Holiday Dilemma # 3: On the Topic of Stuffing…

What about stuffing, Nell?  I love it!  I don’t know why; I know it’s not healthy and certainly not Paleo…Any ideas for what to eat instead?

For starters, let’s think about the name.  Stuffing.  Pretty much says it all.  What happens if you eat it?  You’ll feel stuffed.  Do you actually want to feel stuffed?

I don’t.

Why not call it a filler?   No different from feeding corn products to cattle or hens, or adding rice starch to pet food, it can certainly ‘fill someone up’, but there’s no nutrition in it.  If the goal is to pack on the pounds through empty calories, then go ahead and pile it on!

Set aside whether someone agrees with the concept of Paleo or not, the mere idea of serving something with the goal of ‘stuffing’ someone doesn’t sound very appealing.  

Even more so as it’s something that’s served in addition to an abundance of other foods on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table, rather than something to be eaten in place of  vegetables and protein when they’re not available due to monetary restraints.  (A box of good old Stove Top is only $1.98 for six servings on walmart.com- far cheaper than six servings of most vegetables and protein).

There are so many foods that are already part of the traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas meal that just happen to be Paleo, that not partaking in the stuff (sorry, bad joke) wouldn’t be that difficult as you can still experience many of the other offerings, such as turkey, veggie dishes and seasonal fruits, like apples.

Finally, if you don’t already have it, be sure and check out The Paleo Diet Cookbook, which I collaborated on with the one and only Dr. Cordain and his wife, in which you’ll find a recipe for a paleo stuffing recipe, using many of the flavors and spices perfect for this time of year!

 Enjoying the meal without feeling like you’ve induced a food coma after the fact is not only a possibility, it’s easy!