* Following a paleo diet isn’t as hard as you think
* Paleo diets are high in fat, animal protein, and low in carbs
* Go back to what our ancestors ate for optimum health and weight management
Going Paleo isn’t as hard – or as depriving – as you think. Paleo food blogger Melissa Joulwan (the author of the bestselling “Well Fed” cookbook series) tells us about 7 unexpected things you can still eat on a Paleo diet.
1. NACHOS
Replace corn chips with plantain chips cooked in palm oil, then top them with ground beef, salsa, and your favorite veggies.
2. FRIES
A fan of French fries? Cut white or sweet potatoes into strips, toss them with olive oil and salt, then bake in a pan at 425F for 20 minutes or until crisp.
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3. CHICKEN NUGGETS
Satisfy your chicken nugget craving and still keep it relatively healthy. Joulwan recommends rolling chunks of boneless chicken breast in crushed pork rinds, then baking in a 425F oven for 20 minutes. Skip the sweet and sour sauce – the cavemen never had it – and make your own ketchup instead with a small can of tomato paste, some lemon juice, ground cloves, a pinch of salt and vinegar. Spices, herbs and oils are also paleo-approved if you want to swap the dipping sauce for some seasoning.
4. PANCAKES
There are a bunch of flour alternatives on a Paleo diet, but you can also make pancakes using Joulwan’s simple recipe: blend one banana with two large eggs, add a pinch of salt and cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract. Throw it on the pan, flip and enjoy.
5. FRIED RICE
Want a Paleo-friendly option for fried rice? “Grate a head of cauliflower in the food processor,” Joulwan says. Toss with some extra-virgin olive oil and your favorite cooked meats and veggies. Stir-fry in a “screamingly-hot” pan for five minutes until caramelized, then sprinkle with toasted sesame oil.
6. GRANOLA
Toss your favorite nuts—pecans, almonds, cashews, and walnuts are good choices—with dried cranberries and a few pinches of cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Roast at 325F for 10 minutes. Make a bowl
7. BUTTER
This may surprise you, but butter—in the form of ghee—is a healthy, delicious part of eating paleo. Ghee is butter that’s been clarified to remove the dairy proteins, so it’s pure, luscious (good) fat. When it’s made with butter from grass-fed cows, it’s an excellent source of quality fat that’s perfect for cooking at higher temperatures. And it tastes damn good.
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