How To Have A Paleo Thanksgiving

By Angela Haupt for U.S. News The pilgrims -- or the cavemen? On Thanksgiving, paleo dieters honor both. That means a holiday feast revolving around meat, fish, poultry, fruits and veggies -- with no refined sugar, dairy, legumes or grains. While that's problematic for Thanksgiving staples like bread stuffing, a few tweaks can save the turkey-filled day. "Almost any traditional Thanksgiving dish can be modified to become paleo," says registered nurse Katy Haldiman, health director of the Paleo Movement Magazine. Here are menu ideas for your paleo Thanksgiving. Appetizers Haldiman ticks off protein-heavy appetizer ideas: deviled eggs that feature avocado instead of mayo. Chopped veggies with spinach artichoke dip -- made dairy-free with cashews "to create a creamy, cheese-like texture." Or the ever-popular bacon-wrapped dates with almonds, which call for only three ingredients and are touted as sure-thing crowd-pleasers. "There's nothing quite like the saltiness of bacon with the sweetness of dates and the added bonus of the almond crunch," Haldiman says. Other ideas include fig tapenade, smoked bacon oysters or a beet and carrot salad. The Main Event Keep the turkey on the table -- it requires few modifications. Most turkey preparation techniques are naturally paleo, Haldiman says. "I like to brine mine with an apple cider mixture for 12 to 24 hours prior to cooking, and then I use an herb butter mixture under the skin and baste the turkey with butter as it cooks," she con...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news