Photos by Nora Edinger Many traditional Thanksgiving foods can be adapted should your table include guests who are vegan, vegetarian, dairy free or gluten free. This is true even for pumpkin pie. This rice-based crust is flaky and tasty and, as it is pressed into the pan rather than rolled out, is technically easier to produce. The filling, which can easily be switched up to include dairy and/or egg substitutes, is good holiday eating for nearly any guest.

WHEELING — Remember the family Thanksgiving — full of aunts and in-laws and the occasional drama of a new girlfriend? Perhaps one with green hair? It’s back.

The Wheeling Newspapers might not be able to fix the family stuff — unless one counts the publishing of articles intended to help readers remain better informed. But, our test kitchen has your back when it comes to doing battle with the variety of food sensitivities, preferences and allergies any large family gathering in the 2020s is sure to reveal.

So, if there will be vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free diners at this year’s table, here are some tips to keep everyone happily fed:

FOREWARNED,

FOREARMED

Don’t be afraid to ask questions early if you learn a family member or guest has food allergies, food sensitivities or a specialized diet. Most guests that have a free-from diet will happily explain what they need. And, many free-from eaters would prefer to bring a side dish or two of their own if you welcome them. Do.

If you’d like to contribute to the “free-from” offerings, as well, here are some general tips:

Vegetarians don’t eat meat of any kind, including seafood. Vegans don’t eat any animal products — including meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin.

Some dairy-free people take lactase enzyme tablets and pretty much eat what they want. Some can eat foods prepared with dairy that has lactase pre-added, such as Lactaid products, leading to simple swapping in recipes. Others are fully intolerant or allergic and do not consume any milk, cheese, butter, whey or milk solids.

Fully gluten-free individuals — especially those with celiac disease, who can become quite ill from even tiny amounts of gluten — do not eat any form of wheat flour (and, sometimes, other grains).

Labels are the “free-from” guest’s friend. If there’s something in a dish that any of these diners does not eat, a label will help them steer clear without attention-drawing and potentially embarrassing discussion.

Vegetable-rich dishes — as long as there is no butter or sauces that are creamy, cheesy or flour thickened — are also everyone’s ally at a big holiday meal. Hello, descendants of Wheeling’s Italian, Lebanese and Greek immigrants — you know you have recipes like this, even if you don’t usually haul them out at Thanksgiving.

DISH BY DISH

If you would like to additionally tweak classic Thanksgiving foods so that they are accessible to all or at least most, here are some specific tips:

Turkey and gravy

Your vegetarian or vegan guests will, of course, pass on this part of the table. But, there’s no reason your dairy/lactose-free or gluten-free guests should need to.

Just swap any butter used in basting for a high-heat oil such as canola. (A side note: Turkey cooked in peanut oil should be labeled as such in case there’s someone with a peanut allergy at your meal.)

And, thicken homemade gravy with either rice flour or cornstarch first mixed with room-temperature water instead of wheat flour.

Cranberry sauce

This works as is for dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diners. If you’re using canned sauce, just check the label to make sure there isn’t any gelatin. This is a no-go for vegans and at least some vegetarians.

A basic homemade sauce is so easy, though, you might want to go that route to be sure. Just combine one bag of cranberries (frozen or fresh), one cup white sugar (don’t skimp) and one cup water in a saucepan. Cook on medium-low until skins begin to pop. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until serving.

Stuffing

Any stuffing can be made vegetarian/vegan/dairy-free if you leave out meat and substitute vegetable oil for butter and vegetable stock for meat stock.

If you have a gluten-free guest, your easiest hack is to buy a box of gluten-free stuffing mix — gluten-free is available locally at Aldi, a dairy- and gluten-free version can be found locally at the Woodsdale Kroger. Prepare according to box instructions — adding sauteed apples, celery and raisins after cooking for better table appeal and flavor — and you’ve got an additional side that will serve four to six diners per box.

Or, you might want to add a second carb-rich dish to the table that will serve for any of these “free-from” guests. Lemon Rice is a good choice.

Lemon Rice

Have 4 cups of water within reach of the stove top. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of jasmine rice and 1 Tablespoon olive oil on medium-low heat for three minutes, stirring constantly.

Slowly add the water, being careful not to let it splash toward your face when it comes in contact with the hot pan.

Add 1 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until water is fully absorbed — about 15 minutes.

When rice is cooked, add the finely minced zest of one lemon and stir again. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped pistachios and curls of lemon zest if desired. Serves 6.

Pumpkin Pie

Do only what you need to do to meet the needs of your holiday meal, but note that it is possible and reasonably easy to make a great-tasting pie that will meet the needs of the dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. Seriously.

Just be sure to properly label the “free-from” version — and set it aside for the guest(s) who actually need it — as this pie is not discernable visually or taste wise from any other pumpkin pie.

‘Free-From’ Pumpkin Pie

For the crust: Thoroughly mix 1 cup rice flour, 1 Tablespoon white sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 6 Tablespoon vegetable shortening, 4 Tablespoons water and 1 egg yolk (to veganize this, use egg substitute.)

Mix with a spoon or fork until barely combined. Then gently knead until well combined. (Unlike a roll-out crust, this pastry is technically a tart shell and doesn’t toughen with handling. But, it must be pressed into the pan and cannot form a fancy edge.) Using your fingers and/or the flat bottom of a measuring cup, press the mix into a deep-dish pie pan. Make sure the dough is evenly distributed, reaching up to the top of the dish on the side, or it will remain gooey in the middle after baking.

For the filling: Whisk (a spoon doesn’t cut it here) together 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (unspiced, unsweetened) with 1 cup canned coconut milk (OR 1 cup almond milk thickened with 3 Tablespoons rice flour), ¼ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 2 large eggs (or egg substitute for vegans).

Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 425 degrees F. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the tart comes out clean. Cool on a rack for two hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving — topped either way with coconut-based whipped topping (check next to refrigerated spray toppings and coffee creamers.)