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The latest diet is actually not a diet, but a change in lifestyle. It is born out of the gluten free, grain free, organic, holistic, sustainable movement that we have seen emerging at a high rate over the last couple years, and which we will continue to see skyrocketing more in the future. It is called the Paleo Diet (pay leo) or the caveman diet. A simple way to think about it is to eat as the caveman would (and no, that doesn’t mean eat raw meats - unless of course it is a wonderful carpaccio or tartare - but that's a different story!) Our Paleolithic ancestors were nomads, traveling to find food, so they didn’t tend to stay in one place and plant and harvest crops. They ate what was wild, fresh and lean; natural things they could gather such as nuts, berries, fruits and seeds. In an effort to prepare you for this new diet for a passenger of flight crew, I felt I could share a bit of information about this new lifestyle eating plan. Those eating Paleo, may be doing so in an effort to relieve or eliminate allergies for gastro intestinal problems, or because they have an autoimmune disease . . . or simply to feel better and be healthier. The Paleo diet claims to eliminate bloating, clear up acne, eradicate seasonal allergies, free you from migraines, and even help you shed a few pounds. While none of this is guaranteed, doctors do say that cleaning up your diet and focusing on whole, fresh foods is definitely a good idea. Simple and uncomplicated When you or your catering source are assisting in the planning of the meals served on board for your Paleo passengers try to keep things simple and uncomplicated. The more complicated a menu is, the less likely it will conform to the Paleo diet. Plan only a palm size portion of meat or fish. Request organic, wild caught or wild game as much as possible. Buffalo and Bison are probably more consistent with what our Paleolithic ancestors had available than a cow, but beef is accepted for the diet as well. Chicken, turkey and eggs, actually all types of eggs, are acceptable as well. If available opt for cage free, free range and organic. Lamb is allowed, as is pork. From the pork family, the Paleo diet allows nitrate free bacon, ham, pork chops, basically anything . . . but again organic. From the seafood arena, enjoy it all. One of my favorites for the aircraft is Shrimp baked in Parchment with vegetables and lemon and garlic. The parchment style baking steams the food, keeping it moist and tender. Another is wild swordfish with mango avocado salsa on sliced oranges, drizzled in balsamic.
Another great idea for the aircraft summer appetizer menu are cucumber rolls with oven roasted chicken salad filling…simple right? And as a side for breakfast, try sweet potato home fries. The ideas are endless and with substitutions, most any “old version” of a recipe can be converted to Paleo. Request organic vegetables Generally speaking, when we plan a menu we allow for meat or protein, vegetables and a grain or legume on the plate. Now all you need to do is eliminate the grain portion and increase the vegetable portion. Request organic vegetables, seasonal and local, when available. The Paleo diet allows almost every vegetable; from artichokes, asparagus, beets (on the list of superfoods these can be eaten raw, grilled, steamed, baked or pickled), broccoli or Brussel sprouts. Ask your catering source to skewer the Brussel sprouts and then char grill them for a side vegetable, You'll love the outcome! (the grilling tones down their strong flavor a bit) . . . . . . cabbage, carrots (a true vegetable staple, cooked, raw, pickled or grilled), cauliflower, celery - did you know you should always ask your catering source to “string” your celery and remove those tough strings that you can never seem to totally chew up? (it makes eating raw celery on a crudité tray so much more enjoyable!) . . . . . . collard greens, cucumber, dandelion or dandelion extract, eggplant, endive, kale, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, parsley, parsnips, peppers (mild or hot - they not only add color and texture to the meal, but could add a bit of heat which is proven to speed up your metabolism) . . . . . . pumpkin, radish (I read recently that radishes fight off cancer and also help individuals with respiratory problems. Have you tried cooked radishes? Yum!), rhubarb (which is in season now), lettuces, rutabaga, seaweed or kelp, spinach, squash, Swiss chard (not one of my favorites because of its bitterness, so I suggest you blend it with spinach and kale in a sauté or salad), tomato (oops, this should actually be listed in the fruit category but digested differently by the body so you can eat without worry of it raising blood sugar levels), turnips (luckily you can eat the tops and bottoms with these), watercress, and zucchini. Fruit Fruits are also an important part of the Paleo diet, but in moderation. Accepted fruits are apples, apricot, avocado – yes this is a fruit and not a vegetable, banana (for those looking for potassium, multiple vitamins and minerals these are a great source), blue and blackberries, boysenberries (a nice but different taste from other berries), cantaloupe, cherimoya (not only high in vitamin C but also in B6 for energy), cherries (FYI these are high in natural melatonin which will help in sleep if eaten before bed time), cranberries, figs, guava, honeydew, kiwi, lemon and limes, lychee, mango, papaya (all varieties), passion fruit (loaded with necessary vitamins) . . . . . . peaches, pears, persimmon, plums, pomegranate (but stay away from the juice unless you make it yourself), raspberries, star fruit, strawberries, oranges, tangerine, clementine’s, grapefruit, (again avoid the juice and be sure to consume the whole fruit) grapes, pineapple and watermelon (watch out as these are high in natural sugars and may spike your blood sugar, so eat in moderation). Grapes are the perfect airplane snack as they can be popped in your mouth without a mess. Be careful if given to children on board unless they are cut in half to prevent possible choking. Remember round things roll right off the table and onto the floor during unexpected turbulence where they can be smashed and damage the carpet. Nuts, fats and seeds Nuts, fats and seeds that are