March 3, 2025 • 50 mins
Join us for a riveting conversation with Courtney Luna, a former yacht chef turned passionate carnivore advocate, as she shares her journey from battling food addiction and yo-yo dieting to finding freedom through a fully carnivorous lifestyle. Courtney discusses her transition from Weight Watchers and keto to a way of eating that has transformed her health and eliminated cravings. She also introduces her newly published cookbook, Carnivore in the Kitchen, offering simple yet creative recipes for every palate. We explore how to make the carnivore diet family-friendly, navigate food choices with kids, and understand the deep connection between diet and mental well-being. Whether you're curious about the carnivore diet or seeking inspiration for healthier eating habits, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Tune in to learn from Courtney’s experience and connect with her on social media for continued support and motivation!
Connect with Courtney:
https://youtube.com/@CourtneyLuna
https://instagram.com/itscourtneyluna
https://www.facebook.com/itscourtneyluna
https://www.tiktok.com/@itscourtneyluna
https://twitter.com › ItsCourtneyLuna
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Former yacht chef turned carnivore advocate,
courtney is a content creatorand author of the cookbook
Carnivore in the Kitchen.
Courtney, welcome to the PrimalFoundations podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hi, awesome Thanks for having me on.
I'm excited to chat today.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
We're talking off air a little bit of how you know.
I've been following your page.
You do some amazing content.
I love your book, which we'regoing to get into today, but for
some of the listeners well, mylisteners especially know I'm a
very boring carnivore.
I eat the same stuff over andover again, and your book gives
a little bit more variety andactually has different things
(00:35):
like desserts and appetizers andthings that I don't even really
even make when I bring food toother places, and some of these
recipes are a big hit when Ibring them to parties, which is
really really nice.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Awesome, I'm glad to hear that.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah and uh for some of the listeners that you know
don't know your story.
I've heard your story on somepodcasts before and you know I
resonate with it because youknow you've mentioned things of
like yo-yo dieting, weightwatchers, slim fast.
You know, when I hear thosethings, that's for me was what I
thought of when I was youngerof dieting.
That's what those things looklike and can you kind of tell
(01:10):
listeners of you know where yourhealth journey kind of started
and what got you into carnivore?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah.
So, like you said long historyof yo-yo dieting I went to my
first weight watchers meeting atthe age of 13.
I guess it was my idea.
I had said like, oh, my momgently suggested it and like, a
few months ago, apparently she'swatching these.
She's like I didn't have you go, like you wanted to go.
So we'll just clear that up.
But yeah, that was my, you know, first dive into the dieting
(01:38):
world and you name it.
I've tried it.
So yeah, of course, like doingthose Weight Watchers points
where in hindsight, it'sessentially just eat everything
in moderation, like who careshow crappy it is, but if it fits
your points, you're good, youknow.
So I feel like I got a littlebit closer to health when, in
2010, my mom, who had been likea 25 year vegetarian, was
(02:03):
talking about Mark Sisson's book, the Primal Blueprint, and so
he's a paleo guy.
So she stopped being vegetarianand dove into the paleo side of
things and so I dabbled in that.
But I was young, I was in myearly 20s.
I wasn't really caring about myhealth.
Maybe I cared about my weight,but I was out partying.
(02:24):
I wasn't really caring about myhealth.
Maybe I cared about my weight,but I was out partying, I wasn't
trying to be healthy, and thenI found keto, probably around
like 2013 or so, and wait, Ithink I had the math wrong.
I don't think 2010 was marked.
Oh, maybe it was Okay.
So then, a few years after that, found keto and dabbled on and
(02:46):
off for about seven years, againusing it as a weight loss tool
and, I think, always justassuming that a healthy weight
meant a healthy body and Istopped keto.
I had used it again to after mysecond baby, to lose 50 pounds
for like the third time and Istopped doing what was working
(03:07):
for me.
I got caught up in the anti-dietculture BS where they're like
all foods fit, everything on thetable.
There's no such thing as badfoods.
I'm like yes, let's do this.
Okay, I am a sugar addict.
I cannot moderate things.
So it started out okay.
No-transcript.
(03:51):
Dr Paul Saladino's TikToks andhe sent them to me for about a
month before I even asked himlike why are you sending me
these?
Should we not be eatingvegetables?
I'm like this is so weird.
And he's like I need to, youknow, dig into it.
So that was our introductionand I started off.
(04:12):
So it's been almost three yearsnow I started off animal based.
I'm realizing now like my sugaraddicted brain still wanted
those fruits, still wanted thatfructose.
Figured out five weeks in thatI need to just stop with the
fruits.
My belly could be full from apound of ribeye, but my mouth
still wanted blueberries.
So I'm realizing that sugar,just you know, still had a hold
of me.
So I went, you know, carnivoreafter that.
(04:32):
And yeah, the rest is history.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
People don't really realize, or they're just uh,
haven't had this their ownpersonal experience with uh
being addicted to food.
You know, uh, it's it's.
You mentioned it, you, youacknowledge it.
You're like, why am I atMcDonald's right now?
I know this is not the thingfor me right now, but it gets
ahold of people and that's oneof the big things and it's tough
(04:57):
and I thank you for sharingthat too, because some people,
you know that's something theywant to keep tight to the chest.
But you, you've lost weight ona carnivore.
But was Paul Saldino likeanimal based at that time, or
was he doing more of the allmeat Cause?
I know he had a little bit of atransition.
You know, carnivore MD 2.0 kindof thing.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, I never saw his content when he was carnivore.
So he even in the keto space onand off when I was in it.
I never heard about carnivore.
Like I don't know why I was solate to the party, why I didn't
see things like in my socialmedia feeds.
So, yeah, he was my firstintroduction to this whole
meat-based world.
I hadn't even really heard ofcarnivore.
You know he was doinganimal-based, so having all his
(05:38):
fruit, and then once I startedthere, then I slowly started to
see you know more of like thecarnivores show up.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So, yeah, yeah, and, and I, I'm not a big uh, uh, I
don't demonize fruit by anymeans.
I, I, you know, I, I have mycarnivore card and things like
that.
But, uh, to your point of youknow, I don't buy fruit for my
own home.
