My Little Sister’s Paleo and Gluten Free Bridal Shower

December 31, 2012 Holiday Recipes, organ meats, party tips

My Little Sister’s Paleo and Gluten Free Bridal Shower

My little sister follows the paleo lifestyle the way I do, maybe not quite as strictly because she is pretty healthy and feels great. She loves traditional foods so I wanted to incorporate that into her bridal shower that I threw for her on Dec 27, 2012 in our hometown of Nashville, TN. She is getting married June , 2013 in the mountains of NC to her Paleo groom you can read more about them here.

My sister requested a French theme becasue she loves France and speaks as well as teaches French. My mind went immediately to Pate and Macaroons! I knew this was a theme I could build a fun (and nutritious) party around. I enlisted my childhood friend Megan to help with the decorations and games because that is her strong suit. My little sister was thrilled with how it all turned out and some of the guests told me it was the best shower that they had ever attended!

Megan made these party favors that had a dual purpose. People got to have a french style napkin at the party and a souvenir to take home. What brilliant idea! Megan made trays with chalkboard paint so she could label the food in French.

We had a grilled veggie platter, an exotic cheese (including raw Gruyère and a Spanish goat milk) cheese tray with honey, gluten free Mary’s Gone Crackers, crudites, organic meatballs and pastured chicken liver pate.We also had a pumpkin Thyme soup, nuts and olives. I don’t eat the crackers but it was nice to have something for the non-paleo (most of the guests were not) people to eat that wouldn’t gluten contaminate everything. Notice my new pate terrine from Le Creuset that I got for Christmas!

We had spiced apple cider and San Pellegrino to drink.

Here is a shot of my plate with lots of veggies, grilled and raw with pate, meatballs and fruit salad. My chef husband helped me with the food which took a lot of the pressure off. He is a lifesaver!

This is my sister and me enjoying the party. Megan made this great sign of the names of the Subway stops in Paris. It was a great touch that added to the ambiance.

This is a shot of my creamy pumpkin thyme soup that we also served at the shower. It is made with coconut milk so it is dairy free! It was a big hit with the ladies and my stepmom was so surprised that she could not taste the coconut flavor at all. It was low carb and very warming on this chilly December night.

I made this winter fruit salad with pomegranates, coconut flakes, persimmons and mandarin oranges. It is important to eat with the seasons for more nutrient density and a lower carbon footprint. This salad reminded me of the ambrosia salad my grandma used to make without the marshmallows and sweet dairy dressing of course.

The grain free macaroons that my husband (and chef) made were the pièce de résistance! Everyone went crazy over them. The guests were fighting over the last ones.

Here is one more pic of my adorable little sister opening her gifts which she requested to all be non-plastic and no toxic Teflon! Go little sis! Congratulations! I gave her my favorite set of CorningWare FrenchBake and Serve Set so she can bake lots of Paleo treats! We thought it would be fun if she wore a beret if you are wondering why she is wearing that cute hat.

Party Wrap-Up:

It was a lot of work and I could feel my adrenals kicking into overdrive but it was nice to have a party with healthy nourishing food that I could feel good about serving and eating. No one asked “where is the bread” or “can I have cake”? Even the pickiest of eaters found something they enjoyed. I made sure I slept in the next day to recover from all the cooking and standing. We had lots of yummy leftovers so we didn’t have to cook the next day, yeah!

I hope you stick to your healthy grain free real food diet next time you plan a party. Your guest will not even notice what is “missing” they will only be full from the traditional foods the way they are meant to be eaten.

About the Author: Caitlin Weeks

Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com