Celebrate with a Paleo Christmas Feast

While it may be hard to imagine Christmas dinner with no grains, no sugar and no processed foods, eating Paleo this yuletide is easy and yummy. And best of all, your holiday menu will be based on serving the very best food to the people you love most–and that’s a grand way to celebrate the holidays!

Paleo in a Nutshell

We’re pretty sure cave dwellers didn’t celebrate Christmas but they certainly knew a lot about the Paleo diet. As a matter of fact, centuries ago our ancestors ate Paleo every day because they only had access to foods they could hunt or gather.  Turns out the nutrients in fresh meats, fish, nuts, leafy greens, local vegetables and seeds were very healthy and tens of thousands of years later we’ve rediscovered the benefits of eating like a cave woman. The idea is to focus on the quality of the food you eat and stop counting calories. And let’s face it: 400 calories in a muffin does not have the same nutrient value as 400 calories of quality veggies and protein![1]

Planning Your Paleo Christmas

When you’re planning your Christmas dinner, first celebrate that you’ve made a choice to cut out fake foods and are committed to eating delicious, healthy real foods. Moreover, the holidays are the season to splurge and purchase the very highest quality meat, fish and poultry you can find.  It’s also a great time to hit your local farmer’s market and bask in a wonderland of the freshest veggies and fruits.  And when your guests bite into your scrumptious all-natural dishes, they won’t miss poor-quality, sugar- and-carb-loaded foods for a minute!

Paleo Recipes to Savor

Choosing the main course of your Christmas dinner is easy because hormone-free meat, fish and poultry take center stage in a Paleo diet. Simply pick your favorite entrée and garnish it with Paleo-friendly ingredients. Next, choose your side dishes. Again, this part is simple because dishes made with colorful vegetables like sweet potatoes are popular during the holidays. And there are plenty of recipes online to try like Coconut Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Pecan Drizzle.

Simmer sweet potatoes in coconut milk until tender, whip until smooth, and top with a warm maple syrup and pecan mixture. Dairy-free and delectable![2]

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into approx. 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/16 teaspoon (a generous pinch) ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• For drizzle, 1/3 cup chopped raw pecans + 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Cook the potatoes until tender, whip and place in bowl, pour the drizzle on top. (We can’t wait to try this!)

Remember, Paleo is a way of thinking about food rather than a diet. And just like Christmas, it’s fun to make new traditions–and that includes the way you eat.

Learn more about the power of eating Paleo
Spafinder Gift Cards are perfect gifts for the holidays

[1] Nerd Fitness, “The Beginner’s Guide to the Paleo Diet”
[2] Kitchen Treaty, “Coconut Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Pecan Drizzle,” Kare, November 2017