If it's out, I'll, I'll, I'll,I'll have some.
But I just know, if I buybananas right, and I have one, I
(06:05):
rip one off that the wholebushel of bananas is supposed to
last me the entire week.
It does not.
It maybe makes it to the end ofthe day, and so I have to
abstain from having stuff in thehouse, but I can moderate it if
it's out, and which is the onething that I've had to tackle.
But going into, let's say, justgoing into the ketogenic space,
(06:28):
like how was that transition?
And then from also keto tocarnivore.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah.
So I always had success, butfor the weight loss.
But then it never stuck.
And in hindsight, you know, now, knowing that I need to abstain
for from these like sweet, knownow, knowing that I need to
abstain for from these likesweet flavors, so making keto
treats, I'm realizing now, oh,that's why I couldn't, you know,
have that way of eating beingsustainable, because I was still
having those sweet things and Ifeel like it's very accepted in
(06:56):
the keto community to do likecheat meals on the weekend.
So you know, in hindsight, thatwasn't working for me.
I think if maybe I stuck to awhole foods approach, that would
have worked better.
But those keto you know, justthe keto sugars like they just
had a hold on me.
So I feel like when I justrealized, like a couple years
ago, and I saw someone talkingabout it, the whole abstainers
(07:17):
versus moderators, and that'swhen things clicked it's like,
oh my gosh, like I can'tmoderate myself with these foods
that aren't I mean some of themI wouldn't even consider food
we're not arguing over a bananabut like donuts and cupcakes and
all that and I can't just haveone, or maybe I would, but I
would obsessively think aboutthe rest of them during the day,
(07:39):
or I would try and fit them inmy macros, or maybe I would
binge and eat them all and thenI would restrict the next day,
so realizing that I just need tostay completely away from those
types of foods.
Even fruit, honestly, like oncein a while Now, I was very
strict for two years, Never hada bite of anything.
Now, like little bites here andthere of my kids' fruit slip in,
and even that it's like okay,then I want more.
(08:01):
So it's actually crazy what itdoes to your brain chemistry and
how it keeps you wanting more.
And it doesn't do it foreveryone.
My husband's carnivore, but hegoes off plan every so often
because he can moderate thatstuff.
But I'm like an alcoholic whenit comes to food.
Well, there's a reason why Idon't drink too because I can't
stop at one, but yeah, I justget a little out of control.
(08:24):
And too, because I can't stopat one, but yeah, I just get a
little out of control.
And you asked me something else, and now I'm forgetting the
other part to that question.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Sorry, I went off on a tangent you know just the, uh,
that transition piece you knowinto a ketogenic, and then now
you transition to carnivore.
You know any big differencebesides just the cravings like,
like physically you know, um,you know other things that are
going on that you didn't evenrealize were happening, even
though you came to this forweight loss.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, I definitely think I do better on strict
carnivore weather as opposed to,you know, doing just regular
keto and having those vegetablesor low carb fruits, like I just
feel better, even just mentally, eating this way.
So, yeah, besides the weightloss, I was able to go off of my
medication for Zoloft, which isfor anxiety and depression.
(09:11):
I've always had horrible acne.
That is completely cleared.
I feel like I have food freedom.
I know a lot of people are likehow do you have food freedom?
You're not eating anything andyou know that goes back to the
whole abstainer versusmoderators and why I eat this
way.
I feel like I have food freedomnow because I'm not obsessively
thinking about these otherfoods.
So it's just like I just feel alot freer and I feel like for
(09:34):
some people, with restrictioncomes freedom.
I was talking to Bronson aboutthis and he's like, yeah, it's
not a restrictive diet.
What's restrictive is like hisbathroom issues he was having
and being out in public andalways need to know like where
the bathroom is.
So being restrictive and eatingthis way brings a lot of
lifestyle freedoms even.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Yeah, coach Bronson, he's the man I love that guy.
You know the addiction of thefood and again, alcohol, right,
somebody that really needs to beabstaining from alcohol.
It's a trigger for them.
Nobody's putting the beer infront of them.
Be like, come on, man, justhave one.
Like nobody's doing that.
But with food people think it'sdifferent.
It really isn't, because wehave to have food to survive and
(10:21):
thrive and it's around us 24,seven and people are very, very
easy Just like, have one, comeon, have a cupcake.
But it is that snowball effectwhere once you start rolling, it
could be very difficult to stop.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, and that comment actually pisses me off
because I get it a lot.
They're like how sad that youjust can't have a slice of cake.
I'm like, would you say that toan alcoholic?
How sad that you can't justhave one glass of wine.
And like go on and on and onabout it, like you would never
say that.
So why are we not treated withthe same respect?
You know, I think a lot ofpeople they don't get it, they
don't understand, they don'tthink you can be addicted to
(10:56):
sugar.
So it's like very dismissive,it's just, I mean, it's an
accepted drug, essentially, youknow, and everyone, just
everyone's addicted to it.
So everyone makes excuses onwhy we should have it and why
you need to have it to make yourrelationship with food Okay.
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, and then has your approach changed over the
years to?
You know you're saying you were, you were strict.
You know, for two years nofruit, maybe some fruit, the
parent tax, I like to call it,you know, or the mom or dad tax
for cheese or fruit when you'regiving it to the kids.
But have you kind of opened upin certain things.
I'm thinking like, like LindaSalant, you know the carnitarian
(11:36):
.
She does like differentseasonings now and sells those.
And a little bit more open withsome different things that
might not be consideredcarnivore.
Yeah, in the beginning I rarelyeven use seasonings.
Bit more open with somedifferent things that might not
be considered carnivore.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, in the beginning I rarely even use
seasonings and I even still,like, don't necessarily feel the
need to have a lot of that.
I mean, I do sometimes and it'slike, oh, this is nice.
But I feel like my taste budshave changed and I just
appreciate meat with salt.
But yeah, as far as like otherthings I mean once in a while
I'll have an olive getting wildbut stuff like that like isn't
(12:10):
triggering to me and I feel likethere's worse things we could
be eating.
I wish I didn't let the fruitstuff slip back in, because I
don't know it, just it.
I feel like I slipped back intoold behaviors where just a bite
of fruit, I'm like I want more.
