can you help me lower carbs? page 3

[Sharonll]

I was a vegetarian for many years, even owned a vegetarian restaurant. When I decided to go back to eating meat, I had the same issue you do. Actually, I don't think I've ever really enjoyed meat and possibly never will. What helps me is to disguise my meat. That probably sounds funny to meat lovers, but others who have issues eating meat may find my experience helpful. Basically, my favorite method for eating meat is to hide it! Here are a few things I do:


* Eat ground meat mixed with vegetables. There is a recipe somewhere here for primal gyozas. The recipe is basically ground meat, mixed with grated cabbage. I also add grated carrots to mine, not sure if that's in the recipe. Mixing the meat with strong-flavored vegetables is helpful for me, and dipping the pieces in a strong-flavored sauce, helps to disguise the taste of the meat. Eating ground meat mixed with vegetables also helps to diminish the distinct texture of meat.


* Eat meat in soup. There are lots of primal soup recipes and many traditional soups can be made primal by simply eliminating the starches. I eat a lot of different soups and simply add finely chopped meat such as chicken or pork. Soups with strong vegetable flavors disguise the taste of the meat. I love curry soups with coconut milk. Tomato-based soups with lots of pepper work well with chopped sausage.


* Hide the meat in wrapped packages. Again, ground meat works well for dishes like cabbage rolls. Traditionally, you need rice in cabbage rolls, but I make mine with fried onions, grated carrots, ground beef, and riced cauliflower. Bake them in tomato sauce. Similar idea works well for dolmades. Make a tzatziki sauce and go for it.


* Eat sausage! One of my favorite ways to eat meat is in sausage form. I was fortunate to get a sausage stuffer for xmas, and I love it. You can add so much garlic to a sausage that the meat is completely lost. Simmered in sauerkraut it's a delicious meal. There are also many brands of totally primal sausage, although you have to look for them.


* Add finely ground meat to a dip. This works well with a leftover roast. Put chunks of cooked meat into your food processor or through a grinder on your MixMaster. Add cilantro, homemade mayo, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, and onions, use as a dip for cucumber or zucchini slices, and you'll never taste the meat. You can get pretty creative making dips. I've also found that the dips make great omelette fillings.


* Speaking of omelettes, they're a great way to "hide" your meat, plus the eggs are a wonderful source of protein and fat.


Hope this helps!

[PrairieProf]

Wow . . . I was at least mostly vegetarian for a number of years (during which I now realize I got notably heavier -- in my late 40s I've now returned to my lowest pre-vegetarian weight from my early 20s) but I never stopped thinking meat was delicious, though I guess I tried convincing myself I didn't care for it. Now it's clearly the yummiest thing on the plate and I can't believe I went without that pleasure in favor of endless piles of pasta, yuck. I'm not meaning to doubt or criticize the OP's experience, it just fascinates me that there are people who truly do not like meat, whether by nature or exceptionally successful mental conditioning.

[Sharonll]

@PrairieProf


It's not much different from meat eaters who do not like vegetables. I find there are significantly more vegetable-hating meat lovers than there are meat-hating vegetable lovers. How anyone could dislike Brussels sprouts, beets, artichokes, and asparagus is beyond me, but I know there are a lot of you out there.

[PrairieProf]

Well, I agree with that too! Guess I just like food -- even as a child I ate everything, except for a lifelong bias against radishes. (I also don't relate to the people who don't feel hungry and have to force themselves to eat -- I am *always* happy to eat! )

[dragonmamma]

Ditto, PrairieProf. I eat quite a bit already, (2600-3000cals a day) but if for some reason I was "forced" to double or triple my food intake, I'm sure I could do it without complaint!

[Jasetyn]

Well, I wish you all the best! But for me being a previous vegan (raw at that!) I really had to hurdle over my 'meat issues'. I have had meat issues since I was a child, I always hated the taste, the smell, and it just really scared me for some reason. I watched that movie when I was about 9 with John Candy in which he eats the massive steak and then eats the gristle (Something about the outdoors?) and I never got over that, which only added to my meat issues. Until like a couple months ago I couldn't eat steak! You may not have these issues, but it could be a component. I started with lean ground beef with lots of flavor and veggies and found it much easier to down than chicken. Good luck!

[mhaeffne]

Oh, alright. I was just logging in to tell you I was giving up after being sick, but after all these responses, I'll give it another shot.

[lil_earthmomma]

mhaeffne, I was so grossed out by meat (since childhood, no ethical convictions just always made me gag).


Seafood (fisha and shell fish) can absolutely make up the bulk of your diet. Shrimp has more protein than most other meats. OTB posted a breakdown of protein amounts and shrimp was near the top! As well as scallops. So keep on eating your seafood.


Make fruit and nuts the supporting roll not the star. As in I add some chopped mango to a thai shrimp mango salad for lunch, and some toasted pecans.


Chicken's flavor is mild, like many fish. Dry chicken is inedible imo, so make sure you go for bone in skin on thighs, or whole chickens. Primal sauces to help with the transition would be anything from a simple tangy hollandaise to a spicy coconut milk curry.


Do you like bacon? (I mean, who doesn't like bacon!!! lol)