21 Thanksgiving Recipes Even Your Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Low-Sugar Guests Can Enjoy

Some people have problems with gluten, a type of protein found in many grains, like wheat and barley, as well as others that could be in your holiday breads and baked goods.

When people with gluten allergies or celiac disease eat these grains, their immune system attacks the gluten, which can damage the small intestine.

Here are three simple gluten-free recipes that don't sacrifice taste.

Start gluten-free guests off with a sweet and savory soup that's high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and also perfect for any vegetarian guests!

Ingredients: Vegetable oil, onion, butternut squash, chicken (or vegetable) broth, pears or apples, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chives

Serves: 6

Calories: 184 per 1 1/3 cups serving

Try this recipe: Butternut Squash Soup With Pear

To go with the turkey, offer up this trio of roasted veggies. The fiber will help fill them up, and lycopene-packed tomatoes are great for healthy eyes and heart.

Ingredients: Cooking spray, olive oil, pearl onions, sugar, salt, asparagus, tomatoes

Serves: 8

Calories: 66 per 1 cup serving

Try this recipe: Roasted Asparagus, Tomatoes, and Onions

There's no need for guests to worry about their diets while enjoying this dessert, as it has half the fat of other popular puddings. The pumpkin offers a surprisingly sweet treat for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients: Reduced-fat milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, eggs, pumpkin, salt, pumpkin-pie spice

Serves: 6

Calories: 168 per 6 oz. serving

Try this recipe: Pumpkin-Pie Pudding

To meat eaters, the distinctions between vegetarians (who don't eat meat) and vegans (who don't eat meat or animal-derived products like milk, cheese, and butter) aren't always clear, so be sure to ask your guests if they avoid dairy, eggs, and/or fish.

If your guest is a vegan, the dairy in these three recipes can easily be replaced with soymilk, soy cheese, and margarine. Other vegan-friendly substitutes, like vegetable broth for chicken stock, should be readily available at a grocery store near you. (Your vegan pal may not eat honey so best to check before using.)

A perfect bite-size starter, olives are great finger food for parties and are packed with good fats. Plus, it doesn't get much simpler than this toss-it-all-together recipe.

Ingredients: Olives, garlic, olive oil, orange zest, red pepper

Serves: 32

Calories: 64 per 3 Tbsp. serving

Try this recipe: Zesty Olives

This satisfying side dish is the perfect lightened comfort food. Use low-fat dairy products to keep fat in check without sacrificing taste. Or opt for soy cheese and a butter substitute like heart-healthy olive oil for vegan guests.

Ingredients: Red potatoes, garlic, low-fat milk or soy milk, butter or margarine, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese or soy cheese, breadcrumbs, chives

Serves: 8

Calories: 233 per 3/4 cup serving

Try this recipe: Parmesan-and-Chive Potato Gratin

The pears in this simple yet impressive dessert are packed with free-radical-fighting antioxidants and fiber.

Ingredients: Bosc pears, sugar, cinnamon, cranberries, granola, apple juice, low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Serves: 4

Calories: 176 per 1/2 pear serving

Try this recipe: Quick Baked Pears

In addition to vegetarian and vegan-friendly appetizers and sides, you may consider adding a meatless main dish to your Thanksgiving feast. Here are three suggestions.

While there are "fake" turkey products derived from soy, such as Tofurkey, there's no need to make your main dish look like meat!

A tasty way to get beta-carotene-rich squash and kale into your diet, this low-fat, protein-rich dish is full of the flavors of the season. Try it with whole-wheat penne for extra fiber.

Ingredients: Acorn squash, water, olive oil, garlic, kale, vegetable broth, salt, crushed red pepper, nutmeg, penne, Parmesan cheese*
(*For vegan guests, simply skip the cheese or use soy cheese.)

Serves: 6

Calories: 306 per 2 cups serving

Try this recipe: Acorn Squash Over Penne

This meatless meal is packed with antioxidants and fiber. Almonds provide a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats and help keep guests feel full.

Ingredients: Red bell peppers, olive oil, shallots, mushrooms, parsley, almonds, dry sherry, ancho chili powder, brown rice, tomato juice, pepper, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese*
(*For vegan guests, simply skip the cheese or use soy cheese.)

Serves: 6

Calories: 234 per 1 pepper serving

Try this recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Portobello mushrooms bring a meaty texture and flavor to this Mediterranean-style dish. They also add a hefty dose of protein and vitamins B and E.

Ingredients: Portobello mushroom caps, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, tomato, kalamata olives, breadcrumbs, fontina cheese*, chives
(*For vegan guests, simply skip the cheese or use soy cheese.)

Serves: 4Calories: 189 per 1 mushroom serving

Try this recipe:Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Milk, cream, and yogurt are staples of some of the richer (and fattier) Thanksgiving fare, like mashed potatoes and baked goods. But guests won't feel like they're missing out with these three tasty, dairy-free eats.

This flavorful dip is packed with fiber and protein, so a little bit goes a long way toward feeling full. Plus, the antioxidants in garlic add a much-needed immunity boost during cold and flu season!

Ingredients: Olive oil, garlic, cannellini beans, lemon juice, salt, white pepper, parsley

Serves: 10

Calories: 145 per 1/4 cup serving

Try this recipe: White Bean and Roasted Garlic Dip

This quick and easy recipe is packed with festive fall flavors. The tangy cherries provide a boost of heart-healthy antioxidants.