So I really have to almost getthat out of my system again once
I have a bite.
(12:30):
So, yeah, for me I don'trecommend.
I don't think it's a good thingthat I'm having bites of fruit
here and there.
Mentally it doesn't make mefeel my best.
So yeah, I guess that's kind ofwhere I'm at and I do try and
just keep it to the basics ofcarnivore and I'm not really
interested in adding things backin, at least not now.
I try not to be like dogmaticabout it, but I don't know, at
(12:53):
least for now, like I'm goodwith where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, and you mentioned your husband's
carnivore and you know thekiddos too, like what is.
You know, is the family likekind of all together on this?
And I think you know, for youknow, animal based for kids
versus more carnivore for yourhusband.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah.
So I would say my kids are moreanimal based, if you had to
give them a label.
So they eat everything we eatwhich is animals dairy eggs.
We do have fruit for them inthe house and then occasionally
I do buy a good qualitysourdough bread, whether our
friend makes it or we get it atthe farmer's market.
So they do have treats.
I don't like to have them inthe house because if it's more
(13:37):
than one serving then they'reconstantly asking for it and
it's annoying.
I'd rather get them on Friday.
Our friend owns a gelato shopand it's like okay, I know she's
using, yes, it's sugar, but atleast it's like the best quality
she can find and everything'slike organic.
I don't know, I feel likethat's a marketing term, but you
know what I mean.
If you're going to have it,it's the best quality.
So once in a while I get themthat because I want them to also
(14:01):
have a feeling of control.
I don't want to always be likeno, no, no, no, no, and then
when they're older they're goingto go to a friend's house and
like binge on all the thingsthat mom wouldn't let them have.
So I do like them to have thatfeeling of power to make their
own decisions sometimes.
But we do teach about, likeproper nutrition with them.
(14:21):
So if we are, you know, gettinga scoop of gelato, it's like,
okay, you don't need to eat allthis, listen to your body, you
know.
So, just telling them, teachingthem to pay attention to how
they're feeling, kids' birthdayparties they're so frustrating,
honestly, we'll feed them beforeso hopefully they're not, like
you know, ravenous.
I will draw the hard line atred dye, like no, you're not
(14:44):
going to have the red cupcake,get the white one.
But we just teach them.
Then later, like when they'rerunning around being like insane
, it's like, okay, see howyou're feeling, see how you're
acting, this is because of yourdiet.
So we just try and teach themlike the food we're eating
affects our body and I'm justhoping for the best that I'm not
screwing them up.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No, I think that's a great way to approach it.
I think tackling food at home isa big miss for a lot of
families because they'll justagain, they're going to go out
into the world, you know, atyoung ages, birthday parties,
other kids' homes, whatever itmay be.
But having them have that, theirown power and their own
knowledge of you know saying,yeah, I'm going to have that or
not, or if they do have it, youknow, understanding, like, how
(15:26):
is it making you feel?
Is you know, I just stuffingyour face with pizza?
Yeah, pizza tastes great, I'mnot going to deny that, but it's
like, oh, I feel terrible afterI do that.
So having them have the powerand just the knowledge is that's
a great step.
You know I don't have kids, butyou know that's one thing that
I look at, as you know, as I getolder and other people and my
(15:46):
friends, they're all reallypaying attention to what's in
even baby formula, if they'redoing that route baby food, what
they're getting their kids, andreally being also diligent on
nutrition labels as well,because, as we know, there's
just a mix of just things that Ican't even pronounce on there.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Exactly, and that's interesting.
You say that the labels causemy six-year-old he can read
pretty well now.
So now we get like soccersnacks, and I don't ever want to
be rude, so we accept the snackand we just handle it in the
car.
And so he'll be reading thebacks of these things and be
like oh, mom, I probablyshouldn't have this.
Or even like Gatorade, likewhen my three-year-old was
(16:27):
playing soccer.
I'm like my three-year-old doesnot need a Gatorade.
Like she snuggled with me halfthe game.
Like there's no electrolytesthat need to be replenished.
But so he's old enough.
My six-year-old, where he'lllike get the drink.
He'll be like mom, look,there's an orange Gatorade, I'm
(16:50):
not going to drink this becauseof the dye.
So of course it tastes good andhe would, I'm sure, love it.
But he's also, you know, makinghis own decisions based on what
we've told him.
And, yes, he he'll might, youknow, pick one of the, you know
whatever the chewy chocolatechip crap bar that's in there.
Sometimes.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
we'll let him, you know, pick one of them, but then
I think for the most part he'slike, yeah, this stuff isn't
good, so I'll choose this oneand then the rest of it can go.
So, oh, yeah, that's, that'sawesome.
And you started out as your.
Your career was very uniquebecause you were a yacht chef,
right, is that correct?
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Well, if anyone's seen the show below deck on
Bravo, it's very similar to that.
Yeah, I started out, um, as astewardess and as the years went
on, you know, working closelywith the chef, I'm like, well, I
want to do this, Like I don'twant to scrub toilets anymore, I
want to cook dinner foreverybody.
Cook the meals.
Um, joke was on me because myfirst cooking job actually still
included being a stewardess.
I was like a stew cook, so Ihad to cook dinner and scrub the
(17:47):
toilets.
But, yeah, it was amazing.
It was so much fun.
I miss it.
You know it was a lot ofawesome travel and then cooking
usually not in a healthy way,Like everyone, of course, you're
on board and you just want tohave like the most delicious,
amazing foods and desserts andyou know croissants and all that
(18:07):
.
So, yeah, it was.
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
You know I, like I mentioned earlier, like I love
your Instagram and the YouTube.
You know what, what made youwant to get into you know,
sharing your journey with peopleand putting this all out there
for pretty much the world to see.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah.
So it was kind of at least thiscarnivore stuff was accidental,
so I had showed up, shown up alittle bit online, Like when I
was still on boats.
I remember there was this onetrip we took where I shared like
a few pictures.
This was when Instagram waslike just pictures, like this
was in probably 2014,.
Like reels didn't exist, youknow.
(18:43):
It's like a really crappypicture.
So I started kind of sharinglike that.
And then I I wasn't everconsistent.
