Perfect Snacks for Paleo Diet Lovers

The Paleo Diet is the new craze in the health and fitness world. The basic philosophy of the diet is to avoid grains, processed vegetable oils, and refined sugars. These food items are substituted with lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil and fish. The Paleo Diet is based on the dietary habits of our Paleolithic ancestors who were well built hunters. For more information on this diet, head on over and read What is Paleo Diet and How it Works.
For now, we’ve listed several Paleo approved snacks that you can enjoy when you’re hungry.

Beef/Turkey Bacon and Guacamole Sandwich

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We’ll start the list off with this delicious sandwich which is rich in protein and healthy fat. Guacamole is a dip formed by mashing avocados into a pulpy mixture. The following step-by-step recipe will teach you how to make this easy snack:

1. To make guacamole, simply take an avocado and mash it up in a bowl.
2. Then make a mixture of fresh lime juice, salt (a pinch will do the trick), and freshly ground pepper.
3. Add this mixture to the avocado mash.
4. Once you fry the bacon with light olive oil or canola oil, take a spoon and spread the freshly prepared guacamole in between two bacon strips.

Cauliflower Popcorn

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Corn is forbidden in the Paleo diet. So when you’re watching a movie, why not enjoy a different snack that is brimming with nutritional goodness? The following guidelines will help you master the cauliflower popcorn recipe in no time:

1. To make cauliflower popcorn, take one head of cauliflower, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and add it to a mixture of olive oil and salt.
3. Bake the olive oil covered cauliflower in the oven for 1 hour at 425 degrees.
4. Turn the pieces around occasionally to get that perfect crisp texture and lovely golden-brown color.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

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Here’s an appetizing twist to the regular egg recipes: simple but oh-so-scrumptious! Here’s what you need to do:

1. Hard boil a few eggs (add a teaspoon of baking powder to make it easier to peel).
2. Once you peel the eggs, cut them in half.
3. Remove the yolk, add it to your guacamole mix and mash them together.
4. Refill the egg whites with the guacamole/yolk mash.

Paleo Hummus and Veggie Slices

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Traditional hummus contains chickpeas which, in the paleo diet, are another no-no. Instead, opt for a unique hummus recipe that uses cauliflower as a base ingredient. To make paleo hummus, follow these step-by-step guidelines:

1. Chop cauliflower into small quarter pieces.
2. Toss the cauliflower in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, paprika and salt.
3. Bake the cauliflower in the oven for 30 minutes at 500 degrees.
4. Remove the cauliflower and put it in a blender.
5. Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ cup tahini and chopped garlic into the blender.
6. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
7. Enjoy with slices of your cucumber, carrots and celery .

Baba Ghanoush and Veggie Slices

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Baba Ghanoush is another Arabic side dish that is similar to hummus. The difference is that Baba Ghanoush is made with eggplants. Here’s the simple recipe:

1. Take one large eggplant and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.
2. Remove the eggplant and put it in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes so that you can easily peel off the skin.
3. Chop up the eggplant into small pieces so that you can put them easily in a blender.
4. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoon of tahini, 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper into the blender.
5. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
6. Enjoy the Baba Ghanoush chilled slices of your favorite vegetables.

Egg McMuffin

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Chocolate muffins may be forbidden on a paleo diet, but you can still try this delicious substitute:

1. Whisk 6 eggs in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, sauté one chopped onion in 2 tablespoon of virgin olive oil (NOT extra-virgin), until the onion is brown.
3. Add one cup of diced beef salami and the sautéed onions into the whisked eggs. Add two pinches of salt and mix.
4. Spread some olive oil around the insides of the muffin tray moulds.
5. Pour in an equal amount of the whisked eggs in each mould. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 330 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Avocado with Sunflower Seeds

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This easy and flavorsome snack can be prepared in the following way:

1.  Cut one avocado into two halves and remove the black pit.
2.  Add salted sunflower seeds to the center for a soft and crunchy treat.

Green Eggs

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Green eggs are a fun and super healthy way of getting a healthy dose of protein and green vegetables at the start of the day. Here’s how:

1. Add 4 eggs (number can vary) and 4 large kale leaves (do not trim or remove the stems) into a blender and blend.
2. Place the mixture into a frying pan with canola oil and scramble the eggs.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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This tempting snack can be prepared in the following way:

1. Cut sweet potatoes into wedges, slices or chunks.
2. Add a touch of olive oil and rosemary
3.  Roast the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until the potatoes are tender.

