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7 Ways to Make Classic Thanksgiving Dishes Paleo-Friendly

Nov 19 2015 - 5:42pm

Rest assured, your turkey can be served as is, but the rest of the traditional Thanksgiving menu is not Paleo-diet friendly. If one or more of your guests live by these caveman rules of eating, a typical Thanksgiving table can seem like a danger zone. Learn which traditional dishes are hands-off for the Paleo set, and how you can make them enjoyable to every seat in the house.

Related: 18 Thanksgiving Recipes For a Perfectly Paleo Celebration [1]

  1. Mashed Potatoes: Although some potatoes are Paleo friendly, it's the rest of the ingredients that raise red flags. Try this lower-carb version of mashed potatoes [2] with a few swaps: use cauliflower florets (about 16 ounces) and cut out the potatoes completely; instead of the butter, use an equal amount of coconut oil, and coconut milk can also be subbed in for the Greek yogurt. Just mix and you're cooking like a caveman!
  2. Gravy: Turning gravy Paleo is easy — just sub out the milk and flour. Milk can easily be substituted with egg yoke and flour with Arrowroot [3], a gluten-free thickening agent.
  3. Green Bean Casserole: Use Paleo guests as an excuse to mix up the traditional green bean casserole. This coconut almond version [4] uses — you guessed it — coconut oil and coconut milk. Not a huge coconut fan? No worries. The shavings are almond, and neither the coconut oil or milk exude an island flavor.
  4. Cranberry Sauce: For an easy swap, boil your cranberries in freshly squeezed orange juice instead of sugar water. For each pound of raw cranberries you cook, use one cup of juice. The sauce will be so sweet your guests won't notice a difference.
  5. Stuffing: This Thanksgiving favorite doesn't always need bread. Try this stuffing recipe [5] made with sausage to taste more like the real thing. It's loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants like apples and walnuts to counterbalance all of those yummy starches.
  6. Candied Sweet Potatoes: This recipe can stay relatively true to its original, as long as you swap out the sugar for pure maple syrup. Your non-Paleo guests are sure to support that. Try this maple roasted recipe [6] as is. Since some Paleo eaters are iffy on the yams, you can cook the entire dish with sweet potatoes instead.
  7. Pumpkin Pie: One of the most difficult dishes to transform is pumpkin pie. Crust, cream, and fillers are all obstacles that can be near impossible for a Paleo posse to dodge. This vegan pumpkin dessert [7] is served as a custard and considered almost as cute as it is tasty. Your guests will love its elegant nature to end the meal on a light note. It may even take a place in your recipe book.

Source URL
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Paleo-Diet-Thanksgiving-Menu-25917590