And then, after I had kids, Iwas doing more of like low carb
keto stuff and I was sharingthose recipes online and never
once like got any bad commentsor anything.
Mind you, no one really cared,didn't have much of a following.
(19:05):
And then so I was just likenaturally like sharing my
journey.
Here's my low carb keto recipes, here's what I'm doing, here's
what I'm doing to try and loseweight, cause this was, you know
, after both of my pregnancies,you know, gaining so much weight
.
And then it was like okay, I'mstarting carnivore tomorrow.
I don't even know what it means.
Like I remember talking to mystories and just saying like I
don't even have resources foryou guys, like essentially, I'm
(19:27):
blindly trusting my husband thatthis is what I should try.
And then I just started sharing, like, what I was eating in a
day.
And I remember the one video onTikTok where, all of a sudden,
I'm like, oh, people arecommenting and I'm like, oh,
they're not happy either, likethey're really mad that I'm
eating this way.
You know nowadays, if someonewere to be like I'm going to
(19:50):
start sharing my carnivorejourney, I'm going to put it out
there.
I know people are going to benasty Like.
I know it's like people I feellike know what to expect.
I was completely blindsided byall these negative comments.
I just had no idea and, yeah,so I just I've continued to
share every ever since and it'sjust become my passion to at
(20:10):
least let people know that thisis an option to eat this way.
If I'm not saying everybodyshould, I'm just saying if you
are not feeling good and you'restruggling to lose weight, your
mental health sucks, your skinsucks.
You know you have all theseissues like, just give it a
chance.
Clearly, what you're doingisn't working for you.
So, yeah, I just continue toshare my journey and deal with
(20:30):
the haters.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Haters are going to hate.
Yeah, that's that's for sure.
Uh, yeah, I, I would, I wouldagree with you and it's it's a
kind of a leap of faith to likestart putting stuff online.
And it feels kind of weird atfirst.
I don't know about you.
I felt very weird about, likeyou know, putting stuff online.
I was like my tag used to becarnivore athlete and I've
changed it like four times.
Like, oh, is this one picturereally good?
(20:55):
Or this video you know youmentioned I completely just
forgot that Instagram used tojust be pictures too.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
I'm just like doing videos and I'm like, oh, I gotta
keep editing.
And you spent like 15, 20minutes on a video.
Post it, take it off, post it.
And then you know, justnowadays I'm just like let it go
and it's whatever.
But did you have a strugglestarting out?
Or you were just like, whatever, I'm going to just keep posting
and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Yeah, no, definitely, cause I mean in the beginning,
when it was just pictures it wasjust pictures of my food and it
it took me a while to want tobe in the videos, Like it it
just felt weird and, of course,like when I first started, like
I was severely overweight and soI didn't feel good about myself
but I just showed up, showed upanyway, and now I have zero Fs,
(21:43):
like I don't care, there's noshame.
I will show up and talk aboutpoop, like I.
There's nothing that willembarrass me now.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, and then you know, speaking about that,
because that's also in the bookhere, there is a little comment
about bowel movements in there.
So the book, you know,carnivore in the Kitchen is
awesome.
Like I said, it's for me,especially variety wise, it's
gold, it's awesome.
(22:12):
For me, especially variety wise, it's, it's, it's, it's gold,
it's awesome.
But what made you, you know,want to write this book and get
this out to the people?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Yeah, so I I always kind of thought maybe I'd do a
book someday never thought itwould be carnivore at all, um,
but yeah, so I I had on my listof things that like I wanted and
my dream would be to write acookbook and have it be with the
publisher, because I knew me,if I were to self-publish it, it
(22:39):
would take me forever.
Like I wanted those likedeadlines.
I wanted someone to be likethis is what we need to do to
like get it done.
And so one day, like I got anemail from my publishing company
and I had already like kind offound them online because I'm
like, okay, if I write my book,what am I going to do with it?
Where do I shop it around?
So I got the email.
I'm like, oh my gosh, this isso weird.
This is who I was eyeing, likeif I made a book, and yeah.
(23:02):
So they reached out to me andI'm like this is perfect.
Like, yes, I think the beautyabout eating this way is it can
be so simple and all you needare, you know, steaks and burger
patties.
But there's a lot of peoplethat get bored, and so I just
wanted to offer something tosomebody that might need things
to be a little bit more creativeto keep this way of eating
sustainable, and so there arelike a lot of fun and creative
(23:25):
recipes, but there is a chapteron just simply meats, because I
know a lot of people don't doall the fuss, like they just
want to cook some meat, sothere's different ways to cook,
different cuts, and there's thewhole chapter on animal-based
kids meal plans, grocery listsand, yeah, carnivore 101 section
, where I think I evenacknowledge like sorry to talk
(23:46):
about poop in a cookbook, butyou know, it's like one of the
main questions that is askedwhen we're talking about
troubleshooting on a carnivorediet.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Yeah, it does come up a ton and you know you go over
those kind of things.
The macros give a littlesection of like you know, hey,
this is where plants can beharmful.
Here's some reasoning why,which is really good.
And then I also appreciategoing through different versions
of meat-based diets because you, you'll, you, like you said,
(24:15):
you'll have the people that nothrills, that that you know they
might have an autoimmune issueor whatever.
They gotta get real strict.
So you got that line dietversion, keto for animal based.
You know, you do the babies,the uh, that's the Dr Kiltz,
right.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, dr.
Barry the BBBE.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Oh, bbbe, okay, but yeah, it's cool.
I like that you give theautonomy to like kind of pick
and choose your own path andthen also going into the
animal-based kids you know youtalked about with your kiddos
some of the you know educationat the home, but what are some
of the staples that you cook foryour kiddos that they love?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
We do a lot of pizza, chicken nuggets, trying to
think what else they love porkrind cereal.
So I don't necessarily havethat as a recipe in my book but
I mention it.
I know it sounds absolutelyhorrendous.
So you take pork rinds and youjust crunch them up a little bit
.
You can do a little sprinkle ofcinnamon.
If someone's doing a sweetener,like a little sprinkle of monk
(25:15):
fruit would be good and thenmilk and honestly it tastes like
if you're not using thesweetener.
It tastes like Rice Krispies dobefore you like add the packet
of sugar.