This is a healthy alternative for regular French fries that contain tons of unhealthy trans-fat.

Almond “Cheese” with Apple Slices

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These step-by-step guidelines will help you master this recipe in no time:

1. Soak 1 cup of almonds in lukewarm water until it becomes easy to peel them.
2.  Toss them into the blender and mix until the mixture becomes pulpy.
3. Refrigerate it until it becomes like ricotta cheese.
4. Pair with apple slices for a filling and balanced snack.

Paleo Pizza Bites

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Pizza uses bread dough, which is not compatible with the paleo diet. But don’t fret; you can still enjoy pizza bites by using beef pepperoni as the base instead of bread dough. Here’s how:

1. Take 20-30 large slices of pepperoni and put them in the oven for about 8 minutes, at 400 degrees, flipping them over once.
2. Remove the pepperoni and spread a spoonful of pizza sauce on each slice.
3. Add toppings such as grated parmesan cheese, black olives, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms.

Chili-Lime Chicken Wings

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This recipe requires a bit more preparation than the other foods we’ve listed so far.

1. You’ll need ½ of a chopped onion, 2 jalapeno peppers, 3 chopped garlic cloves, ½ cup cilantro, fresh ground pepper, zest from 2 limes (removing small fine pieces of the lime using a vegetable peeler), ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons of coconut amino.
2. Blend all of these ingredients until a bright green puree is formed.
3. Place chicken wings/drumsticks in a bowl with the marinade and mix well with your hands.
4. Leave the marinated chicken in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and no more than 12 hours.
5. Remove the chicken 30 minutes before you cook it.
6. Place it in the oven (preheated at 400 degrees) and roast the chicken for 30 minutes, turning it over once in a while.

Basil-Artichoke Turkey Meatballs

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This is a nutritional substitute to kofta.

1. You’ll need 2 kg of ground turkey, 1 can of diced artichoke, ¼ cup of finely diced yellow onion, 4-5 tablespoons of fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, 1 teaspoon of canola oil and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Add the diced onions and artichoke in a pan with canola oil and heat.
4. Remove them from the pan and put them in a bowl. Mix the ground turkey with artichoke and onions, gradually including the rest of the ingredients.
5. Make meatballs out of the mix and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
6. Enjoy with meat sauce, veggies or even guacamole.

Kale Chips

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This recipe is quick and simple: Tear kale into bite-sized pieces, coat in olive oil or coconut oil, add a pinch of salt and bake until the edges are crispy and brown.

Crispy Mushroom Chips

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The recipe for mushroom chips is as follows:

1. You’ll need 10 ounces of your choice of mushrooms (we recommend king oyster mushrooms if you can find these), 2 tablespoons of melted ghee (clarified butter), salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. First preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and place a baking sheet on a baking tray.
3. If you are indeed using the king oyster mushrooms, slice them into very thin slices using a mandolin slicer.
4. Place the slices on the tray making sure they are dry.
5. Brush the mushrooms with melted ghee and season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they are golden brown and crispy.

Spiced Macadamia Nuts

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The recipe is as follows:

1. Add 2 cups of macadamia nuts to a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Make sure the macadamia nuts are well coated.
3. Place the nuts on a sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Almond Butter Ants on a Log

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To make almond butter, take 3-4 cups of almonds and place them in a blender. You will need to blend the almonds for at least 25-30 minutes until a creamy paste is formed. Dip your favorite vegetables into the butter and enjoy a wholesome, nutritious snack.

Grilled Peaches

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Here’s how you can make grilled peaches:

1. Cut as many peaches as you want into wedges.
2. Coat the sides with coconut oil,
3. Grill on medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side.
4. They’re sweet as is, but you can dip them into honey.

Chocolate-Covered Turkey/Beef Bacon

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Ever wondered if you could eat bacon as a dessert? Yes you can! All you have to do is cover cooked bacon with 10-12 ounces of dark chocolate for a savory snack.
Well there you have it. Some incredibly delicious, nutritious and easy to prepare foods that you can enjoy as breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks!