This is an unusual and versatile pate. I have used oats as a replacement for bread in this recipe because it gives the pate a smoother texture.

Whenever I use oatmeal in one of my gluten-free recipes, I receive many letters telling me that oatmeal contains gluten, when in fact it does not! The only three sources of gluten are wheat, barley and rye. However, many seriously celiac people are told not to eat oatmeal because most brands are processed in plants that also process wheat products. The good news is that there are now plants processing oats that process only other gluten-free products, meaning that all gluten-free individuals can enjoy oatmeal again.

This pate is fabulous for country picnics and everyday brown-bag lunches alike. When packing it for travel, wrap each slice separately, or put a couple in tightly sealed, individual plastic sandwich bags. Throw in a crusty gluten-free baguette, a jar of your favorite mustard and some fresh fruit — and off you go with a portable feast!

TURKEY PATE
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 pounds ground turkey without skin
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup oatmeal, blended to the consistency of cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms, and mix well. Cook, covered, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid has cooked away. Add the sherry and cook for 5 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the egg, egg whites, salt, thyme, allspice, mace, pepper and Tabasco sauce in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add the ground turkey, parsley and oatmeal, and mix well. Add the mushroom mixture and again mix well.

Spoon the mixture into a standard-size loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Press down firmly to shape the mixture into a loaf. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the pan from the oven, pour off the juices and return to the oven. Continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven again and place it on a rack to cool. When it is cool, invert the pate onto a large piece of aluminum foil and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

To serve, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) slices.

Makes 16 servings.

Each serving contains approximately: 25 calories; 1 gm fat; 11 mg cholesterol; 57 mg sodium; 1 gm carbohydrates; 4 gm protein; negligible fiber.

Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her website, jeannejones.com.

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