So today, one of my favorite topics: Paleo Treats. Eating paleo is all about health and combating inflammation through delicious nutrient-rich ingredients.
However, every once in a while we all have to succumb to our sweet cravings, and there are paleo options! I have a huge sweet tooth… sorry I’m not sorry. Honey and cocoa are still better than refined sugars and processed baking mixes, right?
I try to eat Whole 30 during the week and save my paleo treats for the weekends, but snow days are definitely exceptions. Today’s exception was primal fudge…. which turned out AMAZING. Even my husband couldn’t get enough. Thank you practical paleo!
http://practicalpaleo.blogspot.com/2011/06/primal-fudge.html
The best way to find paleo treats is through pinterest and blogs. My pinterest page is full of delicious recipes that I use consistently or still want to try out. You can simply type in paleo treats, paleo cookies, paleo cakes, or paleo ice cream and search through the recipes for something that suits your cravings and tolerances. Hint: This also works for other paleo cravings like bread or snacks.
People have already created the recipes; you only have to try them out. Some are delicious and some are not so great. With more complicated recipes, it can take a few tries before you are able to perfect them. But…Never feel like you don’t have any recipe options. There is always something already out there. Unless you have a real desire to become a professional paleo baker, there is no need to recreate the wheel.
I let the experts do the heavy lifting and use their resources to trick my friends and family into thinking they are eating their favorite inflammatory delicacies… I personally do not tolerate any kind of nut flour or nut milk, so I usually stick to recipes created from coconut flour and coconut milk. Every once in a while I will branch out and try some nut-based recipes, but the majority of the recipes are coconut-based. Usually, people never miss “the real thing”, because they love my desserts made with real ingredients.
Simple recipes with simple ingredients help keep grocery costs low. Some paleo recipes can get really complicated, really quickly. The more special ingredients needed, the higher the cost of the dessert. I was never a great baker before my diagnosis, and I doubt I will ever possess real talent in the kitchen. I usually use simple recipes with minimal ingredients. This was especially helpful when I first started on the diet and was confused about many paleo ingredients. If I want to try a recipe with foreign ingredients, I make sure to research the ingredients and find the least costly way to buy it.
If you are looking for a paleo dessert for a special occasion or just a yummy treat, here are some delicious recipes I rely on constantly. Many contain Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips that aren’t exactly paleo, but are allergy-free and created with organic cane sugar. None of the following pictures are mine… maybe someday I’ll become a photographer.
Sweet Tea: Substitute your normal sugar-filled tea for a tea sweetened with palm sugar or honey. Simply switch out the amount of sugar called for in a recipe with the same amount of one of these healthier ingredients.
Paleo Brownies: The best recipe I have found yet. It is especially good covered with banana ice cream. You can add nuts or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips if you want.
http://comfybelly.com/2014/02/fudge-brownies-using-coconut-flour/#.VqKTSVMrJE4
Banana Ice Cream: This was a pinterest recipe. One frozen banana combined in a blender with a quarter cup of coconut milk and whatever flavoring you desire. My favorites:
- Cherry Vanilla: frozen cherries and a dash of vanilla
- Chocolate: a tablespoon of cocoa powder
- Chunky Monkey: walnuts and Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate “Peanut” Butter: a tablespoon cocoa powder and then mix in sunbutter with a spoon
- Banana Sorbet: Just add more frozen fruit after blending the first time. Only pulse a few times for chunky fruit or hold down for a super-blended treat.
Blueberry Syrup: Combine a bag of squished frozen blueberries or a pint of squished fresh blueberries with a dash of vanilla and a quarter cup of honey (add or subtract based on your taste) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until it takes on a thicker syrup-like consistency. Thanks dad for creating it!
Chocolate Fondue: This one is really easy and probably not paleo.
- Melt Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips and dip whatever fruit you want in the delicious goodness. I suggest strawberries, bananas, and pineapple.
Paleo Vanilla Flag Cake: If I can make it, you can make it. Mangia Paleo is wonderful and creates delicious food. This cake is super moist, fluffy, and delicious.
http://www.mangiapaleo.com/2014/06/29/paleo-vanilla-flag-cake/
Date Rolls: My mother found coconut date balls at grocery store when I was interviewing for grad school. When we came home, my mother-in-law recreated them in her kitchen and we have never looked back.
- Combine fresh, pitted dates in the food processor with a drizzle of honey. Feel free to add more honey if you want more sweetness. Pulse until the pieces are small enough to stick together. Roll the dates into inch-sized balls. Roll each ball in shredded coconut. Enjoy!
‘Peanut’ Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: Against all Grain is my favorite resource for every type of recipe. I suggest you buy both of her books and her ebooks. This recipe is super easy to make and something that I love to have on hand for snacking, with or without chocolate chips.
http://againstallgrain.com/2012/07/08/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies-nut-free/
Chocolate ‘Coconut Macaroons’: They taste just like girl scout cookies. I make this recipe so often I don’t remember where I found it. It is definitely not my own and thank you to whoever created it! It is so easy and a huge success with non-paleo people. Sometimes, it even convinces them to come over to the semi-paleo side. 🙂
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and rub a lot coconut oil or palm shortening over a cookie sheet. If you don’t do this, the cookies will stick. Mix one cup of enjoy life chocolate chips, one cup of shredded coconut, one egg, and one tablespoon of maple syrup together in a bowl. Scoop a spoonful size of cookie mix on the pan until the bowl is empty. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the chocolate is melted and the coconut is just turning brown. Allow them to cool and enjoy!
Smoothies: This one has no guilt. It is completely anti-inflammatory and a great way to start off your day. This was the first treat I added back into my diet and is still my favorite.
- Add one fresh banana, a handful of frozen blueberries, 5 or 6 frozen cherries (or other berries if tolerated), and a splash of coconut milk to a blender (or nutribullet… I highly recommend one). Enjoy!
