Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 111

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!

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!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 12: Planning Portions

What if you’re actually at a Paleo friendly gathering but the host feels compelled to give you double, or even triple the portions of the few dishes she’s created for you to ‘make up’ for the fact that you’re not getting all the variety that the other guests who partake in the non Paleo options receive?

That’s just what happened to one reader who did her due diligence, spoke to the hostess of an upcoming holiday party in advance and explained that she’d discovered that some health issues she’d been having had actually been caused by some of the foods she’d been eating and even offered to bring a few dishes to share.

Fortunately, the hostess was quite receptive,made the reader feel very comfortable and didn’t make a big scene about the fact that there were certain dishes she would be eating, and other she would not.

However, when dessert rolled around, she was served a gigantic portion of a fresh and dried fruit salad with nuts while all the others ate bread pudding.  What was she to do?  Eat more than she even wanted just to avoid the risk of insulting the hostess who’d gone to the trouble of catering to her needs?

Not at all.  

Perhaps one graceful way to handle that situation would be to simply be honest.  Tell the host how touched you are that she went to great lengths to accommodate your food needs but you’re simply too full after all the lovely food she prepared for dinner.

No doubt, it’s still a potentially awkward situation, however, a minute or two of a socially uncomfortable situation is far better than several hours of physical discomfort coming from either over eating or eating too much of even a good thing!

Holiday Tip # 12: Planning Portions

What if you’re actually at a Paleo friendly gathering but the host feels compelled to give you double, or even triple the portions of the few dishes she’s created for you to ‘make up’ for the fact that you’re not getting all the variety that the other guests who partake in the non Paleo options receive?

That’s just what happened to one reader who did her due diligence, spoke to the hostess of an upcoming holiday party in advance and explained that she’d discovered that some health issues she’d been having had actually been caused by some of the foods she’d been eating and even offered to bring a few dishes to share.

Fortunately, the hostess was quite receptive,made the reader feel very comfortable and didn’t make a big scene about the fact that there were certain dishes she would be eating, and other she would not.

However, when dessert rolled around, she was served a gigantic portion of a fresh and dried fruit salad with nuts while all the others ate bread pudding.  What was she to do?  Eat more than she even wanted just to avoid the risk of insulting the hostess who’d gone to the trouble of catering to her needs?

Not at all.  

Perhaps one graceful way to handle that situation would be to simply be honest.  Tell the host how touched you are that she went to great lengths to accommodate your food needs but you’re simply too full after all the lovely food she prepared for dinner.

No doubt, it’s still a potentially awkward situation, however, a minute or two of a socially uncomfortable situation is far better than several hours of physical discomfort coming from either over eating or eating too much of even a good thing!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 11: Handling the Holiday Church Bake-Off- Who Said it’s Got to be Sweets?

If it’s for a good cause, should we deviate from our Paleo morals, throw caution to the wind and dive into the flour, butter, sugar and Toll House Chips in order to have a marathon bake-off to donate to our local church, temple or other worthy cause?

I, too, used to partake in a literal two-day bake-a-thon during which I’d single handedly make hundreds, if not thousands of eight to ten different cookies during the holidays.  As a college student, it was far more economical than buying gifts for everyone, and the recipients always appreciated and devoured the homemade goodies.

I changed the style and variety of my baking to mirror my own diet over the years.  When I was vegan, so were my  baked goods.  Then, when I first went gluten free but still ate other grains and dairy, the cookies and cakes followed suit.

When I went Paleo, I found myself significantly more drawn to cooking instead, and using my creativity to produce lovely balanced meals focused on veg, proteins, fat and fruit.

This is not to say one cannot bake Paleo goodies, in fact, I’ve tasted some amazingly decadent creations and made some up myself.  Rather, the point is simply to illustrate that there are other things one might want to contribute than the same old same old.

In fact, for those attending the bake-off, a little bit of savory might be a welcome addition.  Paleo aside, think of how you’d feel if you’d eaten nothing but sweet, sweet, sweet all day long;  something more balanced can be what keeps you from falling into a sugar frenzy by balancing the glycemic load of an otherwise very carby-skewed ‘meal’.

Why not experiment with items like home-made jerky or the spiced nut blend I mentioned in a blog the other day?  Both can last longer than a fresh meal and would be far from a sugar overload that even a dessert made with paleo ingredients might cause.

Holiday Tip # 11: Handling the Holiday Church Bake-Off- Who Said it’s Got to be Sweets?

If it’s for a good cause, should we deviate from our Paleo morals, throw caution to the wind and dive into the flour, butter, sugar and Toll House Chips in order to have a marathon bake-off to donate to our local church, temple or other worthy cause?

I, too, used to partake in a literal two-day bake-a-thon during which I’d single handedly make hundreds, if not thousands of eight to ten different cookies during the holidays.  As a college student, it was far more economical than buying gifts for everyone, and the recipients always appreciated and devoured the homemade goodies.

I changed the style and variety of my baking to mirror my own diet over the years.  When I was vegan, so were my  baked goods.  Then, when I first went gluten free but still ate other grains and dairy, the cookies and cakes followed suit.

When I went Paleo, I found myself significantly more drawn to cooking instead, and using my creativity to produce lovely balanced meals focused on veg, proteins, fat and fruit.

This is not to say one cannot bake Paleo goodies, in fact, I’ve tasted some amazingly decadent creations and made some up myself.  Rather, the point is simply to illustrate that there are other things one might want to contribute than the same old same old.

