The Carnivore Diet

I am on the carnivore diet. I have done this a few times. I lose weight FAST when sticking to it. It's not a hard diet to stick to, for me anyway. I tend to eat that way most of the time, avoiding white flour and sugar. Either of these things can give me a bad migraine headache if I eat too much in a day or on an empty stomach. Switching to full carnivore wasn't that much of a change. I have also been avoiding vegetables and fruit, as much as possible for a long time, as either of these are hard to digest. I find my entire digestion system works so much better, calmer, on the carnivore diet, no gas, bloating, constipation. So, in addition to losing weight, it's better for me.  

 

Another benefit of cutting out carbs is the difference it makes in my arthritis. My arthritis is so much better without the carbs. Carbs aggravate any inflammation you have in your body, including arthritis. Its getting better now, and it's only been a few weeks. It should get even better as the months go by.

Then there's the Roundup (glyphosate) issue. All wheat farmers in North America finish their wheat with glyphosate so it's ready to harvest all at the same time, one harvest. It stays on the wheat and is never washed off, so you get the full impact of it in the flour. (I think this is one of the main causes of the greatly increased gluten sensitivity on this continent.) Here's something to think about. Using glyphosate to finish the wheat all at the same time, saves the farmer a lot of work, time and money. If it's outlawed (which I hope it will be) wheat and wheat products will become more expensive, more in line with the cost of organic bread now. There's also the issue with bleaching white flour. It leaves a chemical in the flour that causes headaches. Yet another reason to quit eating baked goods. 

I stopped eating seed oils a long time ago, since they have been proven to be toxic, especially when heated, but are contained in most commercial baked goods and some processed meats. Animal fats are so much better for you - lard, tallow and real butter. (Some butter brands are faking it now, adding powdered milk and culture, less cream. Some have seed oils in them. Read the labels. Eat real high fat cream butter)

All this to say: I'm on the carnivore diet, probably for the long haul this time. I do occasionally take a few bites of something sweet, but right now, with about 20 lbs to lose, I won't be. When I get to my perfect weight, I'll loosen up a bit on the absolutely no carb rule... maybe. I'm getting adjusted to eating just carnivore now and might not want to go back to something that's going to give me indigestion and bloating every single day. I still eat a couple of small squares of very dark (85-90%) chocolate once a day. It stimulates stem cell growth, which helps heal damaged cells. This little bit of chocolate still gives me a bit of gas, so it will only last as long as I have the chocolate here. When it's gone, I won't buy more. 

My version of the carnivore diet is this: Most fatty meats, eggs, and some dairy. The dairy has to be high fat and very low carb. It necessary to read the labels. I don't use milk. This diet also requires eggs, almost daily, so eggs and some dairy are allowed, although I know I will lose the weight faster if I cut out all dairy and I may do so. Eggs are actually recommended, lots of them, daily. I don't care for eggs much so I don't eat them daily but I do try to put them in a lot of what I make. The carnivore soup I eat is always "egg-drop" for noodles. 

Another thing the carnivore diet recommends is a serving of beef liver and a serving of wild caught pink salmon weekly. I aim for that, although I don't always get it. Beef liver is best.  I like Pillars herb liverworst (pate). It's good mixed with sour cream and used as a dip for pork rinds, but it does contain potato starch, nitrates and onion powder, so I may drop it in favour of pure beef liver. Wild caught pink salmon does come in a can, so it's easy to get. The fresh flanks work too, but are very expensive. I try to eat about a quarter of a can of wild caught pink salmon a week, but I don't always make that. I don't like salmon, so I tend to avoid it.  

Another thing the carnivore diet recommends is Himalayan pink salt daily, on everything. It's the only salt I use now. It has a nice flavour and contains a lot of the minerals and trace elements we need. 

Because I don't always follow the perfect carnivore diet rules, I take vitamins with minerals. I also take extra vitamin D3, since I live in the far north and it's winter. We get very little sun up here now and I don't drink milk.  

