For years, grains have formed the largest portion of the food pyramid. But recently, the country made a switch from the pyramid to My Plate, a graphic of what your plate should look like at each meal.
While grains are a much smaller component of the plate, they are still singled out as a necessary item to be included with your meals.
Doctors and nutritionists alike talk about the importance of whole grains in your diet, and this is certainly true. However, most of the grains that people end up eating (flour in baked goods, pastas and breads) are not whole. Often they’re bleached and contain little nutritional value.
Cue the Paleo diet. This diet seeks to remove unnecessary grains in favor of more nutritional alternatives. This diet is also great for those who are gluten-free. Since many of the foods we love have low nutritional value, I’ve compiled this list of recipes to help you keep those foods in your life without the grains.
Blueberry Muffins
You won’t have to skip out on muffins at breakfast. Next time you’re craving them, try this recipe that swaps white flour for coconut flour. It also uses 6 eggs for hunger-fighting nourishment to last the morning. These babies taste even better than they look.
Apple Spice Cake in a Mug
These recipes might be grain-free, but they’re definitely not difficult to make. This apple spice mug cake takes two minutes to cook in the microwave, making it 100% dorm- friendly. There are no excuses not to try this one.
Almond Butter Cookies
Grain free does not mean you have to give up desserts, and these almond butter cookies prove that. They don’t have a flour substitute, but maintain all the qualities of a chewy, baked-to-golden-pefection cookie. They’re also vegan, so that’s a win-win in my eyes.
Avocado Potato Toast
Avocado toast is a super trendy food, but if you’re trying to remove grains from your diet you can’t eat the the main components of the dish: toast. Luckily, you can mash your avocado on a golden slice of potato and it’s just as delicious. Try it out, and I’m sure you’ll never go back to bread again.
The idea of going grain-free can seem daunting. However, there are tons of variations, like those above, that allow you to still enjoy the foods you love. Experiment and create some of your own, too.