Same But Different: 8 Simple Paleo Lemon Recipes
Looking for some great Paleo lemon recipes? We have you covered with eight great options!
It’s not uncommon for those with dietary restrictions or food allergies to say traveling is too challenging. I’ve heard many times, “It’s hard enough to eat at home, why would I travel with all of these restrictions?”
Part of the reason this blog was created was to show that traveling IS possible and CAN be simple. It just takes some prep work.
This is the first post in our new series “Same but Different”, a series designed to help those traveling with food restrictions cook simple meals that use similar ingredients but taste differently.
Why Use the Same Ingredient in Several Recipes?
My motto for prepping food when traveling with food allergies is always…
- 1. reduce your grocery list
- 2. save unused ingredients
- 3. creatively reuse those ingredients by putting them in several recipes
If you’re traveling and looking to make a recipe that calls for a clove of garlic, look for ways to use the rest of the head of garlic. If you’re making a recipe that uses coconut aminos (a gluten-free, soy-free, soy sauce substitute), strive to make other recipes that call for coconut aminos.
The goal is to buy as little as possible.
I mean, who wants to put their vacation money into groceries when several things will just go to waste?! I’d rather spend mine on an excursion or nicer lodging!
*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn from qualifying purchases when you click on the links. This is at no cost to you.
One of the things I regularly encourage those with food allergies to do is research recipes with similar ingredients, so today I’m going to dive into Paleo lemon recipes. This does not mean that every recipe in this post should be used for the same meal, though you’re welcome to do so if you love lemon!
The point of this post is to give you suggestions for what to cook when you’re looking to reuse fresh lemon juice or zest.
Let’s dive in!
Paleo Lemon Recipes- Appetizers
Lemon Walnut Roasted Pepper Dip
This vegan, paleo, grain-free, and gluten-free Lemon Walnut Roasted Pepper Dip from My Wife Can Cook makes a great appetizer for any get-together. The cumin and coriander work well with the lemon, but you can always add additional ingredients like chili powder, as mentioned in the post.
Pair it with raw veggies, Siete chips (pictured), or the cassava crackers in this Top 10 Grain-Free Snacks for the Road post, and you’re set!
Paleo Lemon Recipes- Main Entrees
One Skillet Paleo Salmon Dinner with Lemon and Sage
This one-skillet dinner of salmon and veggies in a delicious lemon sage cream sauce can be made in about 20 minutes, meaning more time you get to spend hiking that trail, relaxing in on vacation in North Carolina, or hanging out at home with the kids.
The salmon paired with the lemon and sage cream sauce pairs together beautifully!
Just cook the salmon, cook the veggies, and then bring it all together by incorporating a few simple ingredients that add tremendous flavor. It’s really that simple!
You’re not counting on a rental home to have uncommon appliances and cookware, you’re not spending your whole vacation in the kitchen, and you get a delicious dinner. All you need is a knife, one large pan, and your ingredients, and you’ll have a meal in minutes!
Chicken or Shrimp Lemon Salad
Looking for a simple recipe that can be transformed easily? Try taking a simple salad recipe, such as one with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp with veggies, and transforming it with a few squirts of lemon juice. You may even combine honey and Paleo-approved mustard with fresh lemon juice to make a great salad dressing!
Paleo Lemon Recipes- Side Dishes
Quick and Easy Lemon Asparagus
Looking for a very basic recipe for a side dish using lemon or garlic? Here’s an easy Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Gluten-free, and Vegan recipe
I created using only 5 ingredients (asparagus, garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt): Quick and Easy Lemon Asparagus. And it only takes a few minutes to make!
This is a great recipe to make while traveling. You only need a few ingredients on the grocery list, you can reuse garlic, lemon juice, or even olive oil, and you can make it in a few short minutes. This leaves you with more time to enjoy your vacation and less fuss in the kitchen!
Paleo Roasted Broccoli Salad with Lemon
Okay, guys, I’m going to be honest. I was pretty skeptical of this recipe. The combination of flavors had me really curious about how this recipe would come out. But, wow! It turned out great!
This Roasted Broccoli Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe from Eat Beautiful tasted so fresh! The combination of the lemon and vinegar with the raspberries came together beautifully!
As far as texture goes, the broccoli was only partially roasted, so it still had a little bit of a crunch without being raw. And the softness of the raspberries mixed with the mild crunch of the pine nuts added a great balance in textures.
This is a great option for those on a Paleo, AIP, Whole 30, Keto, Gluten-free, or Vegan diet.
Paleo Lemon Recipes- Dessert
Lemon Cookies with Lemon Frosting
These Vegan and Paleo Lemon Cookies from Texanerin are the best lemon cookies I’ve ever had. They were so soft, flavorful, and delicious!
Please note: any sweetener should be used sparingly when on a paleo diet. These cookies may contain too much sugar for those on a strict paleo diet. Or you may need to hold back and not eat them so quickly… I know it will be hard!!
Almond flour often makes baked goods dense. They had a “denseness” to them, but somehow the author still achieved a soft cookie!
I like to reduce ingredients to make traveling and cooking (or baking in this case) easier, so I did not use lemon extract. Instead, I used 1tsp of vanilla extract and increased the lemon zest to 1.5 Tbsp. There is also no need to add coconut flour. The author mentions that in her blog, and when you don’t want to be worrying about a lot of ingredients, this is one you can omit.