The key to not being hungry while dieting is the fat, eating as much fat as I can. When I feel hungry or get a carb craving, I eat fat. It's my primary energy source on the carnivore diet, not sugar. It will also keep the digestion working properly. I have developed a taste for pure, cold, hard butter in small bites and butter in my coffee. It is so good! 

Drinking a lot of water helps the digestion as well, but the fat is the important thing. I drink a large glass of warm water every morning as soon as I get up. It helps to keep things working properly.

Lots of fat is very important. It's the most important thing to eat on the carnivore diet. It prevents a lot of the problems that cause people to quit the carnivore diet. Not enough fat is the main cause of digestion problems on this diet, or so I have read.

I only drink coffee and water; no sodas, teas, juices or drinks of any kind, but I have always done this. Tea, without sugar, would also be acceptable, but ordinary black tea has too much acid for me. I don't tolerate it well, so I don't drink it. Fruit juice is so full of fructose sugar and it causes me a lot of indigestion. Herbal teas are ok, without sugar. "Sugar" includes honey, molasses, natural sugar, sweeteners, anything high on the simple glycemic index. No sugar, period! Anything that's not animal based and high in fat is restricted, including "healthy" fruits and veggies. Dried spices are ok. I use a lot of garlic, some parsley, thyme, etc. in cooking. Pepper has a lot of oxalate so I'm working on cutting it back. Ditto for the fresh garlic. A purist would not even eat the spices, but I do a little.  

The variety in the diet comes in the types of meat available.  Mixing it up at every meal keeps me happy. Hot dogs are allowed, the ones with low sugar, and bacon also without a lot of sugar used in curing. 

I eat a lot of pork. I especially like pork belly, sliced thin and fried in lard until they are crispy dark brown, then salted. They aren't cured so don't have any sugar or nitrates from curing. They are a delicious crispy snack, and cheap! Pork ribs and buttons are also good, done in the slow cooker until they fall apart. Mix these meats on a plate with a little of the expensive ones, beef and fish, and it makes a nice meal. A little of each on the plate. A couple of pork ribs, one small piece of chicken, and a few bites of beef, and some cheese slices on the plate, make a nice meal. I don't usually have that much of a variety together. I'm good with a bowl of ground beef - bacon meat loaf, topped with sour cream! Yum! Everything on the above sample plate could have sour cream on it. I put sour cream on everything (high fat, of course).

I avoid processed meat when possible, but I do eat some bacon and occasionally hot dogs (no bun) and only occasionally, smokies. I have begun to cook bacon by boiling in water first. I find this removes a lot of the sugars and salts used in curing. I keep all bacon fat for cooking but usually use clean lard. I buy pure lard in the 50lb box from the Wholesale Store. It's a lot cheaper than buying it in one pound packs at the grocery store and it last a long, long time. We use lard for all our cooking and I add it to things like meat loaf, to get the extra fat I need. 

I save real butter for special things since its so expensive and many brands of butter are fake, made with powdered milk and culture for the flavour, mixed with some cream. It would not have the high fat content of real butter. Again, read the label. I put butter in my coffee. It's delicious! I will occasionally eat just a clump of cold, hard butter. It's good, but takes getting used to. I'm beginning to love it as a quick snack!

Bacon grease adds amazing flavour to everything. I now put finely chopped bacon in my meat loaf too, which I make without carbs. Extra eggs keep it together well and help give me the eggs I need. It's important when making meatloaf to let it sit and cool in the pan. It will absorb all that fat and juice as it cools. Don't drain if off! 

All said, I'm happy on the carnivore diet. It takes some adjustment for the first few weeks. Knowing this, I gradually removed the carbs from my diet and increased the fat gradually. I did this for several weeks. I think I have avoided all the negative digestion issues I had when going on the carnivore diet previously. It was much easier this time. 

I can already see my weight going down on the scale and it has only been a couple of weeks! I know from previous experience that the weight will come off fast. It's not the fat that puts on weight, it's the carbs. I do still get a few carbs in the fresh garlic that goes on everything, and all the dairy that I eat and the coffee. I drink about 4-6 cups of coffee a day, all with real cream and butter. (That much coffee is not a recommendation on the carnivore diet, it's just what I do.) Coffee depletes the magnesium in your body, so I'm working on cutting it down to two cups a day, early morning and late afternoon, when I need the pick-me-up.