Sounds horrendous, but it'sliterally so good and the
cinnamon like makes it almostlike cinnamon toast crunch.
Oh, interesting it isinteresting, yeah, and I didn't
(25:35):
create it.
My friend B I saw her shareabout it.
I don't even know where she gotit from, so I don't take credit
for it.
But it's life changing becausesometimes we just like need that
crunch, we want the cereal.
So we do a lot of that A lot ofmeat sticks, bacon, hard-boiled
eggs, trying to think what elsewe mainly do for them.
(25:55):
Lots of burger patties, steaks.
We keep it fairly simple, butthen do a lot of creative
recipes for, maybe for dinner orsomething.
Bacon cheeseburger soup in mybook is a huge hit.
That and the pizzas, I feellike, is what we go back to the
most.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
It's familiarity amongst other dishes, but you're
making it with the carnivoretwist or keto-vore twist to it.
So, yeah, I feel like if youwere.
I think, when people thinkparents want their kids to be
more of that carnivore orketo-vore or whatever, that
they're just like puttingtomahawks on their you know on
their plates to eat.
You know, as little kids, butthat's not necessarily the case.
(26:31):
So the creativity is awesome.
And for people that are likegrocery shopping right, you know
if they're doing carnivore,keto or whatever may be like
what's some tips to find somequality meat, save money and
maybe avoid some like commonpitfalls at the store.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Yeah, so I'm part of the group that says eat what you
love, eat what you can afford.
I don't think it all has to beorganic grass fed.
What does Barry say?
Like panda, massaged cows orwhatever.
If that's what you like, go forit.
But eating Walmart beef is stillgoing to be nutritious, and way
(27:12):
more nutritious than a standardAmerican diet.
So I wouldn't feel pressuredinto buying those other things
because they can be expensive.
So I think shopping the sales,check the weekly flyer, see what
your grocery stores are doingand you can shop according to
what's on sale, buy in bulk, putin the freezer or, if you do
want to buy from a farm.
(27:33):
I mean, sometimes they canstill be really expensive.
Even if you're buying like aquarter cow, it still can be a
little pricey per pounddepending on who you're getting
it from.
But that would be another wayto look into things.
You don't have to buy the.
You know the eggs that arepasture raised and you know all
that stuff.
Of course that's going to beideal, but if that is not in
(27:54):
your budget, there's nothingwrong with getting you know the
cheapest eggs you can find.
So I wouldn't let budget get inthe way of you from trying this
, because it's still going to beso more nutritious than you
know eating a different way.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Yeah, don't, don't let perfection be the enemy of
good.
It doesn't have to be perfectevery single day.
Yeah, I've also looked intogetting half of a cow at a time,
or quarter cow.
I mean, I'm in Chicago, soshipping fees just for the food.
I was like you know what?
I'm going to go to Costco,let's just call it that.
(28:36):
And I like Costco.
I'm one of those.
You know I love Costco.
They make ground beef insix-pound like packages.
I can get some.
You know it doesn't have to bethe prime cuts or whatever, it's
just like the choice or theselect or whatever, which is
amazing, like it's still great,it tastes amazing.
(28:56):
So I'm a Costco advocate forsure.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I am too.
They have amazing ribeyes and Iwould even say I've been more
impressed with, like I'm tryingto think, was it choice?
Like select Is select themiddle one.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I think selected.
Yeah, it's like choice, likeselect is select the middle one.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I think select yeah, it's like choice, select then
prime.
Okay, like I don't get theprime, I've splurged a few times
.
I'm like this isn't even worthit.
I don't feel like it was muchof a difference, but they have
amazing ribeyes and I'm tryingto think what else I usually get
there.
Honestly, if I'm buying steaks,it's usually the ribeyes there,
and I buy from farms too.
I have, you know, farm food inmy freezer, but I Costco has
(29:34):
good meat.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Yeah, it's, it's great.
I had a friend who has uhparents owned, uh an operated
restaurants and he has arestaurant Depot card.
So that was like the besthookup.
Uh, if you're listening to this, we have to go back.
So he would take me, we wouldgo because he had the access to
Restaurant Depot and we wouldbuy the primal cuts, like the
(29:57):
huge cuts at a time.
It's like literally restaurantquality and it was like
restaurant quality for like$11.99 a pound, which is not out
of this world at all.
You go to the conventionalMariano's or Whole Foods you're
looking at sometimes $19 a poundfor certain steak cuts.
But then he showed me how tolike cut it up myself and
(30:19):
actually, you know, trim it alittle bit and that was the most
cost effective.
But yeah, it does take a littlebit of time.
But if you know a littleknow-how or you got a hookup,
you know you can, you canprobably save, save some, some
shekels.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah, that's a good idea too.
And now that you mentioned that, if you shop at grocery stores,
like around the holidays, youcan get, like Christmas, they'll
do a lot of like rib roast.
So you buy the whole big roastand you slice up your own ribeye
steaks, or even, like I'mthinking, at Easter time I feel
like they'll do some roast.
So, yeah, if you buy them bigand slice them up and even right
(30:55):
now St Patrick's Day ishappening, what is it?
Corned beef is usually supercheap, like $2.99 a pound.
I will stock up.
I don't know what it is aboutthe seasoning and corned beef.
I love it.
I should probably make my own.
I'm sure it would be betterquality.
But yeah, just you know, shopthe sales, shop bulk, cut it
down yourself and and renderthat tallow too, and then save
(31:18):
the tallow to cook things with.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Nose to tail.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Nose to tail.
And speaking of, like thecooking, you know essential
cookware.
You know what.
What are the must have tools orcookware items that you know
make this way of eating andpreparing more enjoyable, and
what are the must-have tools orcookware items that make this
way of eating and preparing moreenjoyable, and what are the
ones that are your go-to?
I swear by these.
You should have these in yourkitchen.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
So I've been using cast iron for probably like 12
years now, so I will never goback from that.
I would definitely get a castiron pan.
You could also use stainless Idon't typically gravitate
towards that, but definitelycast iron.
Get yourself a grill if youhave the space, or smoker, or
like a combo grill smoker wouldbe amazing.
