My summer gluten-free and dairy-free potluck ideas

How do you feel about potluck parties? Do you have a list of tested and trusted dishes and snacks that you can always bring? Or do you often find yourself scrambling for some last minute ideas?

This year we hosted a small potluck party for July 4th celebration. It was decided that each family would bring some snacks, appetizers and cold dishes, and we would also have some meat for grilling. I knew I wouldn't have much time to cook before the party, so I wanted to have a few easy-to prepare snacks and meals that are also gluten- and dairy- free. Below is a list of what we came up with that you can use for your next potluck.

1. Crackers and cheese board. We had a variety of gluten-free crackers, sheep's milk Manchego cheese, Humboldt Fog goat cheese (both of which are great finds from Costco), another local soft goat cheese with honey and figs, and some fig jam. By the way, everyone who tried these Milton's gluten-free crackers at our parties before say they are so good that it's hard to stop eating them.

2. Salads. This time I made two salads - one light and fruity and the other one more filling and savory. The first salad I made was a Summer Peach and Hazelnut salad.

Here is my personal guide for making a delicious fruity salad that I followed:

• Any salad greens for the base (arugula is my favorite)
• Thinly sliced fruit
  • My top choices are strawberries, green apples, pears or peaches
  • Pomegranate seeds are also great for this, especially when combined with thinly sliced fennel, slightly marinated in lemon juice
• Slightly roasted unsalted nuts (such as hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds)
• Optional: crumbled goat cheese, or crumbled feta for a salty kick to this fruity salad
• Dressing: you can be creative here, but my all-time favorite is a mixture of dijon mustard, honey, vinegar (red wine or balsamic), olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of dried herbs, such as thyme.

The second more filling salad was a Power Quinoa Salad with spiralized zucchini and carrots and roasted chickpeas (recipe included at the bottom of this post.) I don't have a single guide here as there are a lot of toppings and ingredients you can use to create a more filling salad. But I like to start with a combination of salad greens and grains (such as quinoa or black wild rice) as a base and then add other toppings. Some of the key categories here include fresh and roasted veggies, nuts and seeds, cheese, eggs and beans. I've included a more detailed list of salad toppings on the bottom of my earlier post here.

3. Quiche. One of my friends made a really delicious quiche. This one wasn't dairy-free but you can always replace dairy with non-dairy ingredients in any quiche recipe. Quiche is a great option for a potluck as it is filling, can be eaten without utensils and can be served hot, warm or cold.

4. Other snacks and appetizers: raw mixed nuts, corn tortilla chips and salsa, a small bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers and  celery along with hummus, mixed berries and watermelon slices.

5. Main dish. We had steaks and sausages for grilling. However, if grilling is not an option and all meat dishes have to be pre-made, you could add more meats in your quiche to make it a main meal. Other options for a main dish that can be served warm or cold include meatballs, roasted ham, roasted salmon, a pie, pasta or orzo salad (which can also be gluten-free) or other dinner salads.

I love potluck parties as there are always so many yummy dishes to try. I really enjoy coming up with ideas for dishes and snacks that would work for people with different dietary preferences or restrictions. Luckily, nowadays you can always get inspired by browsing through various ideas online and it's no longer a problem to find all needed ingredients in the stores.   

You can find more tips for dairy-free and gluten-free meals and snacks here and ideas for more mindful eating during summer parties here.

Power Quinoa Salad with spiralized zucchini and carrots and roasted chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchinis
• 2 small yellow squashes
• 2 large carrots
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas
• 1 tbs coconut oil 
• Optional: 1/2 can hearts of palm, chopped; 1-2 oz sheep's milk crumbled feta
• Seasoning for chickpeas: salt, pepper and smoked paprika

Dressing:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp of miso paste (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In the meantime, boil quinoa according to instructions. I cooked my quinoa in the Instant Pot the night before. Don't forget to rinse quinoa well before cooking. This makes the quinoa less mooshy.
3. Spiralize zucchinis, squashes, and carrots. In a non-stick skillet, saute carrots for about 10 minutes (can spray some olive oil on the skillet.) Remove carrots from the skillet and store until ready to combine all ingredients into a salad. Next, saute zucchinis and squashes for 5 minutes (they should get a little soft.) Remove from the skillet and store.
4. Cover baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spread chickpeas evenly on the sheet. Melt coconut oil and poor over chickpeas. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. With your hands, mix chickpeas well until evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Bake chickpeas for 40 minutes. Add to the salad just before serving so that chickpeas stay crispy and crunchy.
5. You can complete steps 1-4 in advance. I did that the night before and then mixed all the ingredients in the salad the next day before serving.
6. Mix all dressing ingredients together. 
7. In a large salad bowl, combine spiralized vegetables, quinoa, hearts of palm (optional) and dressing, and mix well. Add roasted chickpeas and crumbled feta cheese (if using it) just before serving. Enjoy!