Doing without coffee would be the thing that would sink me. I can easily not eat carbs. It's not hard to stay on the carnivore diet, since fat and protein keep you full longer. If I eat a lot at every meal and snacks, lots of fat and no carbs of course, then I'm not hungry for anything else, but I do love my coffee!

I find, in the long run, that the carnivore diet is cheaper on the grocery bill, as well. It can be done cheaply. I know meat is expensive, but so are all those "other" things. I don't buy bread, crackers, buns, desserts, cookies, jam, relish, pickles, veg oil, vegetables, fruits, drinks, frozen pizza, any convenience foods, soups, tomato sauce, potatoes, rice, pasta, tacos, burger buns, fries, ice cream and so many other things that I would otherwise be eating. If I find I need a snack to keep my energy up when I'm out, I'll get a small coffee with 2-3 creams. I can also buy a roasted chicken at any grocery store - anywhere. It's a great lunch if I have to grab lunch out somewhere. It gives me enough left over for another meal or two, as well, but I rarely buy cooked foods out, usually only when travelling.

All in all, I like the carnivore diet and it works! It takes the weight off fast and helps reduce my arthritis pain. And it's so easy to follow. I'm not hungry and with all this great meat to eat, I don't feel like I'm deprived of anything. Using a barbecue for a lot of the meat helps too. It makes everything delicious! I also use my slow cooker frequently and quick fry a lot of things in the cast iron skillet.

If you are planning on undertaking the carnivore diet, be warned. There is a transition period. Your body will take a few weeks to rid itself of all the toxins it has built up through a continuous intake of flour and sugar, to dump the oxalate from vegetables and to adapt to the intake of extra fat and protein. That is why a commitment of three months, minimum, is usually asked before making a judgment. It takes that long for you to start reaping the true benefits of eating this way. Weight loss comes fast and early, but there are so many other things to be gained when you drop all sugar and flour from your diet. 

The first common downside of a quickly changed diet to carnivore is this: severe, explosive diarrhea, but it doesn't last long and is controlled with the diarrhea pills, so go gradual into full fat-no carb. It's the intake of a lot of meat and fat all at once that causes it. Going slow and gradually changing is the key to avoiding this common side effect. If you suddenly dump all carbs and add a lot of fat and meat to your diet, you will probably experience this late in the second or the third day. I have read that it's common, so go slow. 

Another side effect of starting the carnivore diet is called the "Carnivore flu". You feel like you have the flu - achy all over, drained of all energy. Its common and usually occurs in the first few weeks and will possibly last for a couple of  weeks. Its withdrawal from sugar. This is what I have learned from my studies, but I have not experienced much of this. Fatigue, yes, but not the flu symptoms, however, as I said, I started gradually and didn't eat much sugar or white flour to begin with. 

Losing weight quickly will drain you of your energy, no matter how you do it. It's just the way it works. It's a good time of year to start this, when things are slow. 

The photos on this page are not my own but come from a free photo site of which I am a member. After looking at these photos, anyone who asked me what I eat or don't I ever get bored, hasn't been paying attention to the photos. The list is endless and these things are all delicious!  

You can read more about my journey on the carnivore diet here: 

My Carnivore Diet 

 

Shaggy Mane Mushrooms

 

 

Shaggy Manes

Shaggy mane mushrooms (coprinus comatus), also called lawyer's wig or shaggy ink cap grow just about anywhere in Canada. We had a massive cluster of them growing around the chicken house in Ontario and I have seen them all over here in BC. The chickens loved them! They quickly disintegrate into liquid when picked or as they get older on the stem.

The little ones that are still intact and solid are very good eating, but they start turning to liquid almost as soon as they are picked. They have an enzyme that causes this. Heat destroys that particular enzyme in the mushrooms so if you can get them sliced and grilled within about 30 minutes of picking, you will have some tasty mushrooms. 

