A Meal for Paleo and Vegetarian Folks to Share

I was talking to a friend the other day who's family is eating Paleo these days and they were having Vegetarian friends for dinner the next night. Those two can be a tricky combination!

People who follow a Paleo way of eating typically do not eat beans, grains, or dairy. This sure does leave one grasping for the "meat" of a meal when Paleo and Vegetarian friends come together. 

I suggested to my friend a warming Carrot Ginger Soup for dinner with some type of savory (high protein) Paleo muffin or biscuit to go with it (I wouldn't use earth balance... perhaps coconut oil). And of course, a bountiful green salad, plus something yummy for dessert like berry smoothie treats, made so thick they should be eaten with a spoon.

It turns out my friend's daughter can't eat eggs (typically eaten in abundance by Paleos), so the biscuits would not be an option for them. She did however have the great idea of making tacos, two ways! Meat tacos for her family, bean tacos for their friends - with all the fixin's shared between them. Perfect! 

For today, I wanted to share with you the recipes that came to mind during that chat. Both are pulled from the Whole Food Kitchen archives, I hope you enjoy them!

Notes: My dessert recipe calls for the decadent addition of dark chocolate shavings, the particular chocolate I used is not considered strictly Paleo, but a little googling and you will find some that are if that is what you'd like. Also, my Carrot Ginger Soup calls for orange juice, something that Paleo enthusiasts would like to see fresh squeezed (yum!) and kept to a minimum at that. Just wanted to point those two things out.

 

Carrot Ginger Soup

serves 3-4

Ingredients:

•  2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 cups chopped, peeled carrots (about 10-12 carrots)
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice 
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for several minutes, until tender. Add ginger, sauté one minute more.
2. Add carrot, broth, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. 
3. Add orange juice.  
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender or food processor. (If using blender or processor, small batches is important with hot soup.)
5. Check seasoning. Serve.

 

Frozen Raspberries and Dark Chocolate

serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen raspberries
• 2 - 4 tablespoons honey (depends on your preference)
• 3/4 - 1 1/4 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1 ounce dark chocolate, grated 

Directions:

1. Place first three ingredients in the blender, starting with just 3/4 cup milk, cover.
2. Blend until pureed. 
3. You may need to stop and scrape down the blender sides, then blend again, a few times.
4. Add more milk, a little at a time as needed. The less you use, the thicker this dessert will be.
5. Layer into dessert glass with sprinkle of grated chocolate.  

 

Print Recipes

Carrot Ginger Soup 

Frozen Raspberries and Dark Chocolate

It might not seem easy or obvious, but with a little creativity there's always a way to break bread with friends, all the while keeping the whole table healthy, happy, and nourished.