But, wow! Those cookies were delicious. If you’d rather not deal with frosting, don’t. The cookies are great by themselves!
While you may find you like this author’s frosting recipe as well, Paleo frostings are not easy. Most do not hold together easily unless refrigerated 24/7.
My tried and true frosting recipe is the vanilla buttercream recipe in Danielle Walker’s Celebrations Cookbook (pictured). It uses unflavored gelatin to hold everything together instead of relying on the temperature to keep the oil/shortening solid.
The recipe calls for palm shortening, but I’ve always had great luck using coconut oil in place of it. Otherwise, most of the ingredients are common and easy to find anywhere.
Take these cookies on a beach vacation, make them in some spare time at a rental home, or whip up a batch on a whim at home. Believe me, you will want to make these cookies all summer long!
*Note: You’ll have to make sure you have a mixer if you’re going to make this frosting recipe. The recipe calls for 8-10 minutes of beating at medium-high speed. And while I’m the first to say you can often improvise by using some arm power, this is not one of those times! You will need a hand mixer to get the texture of the frosting correct.
Paleo Lemon Recipes- Drinks
Lemon Water
I could go on and on about all of the benefits of lemon water. I’ve found it to be great for digestion and the immune system, but it also encourages us to drink more water by adding some flavor to it.
You can add a few squirts of fresh lemon juice to warm water in the morning or on a cold day, or you can add a bit to cool water throughout the day. This is a great way to reuse a bit of lemon!
Strawberry Lemonade
This recipe is more for the lemonade lover who wants to take (or make) a refreshing beverage on their vacation. If you’re looking for recipes that use a small amount of leftover fresh lemon juice, this probably isn’t the one. This recipe calls for four full lemons.
But, wow, does this strawberry lemonade taste amazing!!
I created this Simple and Fresh Strawberry Lemonade recipe because both my husband and I love strawberry lemonade!
Using no artificial sweeteners, this recipe sweetens with honey, however, you are welcome to leave it completely out if you are trying to reduce sugar for your Paleo diet. It’ll still taste great!
What a great treat for a beach vacation!
Other Paleo Lemon Recipes Ideas:
(Make sure to find Paleo versions of these common recipes, if you’re following a Paleo diet!)
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Paleo Linguini with Lemon
- Summer Squash with Lemon
- Lemon “Ice Cream”
- Lemon Bars
- Anything with Paleo-approved homemade “Mayo” usually contains lemon juice: Carrot Raisin Salad, Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad, Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs, etc.
Summary of Paleo Lemon Recipes
Hopefully one or more of these Paleo lemon recipes works for you. From one-skillet salmon dinner to strawberry lemonade and everything in between, these recipes allow you to truly enjoy lemon and not feel guilty you’re abandoning your diet. Hope you enjoy!
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That lemon broccoli salad is great! I think you brought that at Easter.
I did! Glad you liked it!
Love lemon! That Lemon Walnut Roasted Pepper dip looks delicious!
I love these great recipes and thank you for the lemon cookies without coconut.. I pinned that for later to try this! Yum!
Hope you like them! I thought they were delicious!!
This is so helpful. We are heading out on a trip and I plan to stop for groceries as my diet is a little tricky at the moment. These suggestions look great!
So glad it’s useful!!
The Lemon Asparagus looks delicious!
We love lemon, so any of these recipes would work in my home! I showed the kids the strawberry lemonade recipe, so they are looking forward to trying that when it gets a little warmer here!
That roasted broccoli salad looks amazing! I would have never thought to pair it with raspberries.
Isn’t that just genius?! We didn’t think of it, but we’re glad we found it!
I love using lemon in almost everything. Great detoxifier. The pasta looks amazing!
I love cooking with lemon and these recipes look delicious. When we went on the road in October everything had to fit in our 4Runner, with room for us to sleep. We very quickly learned the art of shopping small and reusing ingredients for a variety of dishes.
It’s definitely a useful skill! Thanks for reading, Sabrina!
Lemon on asparagus is so yummy. I’ll have to try those vegan lemon cookies too, they look 💣
Gosh, I’m reading this during cocktail hour, and now I’m really hungry for something lemony! I don’t cook while traveling, but these sound great for at home; yum!
So many good recipes to try. Can’t wait to explore the vegetable options!
Yum, I don’t think I eat that good when I am on vacation, but with a little planning it could happen.
Haha. I used to love to eat junk food on vacation. Now, I still find ways to give myself some fun treats… like those yummy lemon cookies. But it definitely takes planning!
The flavor of lemon in anything makes me want to eat it.
Love the lemon asparagus! (Plus, it’s vegan!) I cook asparagus all the time but don’t think to add lemon. I’ll have to try it.
Traveling with Amy dietary restrictions can certainly be a challenge. You’ve got some great choices here!
It’s amazing how a little bit of lemon juice can make a dish excellent. Great tips!
Great recipes.The Salmon dinner with lemon and sage looks delicious!
Anything with lemons sounds lovely to me!
All of these recipes look amazing! I appreciate lemon’s many health benefits. I’ll be trying some of these.