Gluten and dairy free pretty well puts it down as fruits, vegetables and beans....
Or you can make a quiche with sauteed vegetables, eggs and soy milk and a nut crust.

Muffin-tin quiche is a big hit. An easy make ahead dish and re-heat. mini quiche/omelette bar

Recent things i've made...lentil chickpea salad, rice pasta salad...(lots of pasta now made with rice flour.) We call this 'CrazyBasta*d'...sort of a kitchen sink mix of what is on hand...this one has bacon and served with hard boiled eggs....

Just about any veggie appetizer is great for a brunch. I made something new every morning and it covered that days lunch or dinner app. Bean salads are especially good served on some salad greens. The lentil salad was especially good with matchstick golden beet, toasted pecans, celery, red pepper with a lemon vinaigrette. (capers would have been good)

If you want to make a pasta, you can try Tolerant brand black bean or red lentil pasta--the black bean is especially tasty. Just don't overcook. They go from not quite to overcooked, tasteless and mushy really quickly, but if you drain them not quite there, and let them finish in their own heat and moisture, they're fab. Add EVOO, herbs, seasoning and steamed or roasted vegetables, and you have a lovely dish, that's even vegan.

Gluten and dairy free meats are easy. There's nothing easier than roasting a chicken. You can make meatloaf with the classic rolled oats as the binder (make sure they're labelled GF). Any kind of chops or ribs are great. Just don't use premade seasoning packets and blends or sauces without a GF mark because those often have flour in them. It's really easy to make your own. If you don't know where to start, ask here.

There isn't a single vegetable that contains dairy or gluten, so just buy fresh and make them yourself. Again, it's easy. Wash. Remove the stems (and if they're really fruits, like peppers, remove the seeds and pith). Chop up for salad -- salad dressing is also easy to make -- or toss with some olive oil and chopped fresh herbs and roast for 30-60 minutes (depending on the thickness/hardness and the temperature).

Sample brunch menu: Frittata with sweet potato, zucchini, parsley and red bell pepper. Cut the vegetables in strips and roast at 350° F to soften them and remove excess moisture, about 40 minutes, or until they're starting to look brown or charred. You can chop them or keep them as strips. Further instructions here: http://www.eggs.ca/eggs101/view/12/how-to-make-a-frittata

Black bean pasta salad (hot or cold) with chicken, small cut colorful and crunchy vegetables, with a homemade herb vinaigrette.

If your guests are into more veggies, then a green salad or wedge salad.

If your guests are more into meat, you can do roast beef or steak instead of the chicken/pasta.

You can also make some longways cut large potatoes and roast them with a little oil and salt until they start to brown on the outside to serve in lieu of crackers. Or make home fries or any other kind of potatoes you like.

Mixed fruit and sorbet.

If you want a substitute for pancakes, and don't mind going a little farther into cooking, try making socca. This recipe is for doing in the oven, which is easier, but you can also make them like thin pancakes in a really hot pan and serve them as they come off the stove. Delicious with a drizzle of honey.

Thanks everyone. I'm gonna try some of the things posted.

Important - find out of "gluten free" means that the person has Celiac disease or is merely avoiding gluten. Many people with Celiac are sensitive to foods prepared using same tools and surfaces as used for gluten-containing ingredients, even a trace can affect them.

I think they're both just avoiding gluten and dairy - no Celiac disease.

Their daughter is a naturopathic doctor and I think she did some sort of test and told them what they should and shouldn't be eating based on the results

Not really sure how it works.

nancync, only 3 posts including the op. Who is not a confident cook. Most of my GFDF friends are not big meat eaters. We don't know the other planned offerings but might already include meats. Still a good reminder. Even though the post above has pasta and bacon. With fresh from the garden snap peas just around the corner my vegan friends would prefer i leave the bacon out...I do like a few dishes that include everyone.

The GFDF actually prefer lots of veg choices especially for a light brunch. Hot this time of year most places. 85 here today. Lite bites, cold salads. Variety. I almost always count on a Celiac, GF, DF, vegan and don't need to really plan anything specific just be conscious while prepping/planning.

Weekend before last we grilled/smoked a brisket with salmon, shrimp, scallops on the far end lightly smoked in their juices. It ended up better than the original menu not wanting to heat up the kitchen. Everything else was do-ahead salads. Very friendly to the diet sensitive. The only dairy was a wheel of homemade cheese a friend brought from his organic dairy farm. DH made some bread for that. (i think that is all he ate, lol)...and why we consciously go off dairy and gluten ourselves for a week or two every couple months. Not a medical need. Just a break that forces us to balance our diet better.

I was thinking of doing a buffet bar?

So have bacon, eggs, a large salad , veggies, bread, gluten free bread, sweet potatoes, and a cold smoked fish platter.

Three or so salad dressings, butter, cream cheese, some jams and things of that sort as well.

This way - everyone can figure it out for themselves. Or is that a bad idea?

To be honest, it's also easy. Like sleevendog said, I am not a confident cook, far from it.