(32:03):
Air fryer I use our air fryer alot, especially for those that
have small spaces and can't havea grill.
Instant pot I use all the timebecause you can cook things like
roast from frozen in therequickly.
I wouldn't put a frozen roastinto a crock pot.
It takes too long and then yourfood is in the danger zone.
(32:25):
But if you're doing yourinstant pot, since it's pressure
cooking, it's fairly quick, soit's safe.
So I love that, especiallybecause I'm horrible about
shopping my freezer and pullingthings out to defrost.
For some reason it even justfeels overwhelming.
I'd rather almost go to thegrocery store and buy fresh meat
than take things out of myfreezer and plan ahead that way.
So being able to throw thingsin last minute from frozen is
(32:49):
amazing too.
So yeah, cast iron pan, instantpot, air fryer and a grill if
you want to, and you'd be allset.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I've had some friends who they do a lot of their
steaks in the air fryer and Ibought an air fryer.
I tried it.
I did a steak ribeye steak andI think I did like a wing flats
or something in there and Ididn't like it.
It could be me, it could be meI might've messed it up, but
yeah, I tried it and I was justlike I just there's something
about the fire hitting the, youknow the, the ribeye or the
(33:20):
burger patties or whatever.
I just feel like that textureis a little bit better or I just
messed it up.
But everybody keeps telling melike you got to get an air fryer
.
I was like all right.
So I was like all right, so Imight attempt.
I've gotten somerecommendations that get up to
like higher to.
They're like get the one thathas the higher temperature or
something like that.
So I'm going to try it.
But yeah, small spaces inparticular, if you don't have,
(33:44):
you know, a grill or area forthat, or it's really cold
outside, like Chicago is liketwo degrees out right now, I
don't want to.
I don't want to go outside agrill.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Yeah, exactly, I don't want to go outside a grill
.
Yeah, exactly.
No, I'm with you on like thesteaks and the air fryer I have
before I think if it's a littlebit thicker and you can cook it
from frozen that way, like theoutside's getting a little bit
better of a crust because it'sin there longer.
But I'd rather get a crust on acast iron pan.
What I use my air fryer for,like if we're doing meatballs or
(34:09):
nuggets or I'll do my pizzacrust in there, and usually like
if you get one that has like anoven setting, then it's not
just doing like the high heat ontop air fryer, you can use it
as like a mini oven.
I do like chicken wings inthere, but then I also will
usually fry them at the end intallow.
So yeah, I'm with you on thesteak, you can, but I'd rather
(34:33):
grill it or throw it in a pan,for sure.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And you make carnivore bread.
And actually even just I saw Iwas just going through my feed
very recently and Carnivore Raygave you a shout out on some
carnivore bread.
What the heck is in carnivorebread?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
So it's essentially like an egg meatloaf carnivore
bread.
So it's essentially like an eggmeatloaf.
Oh, there's a lot of eggs, somecottage cheese, panko and
butter.
I think that's it.
When you, if you, I don'trecommend eating it as it, I
mean you can, you can slice itand eat it.
It's good.
What I suggest is you slice itas thin as you can and then you
air fry it or toast it.
(35:09):
Like it's very dense how it is,and I could add more pork panko
to like make it less dense, butthen it tastes more like pork.
So I feel like this is the bestratio to get like a neutral
flavor, but it just needs alittle help to like dry it out a
little bit.
So if you slice it and air fryit for about like 10 minutes, it
almost like dries it out andgets it to kind of like a toast,
(35:31):
like a normal toast, and that'show I would eat it.
It's really good.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah, it's.
It sounds like a great optionfor people that you know they're
they're ready to dive intocarnivore, but they, they love
you know the buns on the burgeror what have you.
Um, and just keeping thatsomewhat normalcy for people
that that want that.
But uh, you also have salads inthere and I think people are
going to get very weary.
(35:56):
Like what do you mean?
They have salads in thiscookbook.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
All the good stuff in a salad, you know, is the meat,
the cheese and the dressing.
Like, okay, yeah, it may benice to like have that crunch of
the lettuce, but like, when youthink about like I would get
like a cob or a chef salad, likeall the good stuff is the bacon
, the egg, the meats, the bluecheese and then the dressing, so
we can have all that oncarnivore.
Just, you know, leave thelettuce off or have the lettuce,
(36:20):
I don't care.
I'm not judging you, but yeah,I just thought it would be kind
of fun to tap into some thingslike we, we used to be eating.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, the I've, I've made the chicken Cobb salad in
there and you're right, it'slike I that's all, even if when
I before, when I used to do ketoand other things like and I
would have the big ass salad,basically this whole like salad
bowl, but I would just literallypick around the lettuce and
just have all of the other stuffand then it'd be and I'm like,
oh, I guess I got to finish mylettuce now, or whatever because
(36:50):
.
I thought that's what I needed,but no, it's really really good.
Go into like different dips anddressings and all that stuff,
which is awesome.
But the big thing is like I'mnot a baker by any stretch of
the word.
I'm terrible at baking anything, but you make these look really
really simple and easy desserts.
(37:11):
You know what are some of theingredients you can use for
desserts, rather than you knowthe typical sugar and flour.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Yeah, so I mean, the thing about eating this way is
we don't have many ingredientsto work with.
So I mean, the majority ofthese like dessert-like recipes
are going to be eggs, cream,cream cheese, and that's it
pretty much, you know, and thenit's just mixing them up
different ways, add a littlevanilla and cinnamon.
I feel like those flavors giveoff dessert vibes, so it kind of
(37:41):
like tricks your mind intothinking you're having something
.
So, yeah, I have vanillacupcakes in there, which, if
anybody's been low carb, keto,you have probably heard of cloud
bread, so it's just taking thecloud bread recipe turning them
into cupcakes.
I have like a whipped moussethat I think is just cream
cheese and something I don'tknow.
You know what.
Like some of these recipes, I'mlike I haven't seen or done
(38:02):
anything with them in over ayear.
But yeah, I think cream andcream cheese and I'm trying to
think what other ice creamsandwiches are in there.
