50 Easy Paleo Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids

By Cathy Simpson

 

 

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your Paleo life!

Whether you’re cooking for yourself or your kids, we know the recipes have to be spot on. That’s why we’ve included only the simplest, most delicious and quickest recipes in this cookbook.

Every page will deliver a snack or lunchbox item that will make cooking Paleo for kids delicious and easy. We know your ancestors weren’t eating this well!

Delicious recipes like:

• Cantaloupe Popsicles
• Chocolate Banana Bites
• Nutella “Crepes”
• Surf and Turf Lettuce Tacos
• Turkey BLTA Rollups

And much, much more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Grapevine Arbor Press
• Release date: Dec 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781507060414

Book preview

Intro to Paleo

Welcome to Paleo for Kids, a cookbook that offers simple recipes that kids will love, including snacks and lunchbox items, just in time for back to school. The Paleo diet is still fairly new, so we’ll begin with a brief overview of the diet, what foods are encouraged and why the diet works so well. Next, we’ll discover why so many parents have already incorporated Paleo eating into their lives and what benefits children can receive form eating this way. Finally, we’ll give you an idea of the recipes you’ll find within these pages and how you can incorporate them easily into your children’s lifestyles. We understand that busy parents don’t usually have a lot of extra time to cook elaborate meals or lunches for themselves and their children, which is why we took the time to research and find only recipes that are quick, simple, delicious and most importantly—Paleo!

Paleo 101

Based upon the principle that humans are meant to eat as our ancestors did, the Paleo diet does away with processed foods, refined sugars, legumes, grains and carbohydrates. Many believe that the characteristics of this hunter-gatherer themed diet will optimize health, aid in weight loss and help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes. After all, our ancestors survived without chips and white bread, so we can too.

The diet is rich in proteins such as beef, pork, bison, chicken and fish, as well as sardines, shrimp and mollusks. Paleo allows no dairy, so things like coconut milks and nut butters are substituted. Dietary fiber is found in non-starchy vegetables instead of corn products and grains, and fruits and vegetables abound!

The structure of the diet reduces carbohydrate and sodium intake, while still allowing healthy fats such as nuts, clarified butter (or Ghee) and avocados. Because of this combination, dieters have been known to obtain high amounts of fiber, potassium and vitamin B-12 while sticking to the Paleo plan.

It is important to recognize that some foods, such as jarred vegan mayonnaise and ketchups may contain ingredients that are not well-suited for a Paleo lifestyle. For this reason, we suggest you use homemade condiments, seasonings and broths whenever possible. We do have a delicious Paleo-approved mayo recipe included herein (Tuna Salad in a Tomato with Paleo Mayo) and encourage you to use this instead of a store-bought version.

While we’re on the topic of processed foods, it is worth mentioning that some of these recipes include dark chocolate as an ingredient. Though we realize out ancestors weren’t likely making s’mores by the fireside, we include these recipes with the caveat that you use the darkest chocolate possible, with minimal or no sugar or dairy added, and encourage you to omit this if you feel strongly about it. Most Paleo dieters will make an allowance for a small bit of dark chocolate, since the health benefits outweigh the small amounts of dairy and/or sugar. Since cheese is also a no-no in Paleo cooking, we have noted this when recipes call for optional cheese.

Paleo for Kids

Let’s face it; your kids may not be as keen on the Paleo diet as you are. If your kids are young, they are likely to view Paleo as an arbitrary set of restrictions