20If I were forced to become a deejay, my order of operations would look
something like this:
Hold brainstorming sessions to determine what my deejay name should be
(trying to avoid the Marky Mark “just add a ‘y’ to your first name”
strategy);
Wonder why I got into this profession when no one listens to the radio anymore; and
Spend the entire winter waiting for the first hint of good weather when I can break out Will Smith’s “Summertime” from the early 90s.
I love that song. I love that it adds optimism to my life. And I love one specific line: “the smell from a grill can spark up nostalgia.”
Which brings us to the point of this post: summer barbecues.
If you, too, are moved by the nostalgia from the smell of a grill, that nostalgia likely includes foods that aren’t Paleo approved. So, no more buns. No more ketchup. No more bags of Doritos.
It’s a very easy place to slip up, since barbecues are fun and often a large group of people with different eating habits and preferences. Nobody wants to feel like a burden on the host; telling them “Oh, I can’t have that, or that, or… well, I’ll just have another hamburger pattie”, etc. And nobody wants to be the guy saying “can you make sure my vegan veggie patty doesn’t come into contact with any beef residue on your grill…”
With that in mind, here are some tips for maintaining your Paleo-ness (clinical term) through barbecues:
1. Always bring a side dish. Meaning, literally, bring an additional dish/plate with you for eating without the buns. You may not have finger food like other people, so be ready to fill up your plate/s with everything paleo instead of opting for the bun and burger wrapped in a napkin.
2. Bring a figurative side dish — a big bag of chopped veggies, sweet potatoes or other Paleo goodness. There’s a good chance people are going to be spooning up BBQ beans, potato salad, and bags of chips. If all you have is a hamburger patty on your plate, those are going to be pretty tempting. Be prepared with the side dishes.
3. As always, think ahead. Prepare. The worst case scenario would be to show up unprepared and hungry. Take the extra ten minutes to make something that’s Paleo approved.
Here are some barbecue suggestions from us and around the web:
• From us: Barbecued Juneau Shrimp
• Pork Backbone with Tamarind Barbecue Sauce from Paleo Parents
