Superbowl Sunday: Can You Keep Paleo?

The big game is almost here and I can’t wait!  OK, I’m telling a lie.  I admit it; when it comes to one of the most popular sports in the country, I’m clueless.

Despite two college ex-boyfriends who were very into football, being an alum of USC and having read Football for Dummies, the cold, hard truth is that I have no idea what’s going on.

However, one thing I’m far from clueless on is how to Paleo-ize the game day fare.

Of course, I get it- you’re hardly going to sell the guys or gals who are coming over to watch the game on the idea of eating raw kale, water with cucumber and boiled chicken breast with lemon as the event unfolds.  I’m not even suggesting you have to keep it completely Paleo but what you can do is make it as Paleo as possible and then leave room for guests to contribute what they choose.  That way, at least you have options.

• As the host, you can control everything you prepare and serve.   Given that your guests are likely going to bring pizza, hot wings, chips, dips and beer, there’s really no need for you to provide more of the same.
• Just like any other day of the year, keep the food inviting on many levels-present it well, use herbs, spices, seasoning in order to make it taste delicious and use this day as a perfect example of an opportunity to show how good Paleo really can be.  In fact, depending on your audience, you could even go so far as to opt not to announce that it’s Paleo, if you have skeptics in tow.
• Some easy options include crudites plates with homemade guacamole and/ or salsa, free range chicken and grass fed beef skewers, fresh fruit with a bit of raw nuts and, although I feel a bit sacrilegious about it, I supposed you could even include some kale chips (I’m just a purist when it comes to kale and prefer to have it raw!).
• Serve red wine rather than margaritas and beer, but offer plenty of water, too.  My current favorite is Badoit sparkling as the bubbles seem smaller and gentler compared to some other sparkling mineral waters on the market.

Enjoy the day, eat your to your Paleo heart’s content and don’t worry about eating too many wings or too much pizza, because if you have all the foods above in their proxy, you can opt not to eat any of the junk in the first place.

How nice to wake up Monday morning with no hangover (neither from alcohol nor the non Paleo foods), head out for your normal Monday morning workout and get into the office bright and early with a chipper smile, while your co workers down cup after cup of java to address their pounding headaches.

No… go team!  Right, who’s playing again?