So ice cream and that's allthat's coming to mind right now.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Yeah, I mean, those are great alternatives that,
rather than putting inartificial sweeteners or just
straight up sugar, you know,these are just great little
things that, like you said, it'skind of like this it's like you
have this little pool ofingredients and you're just kind
of just picking and choosingand just creating a bunch of
different things that you'rethrowing together that look
(38:37):
pretty similar.
I mean, I'm going through theback of the book.
I'm just looking at all thedesserts.
I'm like these look awesome,especially the those ice cream
sandwiches, cause I thinkthere's like panko in the crust
too as well as like I would noteven think that would even be a
thing, but it's, it looks great.
Um, but yeah, I'm not a baker.
I haven't attempted any of thedesserts.
But the appetizer stuff, likeI've used those, like the
(38:58):
deviled eggs.
I've made those and broughtthose to parties.
That's a huge hit.
Everybody loves that.
Especially, you put the littletopper or garnish of bacon on
there and get a little bacon, uh, grease in the filling too,
with the mayonnaise and the yolk, like everybody, everybody's
like oh, these are great.
So I always bring extra morethan I should, because they
(39:21):
usually go.
But yeah, going into this bookas well.
What are the challenges thatyou had?
Was there big challenges ofjust?
Was it just timeline challengesor it's like just to actually
get this many recipes naileddown in one book?
Speaker 2 (39:33):
Yeah, it was a lot of work.
Honestly, I'm still traumatizedfrom it.
They let me do my own timeline.
But I was like we need to getthis out sooner than later.
Like I can't dilly dally andtake two years to create these
recipes.
Like we need to get a move onit.
So I figured out like what Icould realistically do in a week
(39:54):
and I settled on like threerecipes I think I could do each
week.
So I had a six month deadline.
So I had six months to createall the recipes, write them all
out, take all the photos andthen send them over and then
from there we went back andforth on editing probably for
(40:14):
like eight months.
So, honestly, the hardest partwasn't like developing in the
kitchen, it was the going backand forth with the editing.
Like I definitely cried a fewtimes.
It was a lot going on and I meanI'm so glad I did it, but I
think I might be one and done.
Like they offered book two, Isaid yes, we were in talks for
(40:38):
about a week.
We decided like what the themewould be and then I just
realized I'm like I don't knowif I could like take this on
right now Because, besides itbeing a lot of work, especially
when I have two little kids athome.
I just also don't deal withstress well, so my stress like
affects my family because I justgo insane.
So yeah, I actually turned downbook two for now because I'm
(41:01):
like I just don't think I couldtake it on.
And I'm super proud with thisone, like I feel like I like put
everything in it, like I feellike I could wrap this one up
with the bow and be good and notdo another one, even though I
still have more ideas in my head.
But yeah, I'm super stoked tohave this one out in the world.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Yeah, it's for sure, a home run like you did.
Very well coming coming out thegate.
Is there any?
Any recipe that is yourabsolute favorite that's in here
, or either a recipe that isyour absolute favorite but it
didn't make the book.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Um, I mean, I do have some ideas that didn't make the
book, but I none that I evenlike attempted like they were.
They just stayed on the list.
So, yeah, everything that Iattempted to make worked out and
went in there.
I'd say the Carniza recipethat's.
I have two pizza crust recipesand the Carniza is one of my
(41:55):
favorites.
Bacon, cheeseburger soup,lasagna breakfast meatballs are
really good.
Oh, biscuits and gravy, I feellike, is another like big staple
.
And eggs benedict, I'd saythose rotate pretty often.
Honestly, I should probablyopen my book and flip through it
, because I keep going back tolike the same ones and I like
(42:16):
don't even remember half ofwhat's in there.
I really should flip throughfor some to shake it up here and
get more inspiration for ourmeals instead of like repeating
the same things.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
There's nothing also wrong with being creatures of
habit either you know, just youknow to buy each week I'm
definitely in that camp too andthen a part of your book.
I thought this was interestingand I kind of appreciated that
you included, like for furtherreading reading section, and you
like highlight other carnivoreand animal based advocates in
(42:48):
the book.
You know a lot of people thatdo something like this.
They want the spotlight just tobe on them and what their
information.
You know.
Why did you share all thisother information with other
doctors and or carnivoreadvocates?
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Yeah, I just I want to be, I want to give the
information, to help peoplethrive and eat this way.
And I'm not giving everyone allthat information, like, I am
not trying to be a doctor, Icannot even regurgitate some of
the science.
I say like, I read it, Ibelieve it and I do it.
But to like say it to someoneelse doesn't happen.
And I also just want to raiseup other people in this
(43:24):
community.
I'm not trying to climb to thetop and be up there by myself.
Let's all raise each other up.
The better we all do, the moreeveryone's accounts are seen and
their voice is heard, the morepeople we're going to reach.
I think we just all need tohave the common thread that we
want people to know thatcarnivore is an option.
So the more people we're goingto reach, I think we just all
need to have the common you knowthread that we want people to
know that carnivore is an option.
(43:44):
So the more of us that can getout there and spread the word,
the better.
So, yeah, I was more than happyto make this list.
And, you know, give my friendssome shout outs and, yeah, just
help other people in thiscommunity be seen too.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, it thought I had it down of the followers of
like I'm following this person,I'm following that person, but
there was a few people I didn'teven know about that from this
book.
So it was great just to get onInstagram just to see some
different points of views,different people that are in the
space sharing information.
And, like you said, this bookis like really it's simple but
super effective.
(44:20):
You give somebody Sean Baker'sbook, right Carnivore Code and
they could read that, which isreally kind of dense in some
areas, and you're just kind oflike the science could go over
your head, but especially yourone-on-one section.
It's really great, really welldone.
So I think that sharing thisbook and connecting with some of
those peoples in that back textof reading further is great.
(44:44):
So I appreciate you puttingthis together.
I know it was a lot of hardwork.
You know maybe book twowhenever you're ready, but what
would be the theme if you wantto share it, if you were going
to do it?
Speaker 2 (44:56):
Um, I mean, I guess it's not anything like not that
anyone would take it, but it'snothing new.
So I will say we were talkingabout kind of like holidays but
also like lifestyle, whateverthat meant.
So we didn't even really get tounpack it.
