Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 110

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 22: Be True To Your Paleo Self Without Getting Preachy

In response to my request for Paleo-related holiday blog topics, one reader wrote in asking for advice about how to ‘make his family eat Paleo for the holiday meal because they’re overweight and eat too much sugar’.

Woah!

That  was a loaded one!

As much as I’ve love to think that it would be oh so easy to simply explain how Paleo is so good for all of us, as well as being a delicious way to eat for even the most devout foodie, it’s just not going to happen.

No one,  myself included, wants to be instructed about what they will or will not eat.  It’s such a personal thing, so I’d strongly recommend not trying to force it upon anyone.  Introduce it, sure, and when asked, elaborate, but trying to corner someone, or the whole family, into seeing your view may have just the opposite reaction you’re going for.

At the same time, you needn’t feel to bend the other way and eat all of the non Paleo bounty on the table, either.

Do your best to find the delicate balance between eating how you know you should do feel your best, without allowing it to turn into a heated debate over the holiday dinner.

It can be done!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 21: Plan an Active Family Holiday

What better way to keep the whole family motivated to keep physically active than a group ski trip, hike or snow shoe adventure?

Depending on where you live and the corresponding climate, you may be able to practice getting fit for a fun-filled trip in your very own neighborhood.

The next time your spouse complains about not wanting to get up before work to get in an exercise session, or the kids whine that they’d rather watch TV, a simple reminded of the upcoming special treat may be that extra little impetus that gets them out the door and moving!

Incorporating motion with healthy eating now, before the New Year, will make it that much easier to stay on track when everyone else is busy paying for their ‘what the heck, I’ll eat lots of everything and deal with it in January’ attitude!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 20: Keep the Sweets Paleo

One of the things about Paleo that I truly believe to be a deal-maker with clients is the fact that you can eat treats on special occasions.  I can’t think of many occasions that are more celebratory than the holidays, so that, in my opinion, warrants a few dessert options.

There are certainly many to choose from and as much as I love a decadent raw chocolate concoction now and then, there’s no reason to focus on one of the more straight forward options- fruit!

While fresh fruit on its own, in season and when locally available is quite a fine option, sometimes it’s nice to serve something warm and cozy when it’s so cold outside.

As such, I’ll be peppering in some fruit-based recipes as I continue along with my Holiday Tip blog posts, so be sure to follow along on twitter and/or like Paleoista on Facebook to check for the latest sweet creations, in addition to the daily blog topics.

Click here for my Paleo Poached Pears recipe!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 19: Avoiding Sugaring Up the Kids

Candy, cakes and cookies are everywhere at this time of year and since so many adults are partaking, it becomes even more challenging to make sure the little ones aren’t overdoing it, too!

There’s already so much excitement in the air as a natural part of the anticipation of the holidays, the last thing you need is for the kids to be even more amped up after having eaten sugary snacks all day long.

What’s the answer?

Let your desire for them to be healthy with their eating choices be an impetus for you to lead by example and keep making good food available at home all the time.  Much easier to have the kids eating some veggies with their chicken if you’re doing the same!
Plan some treats and let them enjoy, but keep it balanced and keep it Paleo if you’re supplying them.  Make sure the Paleo version of a brownie you’ve made is given after a balanced dinner full of veg, protein and fat, rather than allowing snack to consist of coconut ice cream and paleo chocolate cookies.
At the same time, given that we’re not living in a bubble and the last thing you’d want to do is to set an early stage for any sort of eating issues with the kids, don’t fuss if they have the real deal when they’re at school or at a friend’s house… once in a while.  No need to make them feel ostracized so unless your child has a condition where they absolutely must avoid a food, like Celiac disease, I find that clients who keep the little ones Paleo at home and allow them to be a ‘regular’ eater from time to time have the most success with the kids actually preferring the Paleo foods.  Much more so than parents who’ve tried to force it upon them.

Of course, kids would be far healthier if they were all Paleo, but it’s got to be balanced with keeping their psyche in mind and being careful not to repel them from the very diet that’s serving you so well!