In fact, for those attending the bake-off, a little bit of savory might be a welcome addition.  Paleo aside, think of how you’d feel if you’d eaten nothing but sweet, sweet, sweet all day long;  something more balanced can be what keeps you from falling into a sugar frenzy by balancing the glycemic load of an otherwise very carby-skewed ‘meal’.

Why not experiment with items like home-made jerky or the spiced nut blend I mentioned in a blog the other day?  Both can last longer than a fresh meal and would be far from a sugar overload that even a dessert made with paleo ingredients might cause.

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 10: Choosing Your Compromises While Keeping Paleo

Finding the delicate balance between eating the foods that you know make you feel good, avoiding those that do  not and not causing a big scene because of either of the two can be a bit tricky.

While I’d never suggest eating something non Paleo just to please your mom, your spouse or your elderly neighbor who baked a tray of her special holiday cookies just for you, there are times when certain types of compromises may be in order.

For example, if you’re hosting a Paleo holiday party and a guest shows up with a green-bean casserole as shown above, laden with cream of mushroom soup and fried onion rings from a can, it’s probably the more graceful thing to do to simply say thanks, rather than telling her off for having the audacity to use dairy and flour.

Similarly, when you attend a party and bring a homemade version of your Paleo holiday ‘stuffing’ (using a medley of wild mushrooms rather than bread cubes), don’t march in and expect the host to toss her Stove Top in favor of your gluten free version.

However, when it comes to what we actually put in our own mouths, that’s where I’d personally draw the line.  While it does pain me to think of a guest who didn’t know that the marshmallow topped sweet potato pie was a contribution from a guest and not my own doing, having it in the house is far less offensive than having it in my body!

So, as always, lead by example, stand your ground while at the same time being polite; the last thing you’d want to do is put someone off Paleo because they’ve been made to think everyone who is Paleo is preachy!

Holiday Tip # 10: Choosing Your Compromises While Keeping Paleo

Finding the delicate balance between eating the foods that you know make you feel good, avoiding those that do  not and not causing a big scene because of either of the two can be a bit tricky.

While I’d never suggest eating something non Paleo just to please your mom, your spouse or your elderly neighbor who baked a tray of her special holiday cookies just for you, there are times when certain types of compromises may be in order.

For example, if you’re hosting a Paleo holiday party and a guest shows up with a green-bean casserole as shown above, laden with cream of mushroom soup and fried onion rings from a can, it’s probably the more graceful thing to do to simply say thanks, rather than telling her off for having the audacity to use dairy and flour.

Similarly, when you attend a party and bring a homemade version of your Paleo holiday ‘stuffing’ (using a medley of wild mushrooms rather than bread cubes), don’t march in and expect the host to toss her Stove Top in favor of your gluten free version.

However, when it comes to what we actually put in our own mouths, that’s where I’d personally draw the line.  While it does pain me to think of a guest who didn’t know that the marshmallow topped sweet potato pie was a contribution from a guest and not my own doing, having it in the house is far less offensive than having it in my body!

So, as always, lead by example, stand your ground while at the same time being polite; the last thing you’d want to do is put someone off Paleo because they’ve been made to think everyone who is Paleo is preachy!

Paleoista Holiday Tip # 9: Host Your Own (Paleo) Holiday Party

And, if need be, don’t even mention that it’s Paleo until after the fact.  

You can smile to yourself as you see your guests enjoying all the lovely food you’ve prepared, including those colleagues or friends who may have given you a hard time about ‘that crazy diet you were doing’.

Choose your holiday theme and get to work Paleoizing!  As always, focus on bountiful produce including multicolored veggies and fruits and lovely lean proteins, all prepared with your favorite traditional spices in order to stay true to this time of year.

Some of the many ideas for dishes you might want to serve include:

Uncured bacon wrapped around natural dates, roasted
Crudites with a variety of dips, such as paleo versions of hummus (sans garbanzos), muhamarra (skip the bread and vinegar) or guacamole
Free range thinly sliced turkey wrapped around sliced pear
Fresh fruit platter with raw walnuts
Bite-sized sashimi

As you can see, there’s no limit to the source inspiration when it comes to building your menu, whether it’s a multi-regional approach or keeping in tune with your paleo version of family classics.  

The key is to make sure it all looks lovely an tastes just as nice.

Add a menu for guests to take home for a nice little extra!

Who ever said Paleo wasn’t suitable for entertaining?

Holiday Tip # 9: Host Your Own (Paleo) Holiday Party

And, if need be, don’t even mention that it’s Paleo until after the fact.  

You can smile to yourself as you see your guests enjoying all the lovely food you’ve prepared, including those colleagues or friends who may have given you a hard time about ‘that crazy diet you were doing’.

Choose your holiday theme and get to work Paleoizing!  As always, focus on bountiful produce including multicolored veggies and fruits and lovely lean proteins, all prepared with your favorite traditional spices in order to stay true to this time of year.

Some of the many ideas for dishes you might want to serve include:

Uncured bacon wrapped around natural dates, roasted
Crudites with a variety of dips, such as paleo versions of hummus (sans garbanzos), muhamarra (skip the bread and vinegar) or guacamole
Free range thinly sliced turkey wrapped around sliced pear
Fresh fruit platter with raw walnuts
Bite-sized sashimi

As you can see, there’s no limit to the source inspiration when it comes to building your menu, whether it’s a multi-regional approach or keeping in tune with your paleo version of family classics.  

The key is to make sure it all looks lovely an tastes just as nice.

Add a menu for guests to take home for a nice little extra!

Who ever said Paleo wasn’t suitable for entertaining?