Shaggy Manes 

This takes some planning. If you have a portable heat source you can take with you, you can set it up nearby. Add a skillet heated to temp and you will be ready to pick. This is not necessary if you have them growing near your home, of course. You can take them directly into the kitchen to heat immediately on the stove. 

 

Healthy Caprinus Mushroom

Do not wash them first, just wipe clean with a soft cloth. slice the small, whole, solid mushrooms along the height and set them on the hot skillet. A couple of minutes on each side should do it. Remove them as soon as the are done and set aside with others to cool. Pack in plastic boxes for transport to your freezer. They are delicate. They freeze well and make a great mushroom soup or an addition to soups or a pot roast. 

Use only the small, intact coprinus mushrooms. If you cook with these when the caps are on the turn, they will dye everything you cook with them black. They are still edible after turning black, just not very palatable. 

Too late, starting to turn :(

Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. They are a good dietary source of these things, so perhaps worth the trouble. Especially if you are in the bush wild crafting.

All coprinus mushroom contain a chemical that prevents the human body from breaking down alcohol. One variety in particular, called the alcohol ink cap, has more. If you eat a lot of them, while drinking alcohol, you can suffer the symptoms of alcohol poisoning. 

You can also make some very good ink from them. To do this mix the inkcap ink with a little water and some cloves and heat it. This process will help fix the ink and stop it from fading or running when you use it. I could do a drawing of caprinus mushrooms in the forest with the ink from the mushrooms! Hmmmm....  something to think about when mushroom time comes around again. I'll have to look for some shaggy manes somewhere in town. I have heard that they grow up here but I have not seen any. Honestly, I haven't been looking for them, either. Something to do on my walks about town in the summer! I'll ask around. Maybe I know someone in town that has them on their property. Most people consider them a nuisance, in town anyway, as they ruin the perfect grassy lawn look. They are good healthy fodder for animals, the edible ones are anyway. It's probably not a good idea to teach animals to eat them as they could also eat the toxic ones too, not knowing the difference. Like I said earlier, our chickens loved them and ate all that grew near. That's one reason I started paying attention to them, decades ago. 

Mushrooms can be transplanted. Shaggy manes are cultivated or transplanted by creating a nutrient-rich, moist bed of manure and straw, ideally in spring, that mimics their natural habitat in lawns and disturbed soil. They thrive in 50-50 mixes of cow/horse manure and compost or straw.Transplanting involves digging up some of the white mycelium under the soil and moving it to a new location, as in the new bed in your garden/lawn. You could probably do this with morels too, or oyster mushrooms. You would have to mimic their ideal growing environment. You can also buy mushroom inoculate for growing your own, on Amazon. It's not cheap and it wouldn't have the same "rewarding fun" value as hunting for them yourself, transplanting them, and having them grow and fruit. 

Make sure you know what you are eating. If in doubt, leave it alone! There is a similar mushroom with a shaggy mane but it is dark with while scales and it is toxic. The coprinus mushrooms are white with white scales and/or beige top and tips and white interior. The toxic mushroom is called a magpie fungus and looks like this: 

Toxic Magpie Fungus (dark cap)

 

Using Choke Cherries

 

 

Did you know that you can make great jam/jelly and other desserts with choke cherries? They are tiny but the trees are full of them. They have such a delicious, strong cherry flavour. If using the pits, as well, it will have almond tones too! The recent fear has been the cyanide in the pits and the choke cherries are mostly pit. It's difficult to separate the pit from the fruit due to the tiny size. 

Choke Cherry Blossoms

 

 

The kernels inside the shells or pits, contain amygdalin, a compound that the human body converts into cyanide after consuming. Other fruit pits that contain this substance are plums, rose hips, apples, hawthorns and a few others. 

The cyanide can me denatured by cooking, making it harmless and, so I've read, by drying thoroughly. Do not under any circumtances, eat the pits raw, without boiling well first. If you grind up the choke cherries, make wine or a drink without boiling well first, don't blame me if you get cyanide poisoning. If you cook the choke cherries in a large pot, barely covered with water, this will make the cyanide harmless. It has to be boiled for about 15 mins to be safe. 

