My best friend is getting married! It is an exciting time. They are my favorite couple. Not only are they best friends, they are wonderful people. They give so much to others and I am loving having the opportunity to celebrate them. I hope to have what they have one day! Here is a link to their story.

 

I know I talk about this often, but parties can be difficult for those of us who have food sensitivities/allergies. (Learn my tips on how to do it safely here.) Luckily, as one of the bridemaids, I was able to take part in the food planning. Since both the bride-to-be and I are health conscious, she was totally on board. I created two new recipes just for the occasion! Our goal was to have food that everyone could enjoy, was naturally gluten-free, and, of course, healthy.

While gluten is tricky and often hidden in foods we would never think gluten would be added, checking labels goes a long way. Sometimes it will require going to a couple different stores to find what you are looking for. The good news is, once you’ve done that you know where to go next time. Sticking to real food is not only cost-effective and avoids the problem of hidden gluten, it helps you not blow your normal diet completely out of the water.

I am sharing what we did in hopes that it will inspire your future parties to accommodate those who are gluten-free and still make everyone happy.

So here’s what we did:

Gluten Free Ham

Healthy Fruit Dip (Gluten Free, Raw, Vegan and Paleo) (Click here for the recipe)

Blueberry-Lemon Coconut Flour Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo) (Click here for the recipe) We made the frosting purple to match the wedding colors.

Veggies with Hummus (Please forgive the blur. I was holding my wiggly, grumpy daughter while I took this.)

Caprese Appetizers (Same problem as the last one. Sorry!)

Grapes and Cheese Platter

The title does mention this was an mostly gluten-free party. There was a gorgeous gluten-y cake, ziti (a family favorite made the traditional way), gluten-y crackers (I would have bought some if I had known they couldn’t find any while shopping), and dinner rolls. Everyone was happy, the fruit dip and cupcakes were a huge hit, and the party was a success.

Enjoy planning your celebration!

To learn more about how to go 100% gluten free and live the life you desire, take my 12 day Thrive Gluten Free online course. Click here to learn more.