Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods
It’s perhaps the most commonly asked question, both here in the forums and around the Primal/paleo blogosphere: what about bread/rice/grains/mashed potatoes/fish-and-chips/sweets? That is, what Primal foods can I eat that will satisfy my nascent urges for conventional “comfort foods”? In a perfect fat-adapted world, these urges would be non-existent. We would all be sated on nothing but meat, fat, vegetables, and a bit of fruit, and on a normal day I would stress the importance of desiring truly Primal foods rather than Primal approximations of high-carb, conventional fare.
Today isn’t a normal day, though. We’re in the middle of a particularly intensive Health Challenge, one that centers around making small (but doable) positive changes. For all our new members, finding alternate low-carb versions of the classic high-carb foods can be just the ticket to maintaining their personal health commitments under duress – and for that reason, I rounded up every low-carb food alternative source I could find. Strict PB pros and Primal stalwarts, forgive me, but I’m doing it for everyone’s collective good. Consider this my 80/20 moment. (wink)
Breads/Muffins/Cakes
Coconut Flour Rolls (Thanks, Tim!)
Medicine Woman’s Roots: Golden Flax Bread
Oopsie Rolls (Gluten-Free Buns)
Low-Carb Meatloaf (Hey, it’s technically in loaf form. Thanks, Richard!)
Chips and Crackers
Sweet Potato Chips with Cinnamon
Pizza
Son of Grok’s Famous Pizza Crust
Eggplant Pizza (scroll down a bit)
Paleo Pizza (Thanks, Scott!)
Rice
Cauliflower Rice Pilaf (Thanks, maba!)
Cauliflower Pesto Rice (Thanks, Elizabeth!)
Pasta
Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Cauliflower (Steam, then into the food processor with salt, butter, and pepper – super easy)
Dairy
Coconut milk (Smoothie)
Flours
Breaded Fried Stuff
Coconut Chicken Fingers with Spicy Fruit Chutney
Coconut Encrusted Chicken Salad
Almond and Parmesan Baked Tilapia
Thickeners
Pancakes
New Almond Meal Pancake Variant
Snacks
Primal Alternatives to Non-Primal Snacks
Desserts
Low-Carb Dessert Recipes (Almond Macaroons, Fruit and Nut Crumble etc.)
Whew. That should about do it. Thanks to everyone who graciously made their recipes available online, and thanks to the entire Primal community. We’re well over half way through the challenge – no more faltering! If you need it, consider this low-carb roundup an instant support system for those times of weakness. Oh, and let me know if I missed anything.
Grok on!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
The Son of Grok’s pizza recipe sounds great!
Here’s an interesting recipe for Grain Free Blueberry Muffins from Organic & Thrifty.
Wow! This post is awesome!
Thanks Mark!
What a nice collection! It’s great to have all these links on one page.
I still think that raw, unpastuized goat milk is primal, and incredible good for you, being that it does not have much casein in it. It’s as close to human monthers milk as you can get. I love it!
It’s great with flax muffins mixed with 100% cacao and sweetened with Stevia. Almost like a brownie!
Do you have a recipe for those flax muffins?
If I’m going to cheat I’m going to cheat, not half way cheat. Half ways always seem to promote more because “it isn’t that bad”, while the real thing doesn’t hide how bad it is.
Now excuse me, I need a nap off all the carbs I had at lunch.
I have a pizza version too http://castlegrok.com/tag/pizza/ but that zucchini version has my name all over it!
wow these are fantastic recipes!
thank you so much! shows we can be Primal and not feel deprived!
Darlene
Some of the pancake recipes suggest adding some baking soda. Is that okay?
I love all these options. I keep looking hard at Primal/Paleo liftstyles and having more options makes it VERY tempting.
“If I’m going to cheat I’m going to cheat, not half way cheat.”
I have to clarify first that if I eat something off plan, whatever my current plan might be, I don’t call it a “cheat”. To me, that way lies bad mental mojo.
But more importantly, I just know there are some things I’ll never eat again, because I no longer consider them food — Ho Ho’s are my favorite example, I used to scarf those by the case! Likewise anything grain-based — it’s just not on the menu ever again, period, and it’s not a question of willpower because I genuinely don’t want those things now. What I *do* occasionally want is something that’s still bad for me, but a lot less than the junk I used to eat. Something like the things on this list…and assuming I make my goal of seeing those last bottles in the six-pack, I may indulge in one of these desserty things once a year for my birthday, along with that one remaining grain I allow myself — single malt scotch!