My grandson is allergic to milk. All the "Smart Balance" tub margarines are good. I also like Fleischmann's Unsalted stick margarine. It is dairy free, just don't buy Fleischmann's Original. It contains whey. Silk Vanilla Soy milk is good and also you can use any coconut milk. I haven't found a cheese that is dairy-free that I like, so I would stay away from anything that needs cheese. You can now buy pasta that is gluten free.

Your menu sounds great. You could also have a sliced ham. That could be cooked ahead and is good served cold. Do you like brussels sprouts? I have a recipe for sprouts in bacon that is good.

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Cut 10 slices of bacon in half. Cut 10 sprouts in half. Wrap sprouts in bacon and secure with toothpick. Sprinkle with pepper. You can do this ahead of time.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400* and put sprouts on lightly greased wire rack over baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until sprouts are tender and bacon is crisp. You can serve with spicy brown mustard.

ETA: Use thin not thick bacon. Use fresh sprouts. I have tried frozen and it doesn't work as well. The bacon is wrapped to end up on the round half of the sprout and kind of folds over and then secure with a tooth pick on top. Cook with flat side down.

Be careful with cured meats like bacon and ham to make sure they're really gluten free. The amount in them may not bother a non-celiac, but you'd be surprised where gluten turns up.

The breakfast bar idea sounds good. Do you live in a place where you can get a good cashew cheese for a reasonable price? That would be nice for all your guests and make your limited ones feel included. Or you could add a bean dish--hummus or frijoles or similar. I've found that beans make a good cheese analog.

Most of the gluten free breads I've encountered (I'm pro-gluten but have celiacs all around) are somewhere between cardboard and lead. Do you have a gluten free bakery near you? They might have some rolls or muffins that are much better than those required to have a grocery store shelf life.

Another good dairy free spread is Earth Balance. I get the kind with no soy.

I agree most GF, DF is a choice and not medical. Not an allergy. Though some could seriously use a more medical term as the gut is resistant and does cause gastric distress. So many are doing elimination diets as well trying to find the cause. A very personal journey. I'm sympathetic. Having had close friends with IBS way back 25yrs without any medical help and this is NYC.

Good menu, the bar idea. I still like the muffin tin individual egg tarts....two veg and a bacon one. Then the bar platter idea. Hosting should not be at all stressful...learning and having fun and sharing with friends....

Very little bacon would contain gluten, only the varieties that use fake "smoke flavour" might, although for those with coeliac disease cross contamination might be an issue.

Wit the GF bread Ellie, I'd provide a toaster because toasted is the only way my DH will eat GF bread. Fresh it tastes like a ball of hair, even the best kind we've found.

Will be up at the house this weekend and experiment with the muffin tin egg tarts.

I adore Brussel sprouts. Will definitely the above recipe.

Thanks again everyone.

See additional info on recipe above.

I'm saying a heartfelt hello to many familiar faces on this thread! Have been out of town/working and have missed everyone. Hope to have time to post more in the future.

Ellie RK: We just had a breakfast similar to the one you're planning that included GF, DF, fodmap diet, chemo, etc. etc. etc. :) Oh, and I have a nut allergy:) It may have been a little more casual than your event, but all enjoyed.

The basics: We had scrambled eggs (I used water in the eggs -- I always have), bacon, Canadian bacon, ham and sausage (lots of guys). I cut, diced, cooked, green/red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. I also made some salsa. I had some cheese. I made sourdough bread, dairy-free sourdough English muffins (below), bought GF bread from Trader Jo, corn tortillas and then made dairy-free banana muffins (below).

We had salads, fruit and I wished I would have done potatoes but I was transporting this to mom's house and ran out of laundry baskets:)

I loved watching everyone make their plates. Lots made breakfast sandwiches, other were "separatists", my dear friend on chemo just wanted toasted English muffins with grape jelly (yeah! I can do that). I had prepared a more formal luncheon for a larger crew the weekend before (pulled pork, salads, desserts) and "deconstructing" is probably the most efficient way to serve many different needs.

Banana muffin recipe using dairy-free margarine: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/17652/banana-crumb-muffins/

Sourdough English muffins dairy-free (I made mine wheat): http://www.mykitchenaddiction.com/2012/04/sourdough-english-muffins/

As an aside, the banana muffin picture was sent to my son at school. His response: "I like the crumb to cake ratio":) And yep, too many pictures hanging on the phone:)

Also, why did no one tell me about bacon in the oven?????? Oh my word -- I fairly danced when that worked!

Good luck -- I know everyone will enjoy your heartfelt efforts (that's the important thing:)

Cathy in SWPA

My favourite salad dressing -

1 cup mayo

1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp honey

1 clove shredded garlic

a little water to thin, do not add water if you want to use as a veggie dip.

Edited to add: It's so nice and creamy and for those of us who really miss dairy, this one hits the spot for a great ranch sub.

Thanks again, guys.

I bookmarked this thread and will refer back to it this weekend. Told my husband he's my guinea pig :)

It looks like they are on a paleo diet. There is a lot of paleo recipe websites, that should get you plenty of advice for gluten free, dairy free foods.

Gluten free, dairy free does not necessarily equal "paleo".