Thank God, the cavalry has arrived. Nana and Grandpa Roo Roo have flown in from the UK, ready for Christmas and a little bit of grand-parenting. There's nothing like having family on hand to give you a breather and help with all things domestic. However these particular grandparents are quite naughty, so I do have to work extra hard to keep our Christmas relatively (get it?) healthy. It's tricky as everyone keeps saying "…but it's Christmas!", which makes me feel very Bah Humbug for steering Chloe away from yet another chocolate snowman.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and all its traditions. I'm just aware that as one slice of cassava pie is the nutritional equivalent of a heart attack on a plate, we need to take things easy. I remember the first time I saw the recipe for cassava pie, I was absolutely horrified. And that was before I saw it being washed down with a glass of eggnog…alongside a traditional Christmas dinner. It's as if we set ourselves the challenge of seeing just how many calories we could squeeze into one meal… and we certainly surpassed ourselves.

Nevertheless, despite disapproving (half-heartedly) of all the excess calories at Christmas, I can't help feeling a little left out. As I'm gluten-free, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies are all off the menu.

It's not that these are my favourites – and I wouldn't miss them on any other day – but because they are so deep-set in the Christmas tradition, I feel hard done by.

So last year, in my quest to find a gluten-free alternative to every type of Christmas goody, I did find an outstanding fruit cake recipe. Gluten-free bread or cakes are usually very disappointing – dry and crumbly – and yet this one really took me by surprise.

If you are either catering for someone with a gluten intolerance or would simply like to test out my definition of a culinary miracle, try out the fruit-cake recipe below. It's wheat, gluten and dairy free, so great for those with allergies.

I'll warn you now though, it's labour intensive, but it's really worth the effort – especially as even die-hard fruitcake haters tend to love it. As is the way in Bermuda, you will of course have to do a multiple grocery store shop for the ingredients – so brace yourself!

Gluten, wheat and–dairy-free Christmas cake

Ingredients:

175g Earth Balance vegan margarine (Down to Earth, Lindos)

110g molasses

75g soft, dark brown sugar

150ml Silk soy milk (red carton)

110g dates, chopped

300g raisins

200g dried plums,chopped

110g glace cherries, chopped

225g brown rice flour (Down to Earth, Harrington Hundreds)

2 tsp gluten-free baking powder (widely available)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

110g ground almonds (I got mine from Miles)

2 lemons, the grated rind of

3 eggs

Method:

1. Place the margarine, molasses, sugar and soy milk in a large pan along with all the dried fruit. Heat gently and stir until all the margarine has melted.

2. Simmer for one minute and then take off the heat and cover. Leave the fruit to 'swell' for at least two hours even overnight if you have time.

3. Line the base and sides of a round (8ins) or square cake tin (7ins) with baking paper. Make sure that the paper rises at least five centimetre above the rim of the tin.

4. Put all the other ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix roughly.

5. Add the fruit mixture and mix by hand or using an electric mixer (not a blender!) on low speed. Mix well.

6. Pour the cake mix into the tin and smooth the surface with a wet knife.

7. Bake for two hours and 40 minutes at 250 F or 110 C (fan assisted)/130C (no fan)

8. Leave to cool in the tin until cold

9. Ice as you would an ordinary Christmas cake, or make a 'butter' icing using Earth Balance margarine, icing sugar and a little rum.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. Contact her at nourishbdagmail.com.