Absolutely brilliant post, thanks a lot.
Almond flour makes a good sub for many items baked with traditional flours. And I was just looking for a jerky recipe!
this site:
http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.com/
is a beautiful dream…
this woman has TALENT.
This is a great resource Mark.
I find that when I am really dailled into the Primal diet, I don’t even crave the things that would require substitutes. For me personally, having the substitutes actually weakens the purity of my Primal mindset. I often use the substitutes to transition from a period of ‘lapsing’ back into pure primal but after a month or so, I lose interest in the substitutes and just buzz off the basics.
Mar Mar Mark
Shaun here!
I am happy I’ve found your site and the first post is a great food post! Thank you. You see i am a food monster and know the basics of good foods to eat, which is good. But that gets boring, i need variations. My main focus has been on how to build a great body around common life styles and the hurdles we face.
any how, great post!
Shaun
SFB
Here’s a recipe for making your own Almond Milk: http://cavegirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/matts-almond-milk.html
Or using cauliflower in place of rice: http://cavegirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/07/coconut-curry-chicken-with-cauliflower.html
Wow Mark. What a great resource.
It’s tantamount to a cookbook and I’m happy to have contributed.
Perhaps someone could give Jamie Van Eaton, aka Cleochatra, some credit for using her Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe, since everyone seems to be making their own variations on the theme she originated.
I Can’t Believe It’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust!
She’s got some really great recipes on her blog, so do check them out!
Thank you, Cleo!
I made all of these for dinner today. Just kidding, but one might be good.
Wow. *__*
There is a lot here I hadn’t even heard of. I’m definitely bookmarking this post. But especially for the coconut pancakes. Coconut is my favourite primal food.
Nice.. so when’s the cookbook coming up ?
I was wondering if natural honey is ok to eat if you are eating Primal?
Beet chips are also really easy to make. Slice really thin, toss with salt and oil, bake in the oven until crisp.
It is really that simple, but you can google for a recipe if you need one, for example:
http://heart-healthy-cooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/beet_chips
http://lemonbasil.blogspot.com/2009/03/baked-chioggia-beet-chips.html
Mark,
I saw that there were some substitutes for mashed potatoes… Why aren’t they primal?
This is a nice list, but there’s been more added since. I wish you would use tagging and make ‘primal substitutes’ at tag so such recipes could easily be found. I just spent nearly 20 minutes looking for the almond banana pancake recipe. Of course, that’s because I keep getting distracted by other recipes.
Just curious as to whether anyone has come up with a way to make a primal tortilla? I imagine it shouldn’t be that hard for someone who understands how ingredients work together. I can follow a recipe but inventing on my own is still a work in progress. Thank you.
Hi Mark,
I am presently moving through Phase 2 of whats called the “HCG Diet” In phase 3, I am to eat NO Starch and NO Sugar for 3 weeks and then slowly reintroduce them into my regular eating habits.
I have been researching to find a healthy way of eating for a lifestyle after I have completed my last phase of this diet….this is how I came across your website! I googled ‘STARCH Free pizza crust’ and you were there in the mix. I
OPPS! I would like to know if you have any insight into how I might eat during this transitioning period between ending this diet and begining to eat a heathly lifestyle.
Thank you,
Deborah
Hi there, I was wondering how the HCG diet is working for you and how much weight you have lost, maybe you can shared your experience with me as I am very interested…thank you kindly
Cindy
I lost 23 pounds in 19 days on the HCG diet. At 54 I am under 200 lbs for first time in 20 years and am following a primal diet (for most part and am keeping it off) I did HCG under a doctors care. I think the HCG diet is genius and works.
Thanks for this! I am excited to try out these recipes! Actually alternative to my low carb meals I got!
Bill
There are grain-free tortilla recipes out there if you look. This morning, I had a burr-omelet
- a regular old burrito, but I replaced the tortilla with a thin omelet. I had to eat it with a fork, but it was still delicious!
FarmerB
The link for the Oopsie Rolls doesn’t work. I searched around the site and the page seems to be located here now:
http://www.examiner.com/low-carb-in-national/want-supple-low-carb-buns-oopsie-rolls-are-induction-friendly-and-gluten-free?cid=parsely#parsely
You probably want to update the link in this post.