Choke Cherry Leaves

I like to freeze anything I'm going to process into juice for jams/jellies, drinks or wine first, before processing. The freezing breaks down the cell walls and releases a lot more juice. Then I blender for a bit before boiling. Add a bit of water in a big pot and boil hard for 15 mins. It takes that long, at least, to get them well juiced and the excess water boiled off. After its been well boiled and cooled, it gets strained through a cheesecloth or large coffee filter. I usually let it sit and cool overnight. This also gives the extra water time to evaporate.

This resulting juice is, of course, unsweetened. The secret to making delicious jelly without the bitterness from wild things, is to use just the juice. Don't squeeze the fruit pulp at all, just let it slowly drip out. Then gently toss out the pulp and seeds. I process high bush cranberries like this, as well.. 

Make jelly with the strained juice, adding a lot of sugar. If you use the sugarless pectin, you can sweeten to taste. It will take a lot more sugar than you are used to putting in jams. I usually start the very sour wild things with an amount of sugar that has been about equal with the amount of juice. Add more sugar, as needed, 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the taste you want. Because you have used the pits too, it will have a slight added almond flavour, which I love.

We have an abundance of red Canadian choke cherry trees around town. There are a few around the Rec Center, one right by the front door to the Visitor's Center, several planted around the water plant at the other end of town along the trail, and some here and there about town. You can tell them by their red foliage in mid summer. They are everywhere! These trees have lots of tiny choke cherries on them. If you want to pick them, you'll have to beat the birds to it! I have one in my backyard and the birds eat them all, scattering the seeds to grow up into tiny choke cherry trees everywhere. If you want a baby tree, see me in the spring after everything starts growing in the yard. 

I'm sure the town would be happy for residence to start gathering the choke cherries from the trees. I might be doing that myself this summer.  

RECOURCE:   https://foragerchef.com/eating-the-whole-cherry/

Making Cheese Without Rennet

 

There are a few different ways to make your own cream cheese at home from store bought, homogenized milk, some can be done with 2% if you prefer. I like to use whole milk.

 

I have made it by draining both yogurt and buttermilk in a cheese cloth until dry and thick enough to mold into a circle. It's delicious!. Add a bit of salt for taste and to help keep it longer and it's fantastic both ways. It does have to be kept in the fridge and only lasts a short while. 

 

 

You can make your own buttermilk and yogurt at home, then take it straight to cheese. (See my post "Make Your Own Buttermilk") and ("Make Your Own Yogurt".) When using buttermilk to make cheese, I leave it on the counter to make longer and don't shake it or stir it while it makes. It will separate and you have just the curdled part at the top to make into cheese. It's already almost there. When making yogurt, leave it longer or let it set on the counter after it's made, until it separates. Then drain the solids until dry enough to shape into a cheese ball. 

 

 

You can also make cheese by causing milk to curdle with either lemon juice or vinegar. Either one will work with the recipe below. It's essentially the same thing as above cheeses, curdled milk that is drained in a cheesecloth or coffee filter, until only the solids are left. Keep the whey to use in baking, soups, etc.  

The recipe I have for making soft cheese at home, directly from store bought milk: 

Ingredients & Equipment

• 1 Gallon Whole Milk: Use fresh, pasteurized milk. Avoid Ultra-Pasteurized (UHT) milk, as it will not curdle properly.
• 1/3 to 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is best, though bottled works too.
• Salt: To taste (about 1-2 teaspoons).
• Equipment: Large pot, thermometer (optional), strainer/colander, cheesecloth (or clean cotton towel). 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the Milk: Pour the milk into a large pot and heat slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Heat to 185°F–200°F (just below a boil).
2. Add Acid: Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly stir in the lemon juice.
3. Rest: Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10–15 minutes. The milk will curdle, forming white, milky solids and a greenish-yellow liquid (whey).
4. Strain: Line a colander with a damp cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl or in the sink. Pour the mixture into the colander.
5. Drain: Allow the curds to drain. For a spreadable, ricotta-like texture, drain for 10–20 minutes. For a firmer, sliceable cheese, drain for 1–2 hours.
6. Season & Store: Remove the cheese from the cloth, mix in salt, and add herbs (like dill) if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Tips for Success

• Too Much Liquid: If the whey is still milky and not clear-yellow, add another tablespoon of lemon juice and let it sit for a few more minutes.
• For Creamier Cheese: You can add 1 cup of heavy cream to the gallon of milk for a richer flavour.
• Save the Whey: The leftover liquid whey is excellent for baking bread, pancakes, or adding to soups.
• Add Herbs: Mix in fresh dill, black pepper, or chives for added flavour.

