Help with Guest Asking for Paleo-Friendly Brunch

[Anonymous]

I am biting my tongue and all else about this….but the spouse of a dear friend is coming with that friend and their two elementary school kids for brunch on Sunday. They are visiting from out of town so this is a unique occasion: our children have never met and we've not seen them in over 10 years.

I have been and am still recovering from a minor surgery and had planned on 'outsourcing' and picking up a quiche, fruit salad, etc. The friend has let us know that his spouse is on Paleo and suggested that we serve a frittata instead.

I can't do a frittata for bunches of reasons.

Can someone please suggest an entree that works for Paleo, ideally one I can pick up someplace (we're no longer in DC but have Whole Foods and places somewhat like Dean and DeLuca as well as other options). I'd welcome suggestions for any side dishes, etc., too. I've been told that the spouse and the kids aren't on Paleo and eat 'anything' but it's not sitting well with me to serve a meal that doesn't focus on ensuring we're Paleo'ing….since the original entree is not suitable.

DH has offered to cook -- but I was looking for something we could pick up that morning and serve easily so that we could focus on visiting with the family rather than on preparing food.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Paleo is easy for breakfast - scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit. I know quiche is easy to pick up but scrambled eggs only take minutes

[Anonymous]

I would go with your original plan, but have some eggs on hand at home. It is such an easy thing to poach, fry or scramble some eggs for the Paleo spouse and that wouldn't make much of a mess to clean up.

[Anonymous]

Or if your husband has offered to cook, have him put together a breakfast casserole such as this one:

http://paleomg.com/easy-breakfast-casserole/

He can make it in a slowcooker over night, even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go with your original plan, but have some eggs on hand at home. It is such an easy thing to poach, fry or scramble some eggs for the Paleo spouse and that wouldn't make much of a mess to clean up.

This is a great idea.

[Anonymous]

How rude. OP, I'd pull out the scrambled eggs too and be glad you only have to see these people every 10 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go with your original plan, but have some eggs on hand at home. It is such an easy thing to poach, fry or scramble some eggs for the Paleo spouse and that wouldn't make much of a mess to clean up.

This is a great idea.

Yes this. It is so rude unless he has to always eat Paleo for medical reasons (doubtful). I would not do anything special for him. He can eat an egg and fruit.

[Anonymous]

If I were a paleo guest (and I have been in the past), I would offer to bring something to share with Everyone! Surprised they didn't offer that option.

But to the op--any egg/vegetable casserole with very basic ingredients (olive oil, veggies, eggs) with no flour or milk or cheese added would work. If your husband is offering to cook, let him. It will be easier than trying to buy something and then serve the other things you were planning.

[Anonymous]

Could you just supply the spouse with a flint arrowhead and suggest that she go out and bring back a mammoth?

[Anonymous]

Boiled eggs, Rotisserie chicken, Spinach leaves, Tomatoes, Avacado. Nuts. Condiments. Layer and serve.

[Anonymous]

I'm a primal eater (paleo but can have diary, wine, and dark chocolate) I'd find out if they are strict paleo or if they do cheese.

I agree with the annoyance factor--they should offer to bring something. Anyways, paleo is really easy to serve up--think meat/nuts/fruit/veggies; you don't have to really cook more than just heat discrete things up, and serve other things raw.

Like avocado cut in half with some Lawrey's seasoning salt on it. Scrambled eggs.

There is a super-easy, awesome chicken recipe that I've been making every week now since I found it. It takes 3 hours in the oven because the heat is low--the beauty of that is you get it going and forget about it, and the heat is so low that you can go a little longer and not worry about burning it.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/slow-roasted-chicken/#axzz3JoEfYrmF

oh and while I was getting you the recipe, here's another that I haven't made but looks amazing--bacon trail mix! You could make that ahead of time and of course, eat it yourself too…

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/bacon-trail-mix/#axzz3JoEfYrmF

[Anonymous]

If it's brunch, just pick up a rotisserie chicken for the table. If you have that and a green salad, the paleo eater should be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you just supply the spouse with a flint arrowhead and suggest that she go out and bring back a mammoth?

So funny.

OP, sorry you're dealing with a rude guest. When I was on a highly restricted diet (for medical reasons), I brought my own food (cold or microwaveable) everywhere and just apologized for my inability to be a gracious guest.

I like the rotisserie chicken and green salad suggestion. I'm not on any special diet currently and I'd enjoy that at brunch, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's brunch, just pick up a rotisserie chicken for the table. If you have that and a green salad, the paleo eater should be fine.

I don't know, if they're willing to make this kind of request of someone who they haven't seen in ten years and who will have just had surgery, I suspect they might be picky about being served not particularly breakfasty food at brunch.

Although that PaleOMG breakfast bake looks pretty good.

[Anonymous]

This is truly a rude request, in my opinion. "Paleo" covers a lot of different diets, too, so how the hell as you supposed to know what's acceptable?

I would proceed with the original plan and serve some scrambled eggs alongside the quiche but I wouldn't try to do anything more than that.