Are you having a caveman holiday? Meaning, are you on the paleo diet and plan to stick to it through Christmas? Don’t fear. You can do it without missing out on all the favorite flavors of the season.
The task of eating on the paleo diet may seem daunting when it comes to traditional holiday fare. This is especially true given some of the big no-nos on the diet are grains, flour, dairy, and refined sugar. But really, it can be done and by the looks of the recipes, it doesn’t look like you’ll be missing much.
The staples of a paleo diet are meats, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts and seeds. So if you were to look at a traditional holiday meal, the main course is often meat. Whether it be a turkey, a roast, or a ham, this part isn’t too tricky. Many recipes call for the meat to be cooked with savory herbs and spices and a few tweaks like honey and cider vinegar. Nothing too difficult.
When it comes to sides, again, vegetables are approved here. If you’re wanting creamy potatoes or marshmallows in the sweet potatoes, you might run into some challenges, but nothing that will sacrifice flavor. Many use almond milk or coconut to cream up the potato dishes, and good green vegetables never need much to taste great in the first place.
The most discouraging part may arrive with the breads and the desserts. However, there are plenty of options to make your paleo meal taste just like the ones you used to know. Tapioca flour can be used to make perfect dinner rolls; Tapioca is a root vegetable and its “flour” is acceptable to most on the paleo diet. Additionally, almond flour is a great base for things like gingerbread cookies or even a cake. But never fear, you can have the sacred pumpkin pie at the end of your feast, too; Almond flour and coconut oil combined with a few other ingredients make an excellent crust.
With just a few simple tweaks, all will be right with your world and your diet this holiday.
Make These Paleo-Friendly Holiday Recipes
Roasted Turkey (Using Duck Fat)
Roasted Sweet Potato + Carrot Mash