If you need more help, click here to buy my Paleo Kids download plan, for a one-week plan can turn into months of ideas for meals that are easy to prepare, carry and eat for children of any age!

Use that as a guideline and then factor in the occasional sweet and treat during this festive time of year.

 

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 18: Paleo-izing Sausage Rolls

One of the traditions in my husband’s family, who live in England, is to serve sausage rolls on Christmas Day.

I have a funny memory of the very first Christmas we spend together; I’d asked Mum, my mother in law, for something special to make for my husband to remind him of home.  Expecting and hoping for an elaborate old fashioned recipe, I was quite surprised when she suggested sausage rolls, and then proceeded to give me the recipe which called for two things:  Pillsbury Crescent Roll Mix and Sausage!

While there are certainly varieties of sausage that can be Paleo, what’s the deal with the pastry?   Can this recipe be paleo-ized?

But, of course!

By using a paleo-friendly flour, like almond, a paleo version is easily created.  While it won’t puff up the way a gluten based flour will, it’s a close enough version, albeit a slightly sweeter one, that will bring back that childhood nostalgia to any Brit…at least according to my husband!

Click here for the recipe! 

Holiday Tip # 17: Paleo Christmas Cocktails

Of course, alcohol free is likely the healthiest way to go, but is there a little wiggle room for the occasional cocktail?
Absolutely.

Just follow a few rules of thumb and you’ll be able to enjoy a cocktail without following it up with a subsequent ‘the heck with it, I’m eating everything’ attitude which could come to pass if you weren’t prepared.

Stick with clear sprits, like gin, tequila or potato based vodkas as a starting point.
A splash of natural pomegranate juice or an orange twist make for a festive looking drink; other bar staples like lemon or lime wedges and soda water are safe bets, as opposed to pre-made mixers which tend to be high in corn syrup and/or artificial flavors and colors.
Steer clear of cream-based egg nog and holiday beverages of the like as all the dairy and sugar will be an easy way to make for a hangover and a congested head and bloating the next morning.
Balance out the alcohol by making sure to eat a meal with plenty of veg, healthy fat and a nice dose of protein in order to avoid over doing it and decrease chances of feeling poorly the next day.

By planning ahead and eating properly throughout the day leading up to the cocktail party, you’ll be able to enjoy the special occasion drink and move right along to keeping on track with Paleo eating.

Do you really want to drink too much at the company party anyway?

Cheers!
 

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 16: Keep it Real

This morning, a client shared with me the trials and tribulations she had to deal with over the weekend while staying with in-laws who were ever so slightly less than amicable to her Paleo dietary choices.

Not only did she offer well in advance to help shop, cook paleo friendly side dishes (so as not to appear as though she was trying to ‘take over’ the whole meal) and not be a burden at all in terms of changing what the host was planning on serving for a family dinner, she was happy to help prepare even the non Paleo dishes that the host was planning on.

So, what was she given as a task to bake?  Nothing other than pumpkin cheesecake.  Not just any pumpkin cheesecake, mind you, but ‘diet’ pumpkin cheesecake.  Her sister in law, who is always lecturing others about why one should eat fat free and diet as much as possible, instructed my client that she was to use fat free cream cheese instead of regular, aspartame in place of brown sugar and margarine rather than butter.

Oh.

My.

God.

Really?  That is the type of ‘dessert’ I thought was a good idea when I was 16, back in 1990, when we all thought low fat or fat free was the way to go.

Here’s the thing.  Take Paleo out of the equation for a second.  Is a diet pumpkin pie made of margarine, aspartame and fat free plastic, I mean cheese, even going to taste good?

OK, now bring Paleo back in.  Because we eat more fat than the typical American recommendation, we have the advantage of creating luxurious desserts with an amazing mouth feel which are so tasty, no one misses the lack of added sugar!

Coconut oil combined with almond butter, as in my Paleo truffles, or an avocado raw chocolate mousse are just two examples of mouth-watering goodness we can create which are far from ‘diet’ and completely Paleo.

