Paleo-Friendly Tips For Carb Lovers
Bready foods often make you feel full, leaving less room for meats and plants. When you skip the bread, you can eat your fill of the protein and veggies that will keep you fuller for longer.
2. Frittatas Are Your Friend
In the old days, any random bits and bobs went into pasta dishes. But on the Paleo Diet, try putting together a frittata at least once a week, throwing in surplus vegetables and topping it with bacon for a crisp crunch. The eggs in this healthy dish are packed with protein, to boot.
3. Speaking of Bacon...
Fried up on its own, or crumbled into salads, or over, well, just about anything, you will never feel unsatisfied with bacon on your plate. Bonus: That lovely bacon-y smell in your kitchen.
4. Yay for Yams!
You'll find when you skip the Wonder bread that natural carbs are unbelievably delicious. While a die-hard caveman or woman won't go overboard on sweet potatoes, the tubers are happiness on a plate when cubed, tossed in olive oil, and roasted. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg, or smoked paprika for an extra special treat. You could even throw in some bacon — just a thought.
5. Embrace the Fat
A far larger percentage of fat than government types would have you believe is good for you will make up your diet when you go Paleo. Don't be afraid. Besides finding yourself satisfied like you never will with starch, you will enjoy food so much more when it's lovingly imbued with healthy fats, like coconut and olive oils. Somewhere along the way we forgot to enjoy food. It's allowed, you know! So twirl your spoon into that jar of creamy almond butter and go for it.
6. Get to Know Your Root Vegetables
I ate mashed potatoes every day of my formative years. Whipped cauliflower never occurred to me until I tasted it at a frou-frou restaurant — and it was a revelation. Plus, it's super simple. Just steam and puree — add butter if you're not eschewing dairy — and it's seriously good. You don't feel like it's a sad substitute, but rather a gourmet treat. Try parsnips, too. And shredded turnips — while they'll never fool anyone, they make a fine stand-in for risotto.
7. Nut Flour — What Flour?
If you find you just can't resist the urge to pick up a fluffy biscuit or tear into a pile of pancakes, nut flours are a Paleo baker's best friend. Though costly, almond and coconut flour can be used to adapt your favorite carb-load dish into Paleo-friendly fare.
8. Loco for Coconut
Spend any amount of time browsing Paleo recipe sites, and you'll see a love affair with coconut — milk, oil, cream, butter, flour — the humble fruit (or drupe if we're being technical) is the source of much that tastes good in this diet. Seek out recipes starring coconut in its various forms, and you'll join the legions of adoring fans.
9. Overhaul Your Cookbook Collection
Give away or put into storage your cookbooks (it's amazing how carb-centric they are when you really start noticing). Get yourself to a good bookstore or web site and pick up anything by Mark Sisson for recipes that will never leave you feeling deprived. His web site, Mark's Daily Apple, is also a tremendous trove of super tasty recipes.
10. When You “Cheat,” Make It Worth It
Forget about multigrain/whole/stoneground wheat bread products in a bag at the grocery store, if you're going to eat bread, it should be artisanal loaves made with love from an incredible local bakery. Pasta? It had better be homemade. Pizza? Only from a Neapolitan oven. Then you can enjoy it thoroughly and go back to eating clean.