Healthlinks Lifestyle Network - Nutrition and Cooking Series - Recipe from Cooking Class "Carnivores Guide to Eating"

Research has shown that a diet free of animal products significantly decreases the risk of developing cancer. The foods that prevent and deter cancer growth are generally the same. A whole plant-based food diet contains numerous cancer-fighting phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that strengthen immune function and destroy cancer causing compounds. Transitioning from a meat and potatoes diet can be challenging. Most people grew up on this diet and now we are told not to eat them anymore. Is it possible to feel full without consuming a steak the size of Texas and a potato as big as football? We think so.

11 Tips for Changing Your Carnivore Ways

1. Preplan your menu - this saves on eating last minute junk food or take out. Write it where everyone can see it and just cross meals off the list as you make them. Get the family involved. Give them a cookbook and tell them to pick something, just be sure it is a healthy cookbook. They can also help prepare the meal they chose.

2. Stock your pantry - with everything you’ll need for your weekly meals except fruits and veggies. To keep things fresh only buy 3 days at a time. Things always taste better when they are fresh and not shriveled, dry and fuzzy. See the “Stock your Pantry” article.

3. Meat is no longer the main course - veggies are. Treat all meat is if it were a side dish not the main dish.

4. Buy smaller portions of meat - when buying meat, buy a cut half the size of what you normally would. If you usually eat an 8 oz steak each, buy one and split it.

5. Make more veggies - make twice as much as you think you would eat. Now you have twice as many veggies than meat making the veggies more appealing than the meat.

6. Serve the meat from a serving plate – by serving it off a plate, you will not be forced to feel like you have to clean your plate. You can cut a small portion of meat from the serving plate and then after you have finished your vegetables, you won’t feel like eating anymore. Remember your mother always told you to eat all of your vegetables.

7. Leave leftovers – always leave something behind on your plate and on the serving platters. This applies especially when going to restaurants. We all know throwing food away is wasteful, so box it up, put it in the fridge and enjoy the fact that you didn’t over indulge.

8. Buy local, organic, grass fed meat – many articles and books have linked grain fed animals to higher risks of disease outbreaks and chronic illness. That included eggs too. The farther your meat has to travel, the more chance there is for contamination and disease. Support our local farmers.

10. Make one vegetarian dinner per week - After a month, add 2 meals that are vegetarian, until you are only eating one meat meal a week. You won’t even miss it. Eventually you will decide it will be once a month and then maybe never again.

11. Make substitutions - look at recipes with a new eye. If the recipe calls for meat, substitute, legume, nuts or more veggies or just leave out the meat altogether.

Enjoy the following tasty recipe and find out what you won't be missing.

Portabella Mushroom Fajitas

Marinade
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. olive oil
2 T. cilantro
1 T minced garlic
2 T. lime juice
1 tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder (or more depending on tolerance to spice)

Filling
4 large portabella mushrooms, cut into thin strips
1 onion, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 green or orange pepper, cut into strips

Sprouted corn tortillas
Cowboy caviar
Greek yogurt

- Mix all ingredients for marinade.
- Put all filling items into bowl with marinade for 30 minutes.
- Place veggies in cast iron pan coated heated over med – high heat.
- Cook until slightly crisp.
- Drain liquid from vegetables.
- Serve in tortillas with salsa (see cowboy caviar) and yogurt.

Cowboy Caviar
Recipe from Forbes Nutritional Consulting, LLC

1 can of corn,
1 can black-eyed peas
1 avocado, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2/3c chopped cilantro
2/3c green onion, chopped

Dressing
1/4c olive oil
1/4c red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp cumin

Instructions
For dressing, whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
Rinse canned corn and peas. Place in a bowl. Add the rest of ingredients.
Just before serving, add the dressing.