Holiday Snacks and Sweets {gluten, dairy and egg-free}

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How can you not enjoy your food
when it's sitting on this adorable plate!

Around here, the holidays have a lot to do with food.  For those with food allergies, being able to eat the same wonderful holiday treats as those around you can make a huge difference in how you feel about yourself, your friends and family, and the holidays in general.  To help get you started, or spark your own creativity, here are some no-compromise recipes our family enjoys around the holidays.

Cookies:
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies - Nothing says Christmas quite as well as cookies in the shape of candy canes and Christmas trees.  And don't forget the icing - that's the most fun part!

Ginger Snaps - Last year we had fun with Karina's ginger snap cookies from The Gluten Free Goddess!  We plan to make these with the kids, along with our sugar cookies next week.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - A must-have treat for any time of the year (am I right?)

Snacks:
Chex Party Mix - Now that General Mills is making their Corn Chex and Rice Chex gluten-free, it's easy to make a few substitutions and recreate a satisfying allergy-friendly version of this old standby party mix.  Follow the recipe on the box, making the following changes: 
1. replace the Wheat Chex in favor of corn or rice
2. use gluten-free pretzels such as Glutino Pretzel Twists , Ener-G Wylde pretzels, or Snyder's of Hanover gluten-free pretzels
3. replace bagel chips with broken corn chips or skip altogether
4. of course, use a dairy free butter such as Earth Balance

Chex Muddy Buddies - Again, follow the recipe on the box, but use only Corn or Rice Chex, use dairy-free chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life or Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, and of course, dairy-free butter.

Dips, Chips and Veggie Trays - A nice presentation of corn chips and salsa is always a winner.  I also recommend trying potato chips and this great Ranch Dressing Mix found at 5 Dollar Dinners.  For the ranch dressing, mix up the seasonings listed; then make the dressing using an egg-free mayo such as Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise and your choice of dairy-free milk.  The ranch dressing also makes a welcome addition to your veggie tray.

Beverages:
We have found some dairy-free holiday beverages at our local grocery store that my daughter really enjoys.  These can be ordered from amazon, but see if your local store carries Westsoy Chocolate Peppermint Stick soy beverage - served warm or Rice Dream Rice Nog.  Of course, good old fashioned apple cider is a great option as is any combo of gingerale and fruit juice mixed to make a yummy punch.

Breakfast:
Cinnamon Rolls - I made these last Christmas and they were great!  The recipe works well if you want to make them the night before, store in the fridge and bake in the morning.  Just substitute in dairy-free milk and use an egg replacer for the 1 egg it calls for (I used Ener-G egg replacer but I'm thinking I'll try it with 1/4 cup applesauce next time).

Muffins - This might be a great time to try out some of the muffin recipes offered on this blog such as Absolute Best Anything Muffins, Apple Cider Muffins, or Pumpkin Muffins.

One Dish Breakfast - Check out Oatmeal Breakfast Cake or Breakfast Fruit Crisp

Buckwheat Pancakes - Top with maple syrup, powdered sugar or fruit

Well, that should get you started thinking of some great snacks and treats to serve around the holidays, or anytime!  If you've got more ideas or recipes, please share them with us!