Paleo is all the rage these days, but what exactly is it? It means eating foods that have been around for thousands of years, like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains.
You’ll also be avoiding processed food, refined sugar, dairy, gluten, soy, and other common allergens. Sounds easy enough, right?
Well, there’s more to it than just following a list of ingredients on your grocery store shelf. To get started with the paleo diet, you need to make some lifestyle changes first.
Finding paleo vegetarian recipes can be tricky so we’ve taken some of the hard work away and gathered together some of the tastiest vegetarian paleo dishes we could find (see also “What Is Vegetarian Baked Ziti And Ricotta?“)
Let’s look at some delicious vegetarian recipes to try:
Cabbage and lentils go together like peanut butter and jelly. This soup is perfect for cold days because it warms up quickly and keeps you full throughout the day. Plus, it tastes great hot or chilled.
Soup is great for lunchboxes and dinner parties alike. If you want to add even more flavor, top each serving with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Soup is also warming and comforting when you’re feeling under the weather. Try this recipe if you’re not feeling yourself, it’ll pick you up and give you a boost of vitamins.
These broccoli, mushroom and egg muffins are perfect for brunch or even dinner. They’re packed with vegetables, eggs and protein, making them a great option for vegetarians and vegans.
And because they bake up in a muffin tin, you may even feel like you’re eating something naughty.
You can also swap out the broccoli for cauliflower if you prefer. Just remember to reduce the amount of cauliflower when baking so it doesn’t turn into mush.
This red curry butternut squash soup is a perfect meal for those cold winter nights. It’s creamy and spicy, packed full of vegetables, and tastes like you’ve been cooking for hours.
It’s got a little kick, but it’s balanced out by the sweet roasted butternut squash and the richness of the coconut milk. If you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, look no further!
This soup also works well as an appetizer before a big holiday feast. You could make a massive batch and freeze it once reheated. Serve each bowl with basil leaves and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
This pumpkin and spinach quiche recipe (see also: 10 Tasty Paleo Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love)is AIP, paleo, and vegan. It is delicious and easy to prepare. It’s perfect for a seasonal breakfast or brunch. Or it makes a great choice for a weeknight dinner.
You can eat this pumpkin quiche anytime you like: breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Or you can pack it in your lunchbox for school or work. It’s the perfect dish to bring along to a potluck party.
Quiche is also good for entertaining because it’s easy to make ahead of time. So you can enjoy this tasty treat any time of the year even at thanksgiving.
This homemade two ingredient Cauliflower Gnocchi is easy, healthy, and delicious! A simple dinner that makes for easy meal prep. Toss it in a bowl of creamy spinach sauce and you’ll be in pasta heaven without the gluten headache.
Cauliflower is packed full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and It’s also low in calories and carbs.
If you don’t like cauliflower, feel free to substitute zucchini noodles instead. The only difference will be the texture.
Falafel is traditionally made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans), but we’ve substituted zucchini for the chickpeas. They’re not quite the same, but they’ll certainly satisfy your craving for falafel!
And because we’re using almond meal and coconut flour, these won’t have the same flavor profile as traditional falafel. But they’re delicious nonetheless!
Falafels are also good for packing in lunches or taking to work. You can easily reheat them in the microwave or oven.
Make up these stuffed baked sweet potatoes and you’ll have a hearty meat-and-cheese-free meal that’s delicious and nutritious (see also “10 Easy And Delicious Sweet Potato Toast Toppings“). There are at least two superfoods in play: sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Sweet potatoes contain lots of vitamin A, which helps your body absorb iron better. Broccoli contains plenty of fiber, folate, calcium, and potassium.
And finally, sun dried tomatoes have extra lycopenes in them, the substance mostly responsible for tomatoes getting so much press in health news.
So leave out the feta cheese (which is often made from cow’s milk) if you’re trying to stay strictly Paleo, or add in some goat cheese if you’ve decided to indulge once in a while.
I’m not sure why people think Brussels sprouts are boring. They’re actually quite tasty! And they’re also very good for you.
In addition to being low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins A, C, K, and folate, Brussels sprouts contain antioxidants called glucosinolates, which may reduce cancer risk.
Plus, they’re loaded with vitamin K, which helps keep bones strong. So next time you see those little cabbages, give them a try.
Sprouts also make an excellent side dish when paired with other veggies such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, etc.
These pancakes do a great job of capturing the essence of Indian cuisine in an easy recipe that you’ll want to try out tonight! They’re made with tapioca and almond flours, so no worries about grains.
There’s also no meat to be had, which means they’re a perfect side dish for any meaty meal, or as a hearty meal that will keep you satisfied. Turmeric gives them just enough flavor, and produces its distinctive orange color.
If you like a little spice, you can use chili powder instead of turmeric. Or, if you’d prefer something more mild, you could omit it entirely.
The paleo diet is all about eating real food, but it doesn’t mean that food needs to be boring. So, how can you succeed with the diet?
Tips
If you are considering following a paleo diet here are five tips to help you start your journey:
1. Start Slow
The best thing you can do when starting any new diet or exercise routine is to ease into it slowly. If you do it too fast you could end up feeling miserable and dissatisfied.
Try adding one new rule each week until you reach your goal. For example, if you want to lose weight, add 1 paleo meal every day for a few weeks before increasing it.
2. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
When you’re trying to stick to a diet plan, comparing yourself to others can be discouraging.
Instead of focusing on how much someone else weighs or measures up to, focus on yourself and your own progress. Remind yourself of all the reasons why you decided to change in the first place.
3. Make It Fun
If you find that you’re not enjoying your new diet, don’t force yourself to continue. Find something that makes sticking to your goals more enjoyable and exciting.
Maybe you love cooking so you’ll sign up for an online course where you can learn new techniques. Or maybe you enjoy hiking so you’ll join a local club.
The point is to find something that will keep you motivated to stay on track.
4. Eat Real Food
If you’re used to eating fast-food, it’s going to take time to get back on track. When you’re first starting out, it’s important to limit yourself to whole, unprocessed foods.
This includes fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans, and low-fat dairy products.
5. Be Realistic
It’s easy to fall off the wagon when you first start out on your paleo journey but remember that this isn’t forever. Your health is worth it, so set reasonable expectations for yourself.
If you’ve only lost 5 pounds after 2 months, don’t beat yourself up. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move forward.
Conclusion
Following a vegetarian paleo diet may seem daunting at first, but once you get started, you’ll see that it’s actually quite simple.
You won’t have to worry about counting calories or worrying about what you eat, because there’s nothing processed in these recipes.
All you need to do is follow the rules and you’ll be well on your way to losing weight and getting healthy.
Hi, my name is Justin Roberts and I like to live by one major rule in life – health is wealth. And where does all health stem from? The food choices we make.
I grew up in a not-so-wealthy household that often struggled to get food on the table.
The food we did eat was cheap, holding no nutritional value at all. I’m talking frozen foods, carbs, fats, and very little fresh produce.
I am fortunate enough to have made a life for myself where the money for food is no longer an issue, and I have spent the majority of it looking into healthy foods and different diets to try.
The most notable is keto and paleo. I am also interested in only using whole foods wherever possible – call it trauma!
As a professional chef, I now create recipes surrounding these diets every day. My family are my tasters, and I strive to make my recipes as budget-friendly as possible.
I hope that you’ll find some inspiration for healthier meals from my website. I want to create a catalog of recipes that you can come back to time and time again. Enjoy!