Ingredients: Rice, chicken broth, pine nuts, dried cherries, basil, lemon rind, salt

Serves: 6

Calories: 296 per 1 cup serving

Try this recipe: Nutty Brown Wild Rice

Berries are nutritional treasures, with health benefits for the heart, memory, and skin. Ginger also has a wide array of surprising health perks, such as soothing cramps and sore muscles.

Ingredients: Water, blackberries, sugar, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, blueberries

Serves: 4

Calories: 136 per 1 1/4 cups serving

Try this recipe: Black and Blue Berries in Ginger Syrup

Not all low-carb, low-sugar meals have to be tasteless. A number of classic recipes can be slightly modified to make a more diabetes-friendly menu. Others, like these, are delicious and nutritious as is.

Generally, if you have diabetes, it's all about portion sizes, eating in moderation, and keeping an eye out for foods that can send blood sugar soaring. (And it's not necessarily pie; it could be orange juice or pasta—trigger foods can differ from person to person.)

And because of the risk of complications like heart disease and kidney trouble, people with diabetes tend to benefit from low sodium and heart-healthy foods too. We offer three recipes.

Packed with a variety of veggies, this protein- and fiber-rich soup is the perfect starter for a cold day.

Ingredients: All-purpose flour, lean top round steak, cooking spray, spicy herb blend, frozen gumbo vegetables mix, onion, garlic, fat-free beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper

Serves: 8

Calories: 256 per 1 3/4 cups serving

Try this recipe: Vegetable-Beef Soup

Squash is naturally low in calories and high in vitamin C, potassium, and carotenes. This recipe cuts down on the fat found in more traditional casseroles, but not the flavor, by using skim milk and reduced-fat cheddar cheese.

Ingredients: Yellow squash, onion, margarine, all-purpose flour, fat-free milk, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, cooking spray, breadcrumbs

Serves: 8

Calories: 95 per 3/4 cup serving

Try this recipe: Cheesy Squash Casserole

These moist brownies keep sugar in check by using a blend of sugar and calorie-free sweetener, plus a hint of vanilla. You'll get the same fudgy flavor with one-third the fat by using reduced-calorie margarine and low-fat dairy products.

Ingredients: Sugar, reduced-calorie margarine, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, cooking spray, reduced-fat cream cheese, low-fat milk

Serves: 10

Calories: 127 per 1 square serving

Try this recipe: Fudgy Cream Cheese Brownies

Although you may have selected the perfect sips to pair with your flavorful feast, chances are not everyone will indulge. Of course there are kids to think about, plus any teetotalers. Try these fun and festive healthy sips.

A tangy twist on traditional apple cider, this easy recipe is a definite crowd-pleaser. Just be sure to keep all beverage portion sizes in check; empty calories can add up!

Ingredients: Water, sugar, ginger, lemons, apple cider

Serves: 10

Calories: 121 per 1 cup serving

Try this recipe: Ginger-Cider Lemonade

This is a delicious way to end a festive meal, especially if it's a chilly night. The cooked butternut squash (yes, squash!) makes a lightened-up take on traditional hot chocolate. Cooked sweet potato works well, too!

Ingredients: Butternut squash, chocolate, low-fat milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom

Serves: 6

Calories: 182 per 6 oz. serving

Try this recipe: Spicy Hot Chocolate

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this chilled treat. Pomegranate juice is one of the healthiest juices around when it comes to disease-fighting antioxidants, and the ginger ale might help any post-feast tummy troubles.

Ingredients: Ginger, sugar, water, pomegranate juice, pineapple juice, ginger ale

Serves: 8

Calories: 245 per 2 cups serving

Try this recipe: Thanksgiving Punch

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are serious conditions that often require people to avoid a long list of ingredients to stay healthy.

These include dairy, foods high in fiber like beans, cabbage, and broccoli, and hard-to-digest foods like seeds, nuts, and corn.

Fatty foods are out too, as are the spicy, caffeinated, carbonated, and alcoholic ones. It's a big list to work around, but it's not as impossible as it sounds to feed these guests!

This fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie soup provides major health benefits from sweet potatoes, a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and healthy carbohydrates. Plus, ginger may have some tummy-taming effects.

Ingredients: Sweet potato, ginger, sugar, salt

Serves: 6

Calories: 89 per 3/4 cup serving

Try this recipe: Sweet Potato-and-Ginger Soup

What would a turkey feast be without cranberry sauce? This easy, make-ahead version gives a citrusy twist to the classic side.

Ingredients: Cranberries, dark brown sugar, water, cardamom, orange rind

Serves: 8

Calories: 58 per 1/4 cup serving

Try this recipe: Spiced Cranberry Sauce

While the list of don'ts can seem daunting, there's no need to completely sacrifice taste. This low-fiber, nondairy recipe—reprinted with permission from The Culinary Couple's Creative Colitis Cookbook—is a fun and festive dessert.

Ingredients: Flour, confectionary sugar, vegetable shortening, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, eggs, lemon juice

Serves: 12-18

Calories: While The Culinary Couple's Creative Colitis Cookbook doesn't offer an exact calorie count, we estimate each bar to be around 150 calories, depending on the size.

Try this recipe: Tart Lemon Squares