15 Delicious Paleo Alternatives for Your Favorite Foods
If you’re looking to lighten up your diet, few food plans are better at encouraging clean eating than the Paleo or Whole30 lifestyles. These eating plans encourage the consumption of natural, unprocessed foods like meat, veggies, fruits and nuts, while eliminating foods that cause digestive trouble, such as gluten, legumes and dairy. There are a plethora of gluten- and dairy-free alternatives out there, ranging from cocktails to soups and everything in between. And guess what? They’re also totally yummy! Here are 15 of our favorite Paleo- and Whole30-friendly alternatives:
1. Paleo Zucchini Noodles With Pesto and Fried Eggs: If you haven’t jumped on board the zoodles train, you’re missing out. This particular recipe adds pesto to the mix and tops everything off with a runny fried egg. Bonus points for all the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in olive oil and nuts. (via Food Faith Fitness)
2. Healthy Cake Batter Dip for One: If you’re anything like us, you are *completely obsessed* with anything cake batter-flavored. The good news is that, with this recipe, your cake batter obsession can be perfectly Paleo-approved. This recipe uses vanilla protein powder in place of cake batter, and incorporates nut butter, banana, maple syrup and sugar-free sweetener for extra flavor. (via The Big Man’s World)
3. Salmon BLT & Avocado in a Sweet Potato Noodle Bun: Salmon and avocado are a winning combo, but you can sandwich anything you’d like between these sweet potato noodle buns. All you need to do is use a spiralizer on some sweet potatoes and you’ve got a sturdy, delicious, Paleo-friendly alternative to traditional buns. Talk about a win-win! (via PaleOMG)
4. Paleo Granola: We’re all about that crunch, and this recipe’s got *tons* of it. This uber-healthy granola creation is perfect for adding to dairy-free yogurt or almond milk, and also giving you an on-the-go breakfast option that can be so hard to find on a Paleo diet. (via The Roasted Root)
5. Paleo Ramen: Ramen truly is one of life’s greatest joys, so it’s good to know that you don’t have to give it up completely when you go Paleo. Though not strictly traditional, this recipe uses Shirataki noodes (which are completely Paleo-friendly, yay!) alongside carrots, scallions, mushrooms, kombu, nori and fat-filled pork and chicken. Bonus points for using a healthy homemade bone broth in your primal ramen. (via Fresh Planet Flavor)
6. Piña Colada Protein Shake: If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain while looking and feeling ah-mazing, sip on this Paleo-friendly and protein-packed treat. PRO TIP: This healthy drink isn’t boozy, so if you want to add some fun juice, just pour in some rum. (via PaleOMG)
7. 3-Ingredient Paleo Mayo: Mayo has all the healthy fats that primal diets promote, but unfortunately, it has that sneaky drawback of including soybean and canola oils (highly processed *no-nos* on a Paleo diet). This dairy-free mayo recipe is perfect for Paleo and Whole30 eaters. (via Going Cavewoman)
8. Healthy Strawberry Milkshake: Contrary to popular belief, you really don’t need milk to make a milkshake. All you need are ripe bananas. Add some fresh strawberries, coconut water, vanilla extract and a little lime juice, and you’re all set. (via Living Healthy With Chocolate)
9. Maple Glazed Donuts: Making donuts at home has never been easier — or yummier. These healthy donuts use all Paleo-approved flours and natural sweeteners, and they’re super easy to make. All you need is a donut pan, a piping bag (for adding the batter to said donut pan) and an oven. (via Savory Lotus)
10. Garlic Shrimp With Zucchini Noodles: Here’s another zoodles recipe for you. This one also incorporates garlic shrimp, which is a major crowd-pleaser. You’ll top your dish with white wine, chives, lemon juice and garlic cloves for added flavor. (via Paleo Leap)
11. No-Bean Roasted Carrot Hummus: As much as we all love hummus, it’s actually not Paleo-friendly, thanks to its main ingredient (chickpeas). But you can still get your hummus on with this amazing carrot hummus recipe. (via Physical Kitchness)
12. Whole30 Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix: Love the taste of ranch on your chicken and salads? Use this completely Paleo- and Whole30-approved seasoning mix in lieu of creamy dressing. PRO TIP: A little goes a long way with this flavorful seasoning — use about two tablespoons per dish. (via The Pinning Mama)
13. Loaded Chili Sweet Potato Fries: If you have a hankering for chili fries, look no further than this healthy sweet potato-based alternative. Instead of heavy chili, this recipe tops your fries with bacon, scallions, avocado and a fried egg. You’ll get all the healthy fats you need on a Paleo diet *and* satisfy your chili fry cravings to boot. (via Paleo Running Mama)
14. Pecan Pie Ice Cream: It’s no secret that you don’t need to give up ice cream if you’re going dairy-free. With all the dairy alternatives out there (almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk), you’ve got plenty of options. This homemade ice cream recipe calls for almond milk, but you can easily sub in your favorite dairy-free milk. (via Homespun Capers)
15. Easy Paleo Banana Pancakes: We’ve arguably saved the best for last. These super-simple pancakes call for almond and coconut flour rather than the traditional wheat version — but you’ll never know the difference. We recommend drizzling honey or pure maple syrup over the top of these babies to keep your indulgence completely primal. (via Delicious Meets Healthy)
If you’ve made the jump to a primal lifestyle, follow us on Pinterest for more healthy recipe ideas!
