7 Tips for a Paleo 4th of July

It’s hard to believe that the 4th of July is almost here! If you friend and family group is like ours, most holiday celebrations center around FOOD. This can be a little tricky when you’re trying to eat a Paleo diet, but you can also view it as a great opportunity! Here are 10 tips for a festive, fun, and paleo Independence Day — with recipes!

7 Tips for a Paleo 4th of July in Howell, Michigan

1. Dish it up!

Whether you’re hosting the party or heading to a potluck, be sure to bring along a dish that everyone else can enjoy. This guarantees there will be at least one thing that is 100 percent paleo at the party. You can take it a step further and write out a label for your dish, including its ingredients and name of the dish. Be sure to include “paleo” in the name. This is a great conversation starter!

Prepare yourself for questions like, “What is paleo?” and “Why do you eat that way?” and “How did you make this so delicious?”

2. Sweeten up your hosts.

It is always polite to bring a gift to the host or hostess. Why not bring along a paleo friendly dessert for the hosts, along with a thank you card? This is a great way to show your appreciation and to give everyone a sweet and delicious paleo treat to try!

3. BYOM.

Bring your own meat. Fourth of July parties are usually all about grilling out and a barbecue. If you bring along your own meat, you can guarantee it and its marinade is 100 percent paleo. You also help off-set some of the costs for the hosts!

Feel weird bringing along your own meat? Try bringing along your own kebabs instead. Just make plenty of skewers to share with the whole group. Win, win!

4. Skip the buns.

If the cookout is serving up hamburgers and hotdogs, skip the bun and wrap the meat in lettuce or eat it by itself. This is an easy way to stay paleo compliant, while not missing out on the main event.

5. Prep with protein.

How many of you have every “face planted” into a bag of M&Ms because you got hangry? Parties are prime places to fall into old habits and temptations. Before you head to the big shindig, be sure to eat plenty of clean, lean protein. This will help you avoid faceplanting into that bag of potato chips or chocolate, because you won’t be starving upon arrival!

6. Choose your booze.

Not all alcohol is created equally, and only certain types of alcohol are considered paleo friendly. Shoot for clear spirits over darker spirits if you choose to drink this holiday, and avoid beer all together (it’s definitely not paleo). Most wines are just fine – just check the labels! Drink responsibly.

7. Stay hydrated.

With the summer heat, it’s important to stay hydrated. If you’re dehydrated, you move slower, have less energy, and your skin even suffers. If you focus on drinking water a little bit at a time throughout the day, you will feel fuller, and your body will ultimately feel better.Bring you own water bottle with you wherever you go, so you have water easily accessible!

Paleo Recipes for 4th of July

Looking for the perfect paleo dish to bring to your Independence Day party? Look no further! Here are some of our favorite paleo recipes from PaleoOMG.com for the 4th of July!

1. Bacon Wrapped Smoked Salmon Stuffed Sweet Peppers

• Ingredients
  • 5 strips of paleo approved bacon, cut in half lengthwise and widthwise
  • 10 sweet peppers, cut in half lengthwise
  • 3-5 oz of smoked salmon
  • pinch of salt
  • sprinkle of smoked paprika
• Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Cut bacon in half lengthwise and widthwise until you have 4 strips of bacon from each original 1 piece
  • Cut sweet peppers in half and remove excess seeds
  • Take small pieces of smoked salmon, roll it up, and push it inside the sweet pepper
  • Wrap a small piece of bacon around the sweet pepper you just stuffed with salmon, making sure to tuck the sides of the bacon under the sweet pepper to keep it in place as the pepper bakes
  • Place all bacon wrapped peppers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  • Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes (until the bacon is crispy)

2. Cinnamon Bacon Backyard Sweet Potatoes

• Ingredients
  • 2 long, skinny sweet potatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch)
  • 4 pieces of paleo friendly bacon, diced
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • sprinkle of salt
• Directions
  • Light your grill
  • Lie out a large piece of aluminum foil
  • Sprinkle a couple pieces of bacon on the foil (this helps prevent the sweet potatoes from sticking)
  • Place sweet potatoes on top and spread out evenly
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon and salt, add the rest of the bacon on top
  • Slightly curl up the sides of the foil, and place a smaller piece of foil on top. Lock in all the sides around the foil (it should look like a foil package)
  • Place on the top rack of your grill and cook for 25-30 minutes

Mint and Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

• Ingredients
  • 1/2 melon (cantaloupe recommended), skin removed, sliced however you prefer
  • 4-5 ounces of thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• Instructions
  • Cut melon in half. Place face down on the cutting board and then cut 1 inch pieces of cantaloupe
  • Place melon pieces on a plate and sprinkle with 1-2 small mint leaves
  • Wrap a piece of prosciutto around the mint and melon
  • Repeat until all melon slices are done in this manner

Lemon Fruit Tart

• Ingredients (Crust)
  • 1 cup almond butter
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2/3 cup walnuts
  • 1 heaping tablespoon coconut cream concentrate
  • 1 heaping tablespoon raw honey
  • pinch of salt
• Ingredients (Topping)
  • 5 eggs, whisked
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • juice of 4 lemons
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
• Directions
  • Place all crust ingredients into a food processor and mix until completely broken down
  • Add crust ingredients to an 8×8 glass baking dish and press down to form an even crust. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes
  • While the crust is hardening, make your lemon topping
  • Place a small saucepan over medium heat
  • Add the eggs, honey, coconut oil, and lemon juice to the sauce pan and whisk them together
  • Continue stirring together until the mixture starts to thicken
  • Once the lemon mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat, and place in a bowl to cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes
  • Once the topping has cooled, spread it over your crust and place your raspberries and blueberries in a fun flag or star pattern!