksgiving (Turkey, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes)

We discovered that my little guy had a dairy sensitivity a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. I was so bummed! I didn't think that I would be able to eat any of my favorite things. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, traditional dressing (stuffing that isn't stuffed into the bird) yams (brown sugar, butter and marshmallows YUM!").  I had not done a big Thanksgiving dinner with everything yet and was determined to do it this year and I felt really let down. I started researching and found that I could make pretty much everything we normally have. Actually I could have made everything, but I didn't make Pumpkin roll; I'm not ready to jump on the tofu band wagon for the cream cheese substitute. I made everything that I knew I could make taste good and be dairy free. 

Turkey (Dairy, Soy and Gluten Free)-

I used the Alton Brown turkey recipe and I made my own vegetable stock the day before.

It is Dairy, soy and Gluten free. Make sure you use Canola oil not vegetable though because vegetable oil contains soy. 

Gravy (Dairy, soy and Gluten Free)-

Normally I use a gravy packet because I was always nervous that it would just taste like flour. All gravy packets have dairy proteins in them, so I had to make my own. 

Traditionally gravy is made with a roux(butter and flour) or you can use a cowboy roux(flour and water). With a roux the butter has to be a high heat to be melted and it releases the starch from the flour so you can't taste the flour. A cowboy roux on the other hand does not get as hot before it starts to thicken so the starch does not release and you are left with a flour taste. I used arrowroot instead which thickened the gravy but did not add a flour flavor.

drippings from the turkey pan 

2 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot

1 cup water

Mix arrowroot and cold water until it is smooth then add it to the hot drippings and heat until thickened. 

Arrowroot does not add flavor and it produces a clear thick gravy. You can use cornstarch instead but it calls for 1Tbsp per cup of cold water. These are great gluten free substitutions.

Mashed Potatoes (Dairy, soy and Gluten free)
When I made these I hadn't discovered the Earth balance spread. Grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor and adds the fat that butter normal does which makes the potatoes more fluffy. The earth balance works better because of the texture of it, but both are great alternatives to butter and are both soy free. 
Potatoes
Grapeseed oil or 
Earth Balance natural buttery spread
Salt
Pepper 
Cut peeled potatoes into cubes and boil until soft. Strain most of the water leaving a little bit of the potato water. Mash the potatoes and add grapeseed oil or Earth Balance natural buttery spread, salt and pepper to taste.