A Gluten-free Memorial Day Weekend.

Ahhh, summer is almost upon us.   The feel of sand under our feet, ticks in our hair,  road construction delays... and BBQs/cookouts.   A new way for hidden gluten sources to reach out and throttle us!   Time with family!  (Hopefully NOT followed by a glutening!)

So, you say, how can I have a fun gluten-free cookout for family and friends?   I'm here to tell you!

1) Make sure any BBQ sauce you use is gluten-free.  You can even make your own by cooking together tomatoes (canned are fine), brown sugar, a bit of chopped onion, garlic, a splash of vinegar, and worcestershire sauce.
2) Toast the rolls in the oven.   Not the grill for the hamburgs/hotdogs/lamb/etc.   There are gluten-free hotdog/hamburg rolls out there which are quite tasty...here's a way to win some:

Udi's parties down.

Quinoa substitutes wonderfully for bulgur.   Make a quinoa "tabbouli" instead of potato salad.

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.  Mix with chopped parsley, mint, onion, and tomato.  Add salt to taste and a squeeeeeeeeeeeze of lemon.   And voila.   (you can also add feta chunks too)

Or instead of hamburgers, how about a leg of lamb?  

With potato salad, just check your ingredients.  

And what about strawberry shortcake for dessert?   Trader Joes has these "French Rolls" which make excellent shortcake bases.   Just top with whipped cream and strawberries....

Or make a pavlova (if the weather ever clears up..since you can only make meringue when it is clear and dry).   Make two large disks of meringue, and flop fruit and whipped cream between and on top.

You can also buy meringue cookies and layer them with fruit and whipped cream to make a trifle-type dessert.

(or replace the whipped cream with a thick Greek yogurt, if you are watching your fat)

Or what I will be having, hopefully, which is watermelon!

If you are serving gluten-foods with gluten-free foods, make sure everything has its own spoon/serving utensil.   And keep the gluten-free foods isolated!

Is there something you would like to know how to cook gluten-free?  Ask me in the comments!