A Brief History on the Paleo Diet

Welcome to the world of paleo! The paleo diet goes by many different names: the Caveman diet, Stone Age diet, and hunter-gatherer diet. Short for “paleolithic”, this diet is based on the foods our human ancestors ate, especially before the Neolithic Revolution.

What Can You Eat on the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet is a high-meat, high-fiber diet. Here’s a general list of what you can eat on the paleo diet:

• Lean meats (including fish)
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Unprocessed oils (e.g. olive, coconut)

What CAN’T You Eat on the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet expressly forbids any processed foods. Additionally, since this diet is based on what our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate, the paleo diet also does not allow for farmed foods. Here are some examples of what you cannot eat on a paleo diet:

• Potatoes
• Bread
• Dairy
• Coffee
• Refined sugar
• Salt
• Beans
• Grains
• Legumes

How Can the Paleo Diet Help You Lose Weight?

The theory behind how the paleo diet will help you lose weight is that it keeps you full without cutting calories or exercising. Furthermore, it claims to prevent common modern health problems such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, according to Loren Cordain, PhD, the woman who quite literally wrote the book on The Paleo Diet.

Paleo Diet Recipes

If you are interested in trying out the paleo diet but not sure where to start, I “hunter-gathered” a few easy recipes for you. Explore a hearty paleo breakfast recipe for English muffins, pack a tasty paleo-approved recipe of chicken fingers for lunch, or enjoy an alternative paleo recipe of spicy tuna and tomato burgers for dinner. Whether you’re a beginner to the paleo diet or a beginner to cooking in general, these paleo diet recipes are pretty easy to make - and that’s coming from someone who burnt popcorn in the microwave!

Image credit: runningtothekitchen.com

Paleo Diet Recipe for Breakfast: English Muffins

These delicious English muffins require nothing more than a microwave and take only two minutes to make! Warm, toasty, and perfect with eggs and bacon, these paleo English muffins are a perfect breakfast replacement for pancakes or waffles. Don’t be fooled by their full taste - this is definitely a diet recipe.

Enjoy these paleo English muffins plain, or take a cinnamon raisin spin on this. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be making substitutions based on your personal preferences in no time. Best of all, there are only 8 ingredients in the plain version, half of which you’re very likely to already have in your cupboard.

Ingredients:

Plain Paleo English Muffins

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ tablespoon grass fed butter
• ¼ cup almond or cashew flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher sea salt

Cinnamon Raisin Paleo English Muffins

Same ingredients as above but please add:

• 1 ½ tablespoons golden, currants or regular raisins
• ½ tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions: These directions and recipe have been adapted from runningtothekitchen.com.

1. Combine all dry ingredients in one medium-sized bowl, whisking together.
2. Add the water, egg, and coconut oil to the bowl, mixing together until even.
3. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased, microwave-safe ramekin and microwave for two to two and a half minutes (times may vary depending on your microwave’s settings).
4. Wait 2 minutes (or until cool) to remove the muffin from the ramekin, then cut the muffin in half and place in toaster oven to your preferred setting (personally I like mine a little darker so they crisp up).
5. Serve with butter!

Paleo Diet Recipe for Lunch: Sweet & Spicy Chicken Fingers

Imagine crispy golden brown chicken fingers so well seasoned with sea salt, honey, hot sauce and garlic powder that they don’t need a dipping sauce. This paleo sweet and spicy chicken finger diet recipe is all that and a bag of paleo-friendly kale chips. In all sincerity though, the best part about this recipe is how easy it is to pack for lunch the next day. You’ll love the simplicity of tossing these chicken fingers into a brown bag for a quick and tasty office lunch. Plus, just like the paleo English muffins above, it’s highly likely you’ll already have seven of the nine of these ingredients already on hand.

Ingredients:

Paleo Sweet & Spicy Chicken Fingers

• 2 ¼ cups almond flour (almond meal)
• 2 eggs
• 1 lb chicken tenders
• ¼ cup tapioca or potato starch
• ¾ cup honey
• ⅓ cup hot sauce (Franks or Tapatio work great)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions: These directions and recipe are adapted from theendlessmeal.com.

1. Heat the oven to 425˙F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with either wax or parchment paper.
3. Combine the flour, pepper and kosher sea salt on a large plate. Mix.
4. Crack open the eggs on another large plate. Whisk.
5. Place each chicken tender first into the starch, then egg, and finally into the flour. Set these tenders onto your baking sheet, leaving about ½ inch of room between each one.
6. Bake the chicken tenders for 25-30 minutes (times may vary depending on your oven) until they are golden brown and crispy.
7. Prepare the sauce once the chicken is 5-10 minutes from finishing. Set a small frying pan over high heat and bring the honey, garlic powder and hot sauce to a boil, then set aside on a cool surface.
8. Once finished, remove the chicken from the oven, then turn the oven to your “broil” setting. Dip the chicken tenders into the sauce one by one before laying them back on the baking sheet.
9. Return chicken to oven for 3-5 minutes so the dip begins to caramelize. Times may vary depending on your oven.
10. Once they begin to glaze, remove chicken tenders from oven and baste with any remaining sauce.

Paleo Diet Recipe for Dinner: Spicy Tuna and Tomato Burgers

Tuna is a popular source of protein in the paleo community because one 3-oz (85g) serving has only 157 calories but 50% (25g) of your daily recommended protein intake! Tuna is packed with vitamins and a more affordable protein source compared to other fish which makes this meal a great choice for budget-conscious paleo beginners. If you’re looking for a fun paleo diet recipe for dinner, these spicy tuna and tomato burgers definitely fit the bill. Serve them up in a crisp lettuce “bun” for a cool dinner option that’s perfect for summer.

Ingredients:

Paleo Spicy Tuna and Tomato Burgers

• 1 head of lettuce
• 1 cup of tuna, drained and rinsed
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small red chili, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed - alternatively, use garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon of coconut flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: This recipe and directions have been adapted from betterwithcake.com.

1. Heat oven to 350˙F
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another bowl.
4. Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
5. Roll about ⅓ cup of the tuna mixture into a ball, then flatten into a patty and place onto your baking sheet. This should produce about 6 patties.
6. Slide the baking sheet into your oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, until cooked through (times may vary based on your oven).
7. Once finished, slide the tuna patty between one to two layers of lettuce. Serve with sliced avocado and horseradish to taste if preferred.

More Paleo Recipes for Beginners

Have you tried any paleo recipes yet? What are your thoughts on the paleo diet?
If you are ready to give the paleo lifestyle a go - or already are regular paleo diet recipe fan - we'd love to hear your best tips. Watch for paleo meals coming to you from Home Bistro in the future.