considered healthy can be added to cooking Paleo. Now is your chance to experiment with new oils in cooking. Avocado oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, butter made from grass fed organic cows or ghee, and olive oil- go with extra virgin variety. Nuts are power packed energy, nutrient rich, great sources of protein. Include almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. Any nut that grows on a tree. The list is long which makes it easier for our passengers and flight crews likes and dislikes to be accommodated. The 'Do Not Eat' list The basic guidelines of the Paleo diet, like all eating programs does have a 'Do Not Eat' list, so here it is: Skip the grains (both refined and whole which include cereals), legumes (and this includes peanut butters and soy products since they are a legume), packaged snacks, prepared foods, cold cuts, dairy including yogurts, cheese and milk (unless almond, coconut or other nut milk, but no soy), and sugar (only natural sugar such as pure maple syrup and honey. I think it is a fairly short list, don’t you? Your choices should be in favor of vegetables, fruit, meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, fats, and oils - seems easy, even similar to the South Beach Diet of the past . . . but to successfully go cave dweller takes some work and planning. As in many diet plans today, there is no calorie counting, no carb counting, and no fat gram counting. By following this diet, there is no need to count since new healthier food that is especially good for your body will be consumed instead. The hardest part is to conquer the no grains, legumes and sugars - especially if you are “addicted” to them as I found myself to be. But you are allowed dark chocolate and the use of cocoa powder. Yes, I am trying this program out so I can better understand what Tastefully Yours passengers and flight crew might be encountering; to find out what works and what doesn’t in advance preparation, packaging, transporting and most of all reheating and recipe adjustments to convert our recipes to fit the plan. I found I love using ghee in my cooking, and coconut oil’s flavor. Well for that matter, this has opened my eyes to all the oils. I found that in numerous ways, the baking style of foods for the Paleo diet are similar to gluten free- using coconut flours, almond flours rather than a grain based flours. I prepared a fruit and nut- filled scone made of coconut flour and almond milk with a touch of coconut oil to keep the pastry tender for a breakfast, a zucchini bread with maple syrup as a sweetener. (I told you I was addicted to the sugars and breads!) One other thing to remember is to use only raw nuts and seeds - not ones that are processed and coated with oils, sugar and other seasonings. If your passengers want a sweetened nut or seed, do it with honey or maple syrup. I love to always be learning something new. Paleo eating teaches me to forget everything about what I thought about “diets”. Just because this is a caveman diet doesn’t mean you can’t use your modern appliance to prepare the food. No open fire pit outside needed - unless of course that is what I want to do, but I prefer a nice charcoal grill to cook on and a fire pit to sit around and relax. I find myself experimenting with more spice combinations and herbs while cooking Paleo which has been fun. Creating vegetable “pasta” with my new spiral cutter has been great so cool and delicious, but, I do miss my true pasta. I will work on a pasta version made with almond and or coconut flour and see how it works. I did discover a cauliflower pizza crust that was really delicious. I loaded the top of the pizza (which I had to call it a pizza pie because of all the toppings) and did use a bit of cheese on top. I found that after the first month of being a strict Paleo, I wanted to bring back a few things I sorely missed so cheese topped that list . . . but only on occasion. So I am not a strict follower of the protocol to the letter, but, after the first month a loose follower, allowing an occasional glass of wine, a bit of cheese and an occasional fall off the wagon as they say. If you find yourself in need of help or suggestions, recipes or menu planning for your Paleo passengers and flight crew, give me a call. I'm here to help.
Let me introduce myself . . . My name is Paula Kraft and I am founder and President of Tastefully Yours Catering, an aviation specific caterer, located in Atlanta, Georgia for over 35 years.
Currently I am an active member of the NBAA Flight Attendant Committee Advisory Board and the NBAA International Flight Attendant Committee, Women in Corporate Aviation, Women in Aviation International, National Association of Catering Executives, International Flight Catering Association, the International Food Service Association and the International Caterer’s Association. I have coordinated training programs and clinics for NBAA, EBAA and BA-Meetup conference attendees for over 10 years, created mentoring programs for caterers and flight attendants to broaden their aviation culinary skills, and to assist them in adapting to the unique challenges and constraints found in catering for general aviation. I recognize the need for training and have worked closely with flight departments, flight crews, schedulers and customer service reps at the FBOs to ensure that catering specific training provides information and skills necessary to reduce risk while assisting them in their job duties that include safe food handling, catering security, accurate transmission of food orders, and safe food production, packaging and delivery. I fell into aviation catering quite by accident. I was the in-house caterer and bakery supplier for Macy’s department stores in Atlanta when catering was ordered for a Macy’s customer which was soon to change my life. After the client enjoyed the catering provided, I was summoned to the client’s corporate office to provide several of the items delivered through Macy’s to the executive dining room. Within a week, I was providing food for the flight department and my first order was for the President of a foreign country (as I was too be told soon after). So, here I am, some 35 years later, still loving every minute of every day in aviation catering.
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