Fighting Mold on Cheese

 

How to keep cheese from getting moldy in the fridge: Wrap in a paper towel, slightly but thoroughly damp with vinegar, put in a clean bag or wrap tightly in plastic. Keep the paper towel slightly damp with vinegar as it gets eaten. You will still little bits of mold in any holes in the cheese, but not much. These are easily removed. 

Making Quiche

 

Quiche is a great way to use up leftover bits of veggies. This one has lots of ham chunks, spinach, bell peppers, garlic, and broccoli. It was delicious! 

Recipe for very large, deep dish 10" quiche: 

INGREDIENTS: 

8 eggs

1/2 cup whole or 2% milk, I also added a large dash of cream

3/4 teaspoon salt (I use only pink Himalayan salt)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

A pinch each of thyme, oregano

A large pinch of parsley 

A large fist full of chopped spinach, frozen or fresh 

A large fist full of chopped coloured bell peppers. (I especially like the yellow ones. They taste like pears.) 

6 large broccoli florets, finely chopped

2 cups of small chopped ham pieces 

1 can of mushrooms, finely chopped 

4 slices of bacon, lightly cooked and cup into tiny pieces (I use the scissors for bacon)

Enough grated cheese to thickly cover the bottom of the crust. (I like to use old cheddar) 

Pastry for one bottom crust

DIRECTIONS:  

When filling the pastry, leave about 1/2" space at the top at it will rise slightly when baking. You may have some filling left over, that doesn't fit into the pie. I drain as much liquid into the pie as i can and put the rest in a soup bag in the freezer. You can also just fridge it and use in omelettes. 

Cover with foil and bake at 425f for 10 mins. Cut opening in the foil to expose the egg portion, keeping the edges covered. Lower heat to 350f and bake until the center is stable. This usuallly takes another 40-45 mins, approx. If you want to bake it with convection, use 325f and bake a bit less time. Either one works fine. I have done both. When the center is no longer liquid and pastry has browned, it's done. I like to use a glass pan so I can lift it high and look at the bottom to make sure the bottom pastry is brown, being careful not to tip it out. The initial 425f for 10 mins is suppose to help cook the pastry. I put quiches and all pies on a slightly lower rack in the oven to brown the bottom more. You can also cover it up again and continue to bake until the bottom pastry is light brown. Watch the top edges of the pastry to make sure it doesn't get too dark. Cooking pastry in a pie to the exact doneness can be difficult and takes a bit more labour. I suppose one could always prebake the pie shell just a little, but that too is more work and required weights or beans, which I do have. I just don't like to do that unless absolutely necessary. It's so easy to wreck a pastry! 

Making Soup Bags

 

I'm cleaning out the fridge and the freezer. Here's what I'm doing with all bits of veggies, plus saved leftovers: Soup bags! Everything but the meat and spices. I might put meat in some of them too. Gravies and sauces can go in, as well. This makes one large pot of soup. Each bag will be different, slightly, but all will have lots of spinach, garlic and bell peppers. I love all three in anything I make - no matter what it is.

It's not really necessary to record what goes into the bag. I started out doing that, but quickly ran out of ambition. It sure keeps the fridge cleaned out too! 

 

Something else that uses up leftovers is quiche. We love quiche! Anything and everything goes in, but always spinach and old cheddar. I particularly like sausage and mushroom quiche.  

 

 

 

 

I had a large package of garlic to dispose of. I chopped it fine and froze it. I do that with peppers, spinach and a lot of other things too. I can now add a handful to a soup bag.