Even if you don’t believe in Paleo or are making your way to being completely on board, I can’t imagine the combination of aspartame, margarine and fat free cream cheese tasting anywhere close to palatable.  Sounds like something you’d give your worst enemy!

Keep it real, people!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 15: Keep the Figs, Ditch the Pudding

“Bring us some figgy pudding”?   What exactly is figgy pudding?  And, is it Paleo?

Most definitely not.

Here’s a recipe I found on the Food Network’s site, to use as an example of what might go into a typical preparation:

1 1/2 cups chopped dried pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
2 cups water
1 teaspoon baking soda
100 grams (3 1/2 ounces or 7 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
75 grams (2 1/2-ounces) dark chocolate, grated
Butter, for coating ramekins
Ice cream or whipped cream, for garnish
Sauce:
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups heavy cream
200 grams (7-ounces or 14 tablespoons) butter
Fresh figs, quartered, for garnish
Vanilla ice cream, optional
Whipped heavy cream, optional

Can this be Paleo-ized? Absolutely!   Natural dried dates and/or fresh figs (if they’re available to you locally) can be combined to make a lovely Paleo dessert, without all the gluten, dairy and sugar used in the version above.

One easy method is to poach some fresh figs in water or white wine, then puree them while warm, before serving in small ramekins, topped with a cinnamon stick.

Another idea is to blend a few pitted dates in water with some fresh coconut milk, then pour into demitasse cups, topped with nutmeg, for an apres dinner drink.

Or, soak dried figs in water for thirty minutes, then puree with freshly baked, peeled apples, a pinch of allspice and a dash of pumpkin pie spice blend for a warm, Paleo friendly ‘pudding’, topped with freshly toasted walnuts.

All perfectly Paleo and suitable for the holiday table!

 

 

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 14: Creating New Habits

As a child, like any other, on Christmas morning, there was nothing better for me than running downstairs to check the Christmas tree to see what Santa had given me.    

We’d tear open gifts and then have  leisurely breakfast that me dad would prepare which would feature his signature buckwheat pancakes with real maple syrup, which I loved.  

I did notice early on, however, that I always seemed to feel hungry and sleepy an hour later, even as  really young kid.  I now know why; obviously all that sugar and lack of protein and fat set me up for a blood sugar spike and then a crash, but back then, it was tradition.

If you have similar ones, why not use this year to start a new one?   Of course, some things shouldn’t change, and every kid should be able to open their presents first thing, but why not go on a family neighborhood walk right afterward, before all the guests arrive later in the day for the celebratory meal?  Or perhaps everyone can pile in the car along with the dog and everyone can head out to the mountains for a hike?

Whatever fits for you, based on the ages of the kids, logistics of where you live and so on, you can incorporate Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Hanukkah (or whatever holiday you celebrate) activities into the mix and create a new, healthy tradition everyone can partake in.

If you start the day out on that note, you’re also more likely to choose healthy foods during the feast you attend later in the day as positive momentum builds upon itself!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 13: Good Gravy!

Nope, not referring to the quote from Charlie Brown.  You guessed it, I’m talking about the real deal- gravy!

But how is that Paleo?  Isn’t white flour the very crux of any nice, thick gravy?

Not necessarily.

There are several, healthy, Paleo alternatives one can use in order to have something to slather on top of the free range turkey or mashed yams that will likely grace the holiday table this season.

Keep is simple- jus it up!   The pan jus on its own is lovely, concentrated and delicious, so spooning a little bit over each portion is the easiest way to to.
Thicken it up, but keep it Paleo.  Whisking in a bit of a paleo-friendly ‘flour’, such as almond, is another option to produce a thicker sauce, which will more closely resemble gravy.
Finally, freshly ground flax seed can be used in order to create a more dense version as well; just add in a small amount while stirring the whole time, right before serving, as it gets really thick, really quickly.

When done properly, these Paleo friendly gravies can fool even the biggest skeptic!