It happens every year at this time and you know it. Whatever your normal — and hopefully healthy — eating pattern is, you lose it.

Normally I have a very balanced diet, which not only means it's balanced nutritionally, but it's balanced emotionally: I manage to try everything I want while rarely over-indulging. Then the holidays hit and gatherings fill up the calendar. On one hand I can't complain; I've managed to make a career out of encouraging people to cook and eat together, and it doesn't happen more than at the end of each calendar year. However, these gatherings rarely showcase light, healthy foods. Don't get me wrong: I like a good boozy cup of eggnog and a slice of roast beef as much as the next guy, but everybody needs a break.

Take Tuesday night for example: I went into a dinner party situation wanting to eat light and not drink alcohol. Two blinks of the eye later I found a margarita in one hand and a goat cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped date in the other. Pretty soon there were pork loin sandwiches and chile rellenos. There was simply no escape. More

It's about to begin, the parade of sweet treats through your office, your holiday parties, and probably your very own kitchen. Consider this granola a much-needed savory break for you and anyone lucky enough to receive it from you as a gift. Savory curry granola?, you may be thinking. That's right: salty, crunchy, curry-spiked granola studded with toasted pecans and browned coconut chips. You don't need milk or yogurt to enjoy this granola -- it's good enough to eat plain by the handful, but if you're nice you'll make a double batch to give out as gifts as well. More

Here is your one-stop shop for gluten-free cooking and baking. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner — you're covered. In Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking, Kelli and Peter Bronski give us a collection of recipes that prove beyond a doubt that going gluten-free doesn't mean sacrificing favorite foods or great flavor. More

What are the holidays without wheat, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar? Pretty dreary, I imagined — until I came up with this moist, richly flavored gingerbread cake that I will be happily baking for months, if not years, to come. More

We know what you're thinking: a) you love cookie dough, and you always lick the spoon, but b) that doesn't mean you care to eat a whole bowl of it! But wait, wait! Before you dismiss this post, know this: things are not as they appear. This cookie dough dip has a secret. Care to know what it is? More

When the mornings start to get chilly, all I want before I dash out to work is a bite of something warm and a cup of tea in my hand. This breakfast recipe gives me just that, and it's gluten-free to boot! More

Holiday baking is now in full swing, with pies, tarts, crisps and cookies popping up on food blogs and in full-page magazine spreads. Gluten-free cooks shouldn't feel discouraged, though: there are plenty of delicious gluten-free dessert options for the holidays! We found gluten-free versions of a few classic Thanksgiving desserts, from Pumpkin Pie to Apple Crisp—and a few even went above and beyond the norm. (A certain Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe comes to mind!) Check out a few gluten-free baking ingredient and tips below, as well as 10 great dessert recipes: More

Hip hip hooray! Here's a gluten-free baking book just in time for the holidays! All your favorites are here, from cutout cookies and rugelach to bûche de noël and pumpkin pie. No need to miss out on tasty holiday treats this year — Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays will help fill your cookie tray. More

Q: I'm a college student and my roommate and I love to cook, but we don't have a lot of time and we are both gluten-intolerant. We are on the hunt for delicious and relatively healthy one-dish meals that are either naturally gluten-free, or can be modified to be. More

When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long. More