It was just like, yes, there'sgoing to be a lot of holiday
functions and just making this alifestyle, and you know, so we
(45:20):
were kind of, yeah, going off ofthat.
So we'll see, maybe when mykids are older, but I don't know
.
Speaker 1 (45:26):
That sounds, sounds cool, sounds like a cool project
.
And, speaking of projects,you're coming to Meatstock.
I think you're going toMeatstock this year.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yeah, and that's like another thing.
Like, yes, I have another bookin me and I have recipes to
share, but I think I'm I don'tknow, I just had this calling
that there's other ways that I'msupposed to like show up and
share my message, and maybethat's not in another book,
maybe it's just sprinkling somefree recipes onto the internet
here and there and things likemeat stock, you know, going to
(45:57):
something like that orcollaborating with other people.
Going to something like that orcollaborating with other people
, like I think there's, I don'tknow.
I'm just being called to otherways to get out there and help,
as opposed to writing anotherbook.
So, yeah, meat stock is reallythe only thing I have on my
calendar this year.
I'm not going to be doing hackyour health again.
It's amazing.
(46:17):
If anyone's going to that,highly recommend it, but I won't
be doing that one.
I know that's like a big one tobe missing, but Meatstock, are
you going to that one?
Speaker 1 (46:26):
I am not.
I have a certification we'redoing like a fitness training
certification.
It lands literally on thatweekend and it's in Chicago, so
I've already committed to that.
Plus, it's my dad's birthdaythat weekend.
So I'm going to be in town.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
for that I was like, ah, I'm like, couldn't be like a
week later or anything likethat.
But this is a big one next year, next year, cause I'm I'm in
talks with Scott who organizesit.
We I say we like, but I feellike I'm in on it with him um
have already lined up quite afew amazing um speakers for next
year as well.
Like we're branching out, we'regetting a little bit bigger, a
little bit more than justcarnivore, more of like making
(47:08):
America healthy again.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
So it's going to be cool.
Speaker 2 (47:10):
So stay tuned for next year.
Then if you can't make thisyear, yeah, is it good?
Speaker 1 (47:14):
Are you guys thinking about being in the same place
again?
Speaker 2 (47:18):
or moving it Same city like Gatlinburg area.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
Okay, awesome, that's going to be next year.
It will be on my 2026 calendarright away, for sure.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
Awesome.
Yeah, he's going to share aboutit, I think, while we're at
this year's I think his win, soafter that he'll start promoting
.
I'm trying to think what thedates were and I don't remember.
I think it's similar, thoughgive or take a month.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
Yeah, I saw the lineup for this year.
I mean, I remember when theyfirst kind of put it out and it
was like it was a great lineupjust.
But then I'm like whoa, I'mlooking at it, there's like a
movie poster of people go and Iwas like well, this is insane.
This is good.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
And every week I'm like okay, scott, like come on,
like but, it's a good thing, butit's just like it keeps like
growing.
I'm like, oh my gosh, yeah,Every, everyone and their mom's
going to be there.
It's going to be pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (48:07):
Yeah Well, I wish you the best.
And then you know, and I'm sureyou're going to crush it, if
you're doing any speaking oranything, you're going to,
you're going to you once theyhear this podcast if they want
to learn more.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Yeah, come say hi.
Slide into my DMs.
I am on every platform YouTube,instagram, twitter, x, whatever
they call it.
Did I say TikTok?
Pinterest is a good spot tolike organize recipes.
And yeah, come say hi.
Facebook.
I have a private Facebook groupas well.
It's free, but a littlecommunity on there as well.
(48:42):
If anyone needs some, you knowcommunity, a group.
You need to bounce questionsoff each other, so that's a good
spot too.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Cool, awesome.
I'll put those in the shownotes and appreciate you coming
on and sharing this information.
This is awesome.
Speaker 2 (48:54):
Thank you, thanks for having me, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
You got it and thanks for everybody listening to
another.
Former yacht chef turned carnivore advocate,
courtney is a content creatorand author of the cookbook
Carnivore in the Kitchen.
Courtney, welcome to the PrimalFoundations podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hi, awesome Thanks for having me on.
I'm excited to chat today.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
We're talking off air a little bit of how you know.
I've been following your page.
You do some amazing content.
I love your book, which we'regoing to get into today, but for
some of the listeners well, mylisteners especially know I'm a
very boring carnivore.
I eat the same stuff over andover again, and your book gives
a little bit more variety andactually has different things
(00:35):
like desserts and appetizers andthings that I don't even really
even make when I bring food toother places, and some of these
recipes are a big hit when Ibring them to parties, which is
really really nice.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Awesome, I'm glad to hear that.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah and uh for some of the listeners that you know
don't know your story.
I've heard your story on somepodcasts before and you know I
resonate with it because youknow you've mentioned things of
like yo-yo dieting, weightwatchers, slim fast.
You know, when I hear thosethings, that's for me was what I
thought of when I was youngerof dieting.
That's what those things looklike and can you kind of tell
(01:10):
listeners of you know where yourhealth journey kind of started
and what got you into carnivore?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah.
So, like you said long historyof yo-yo dieting I went to my
first weight watchers meeting atthe age of 13.
I guess it was my idea.
I had said like, oh, my momgently suggested it and like, a
few months ago, apparently she'swatching these.
She's like I didn't have you go, like you wanted to go.
So we'll just clear that up.
But yeah, that was my, you know, first dive into the dieting
(01:38):
world and you name it.
I've tried it.
So yeah, of course, like doingthose Weight Watchers points
where in hindsight, it'sessentially just eat everything
in moderation, like who careshow crappy it is, but if it fits
your points, you're good, youknow.
So I feel like I got a littlebit closer to health when, in
2010, my mom, who had been likea 25 year vegetarian, was
(02:03):
talking about Mark Sisson's book, the Primal Blueprint, and so
he's a paleo guy.
So she stopped being vegetarianand dove into the paleo side of
things and so I dabbled in that.
But I was young, I was in myearly 20s.
I wasn't really caring about myhealth.
Maybe I cared about my weight,but I was out partying.
(02:24):
I wasn't really caring about myhealth.
Maybe I cared about my weight,but I was out partying, I wasn't
trying to be healthy, and thenI found keto, probably around
like 2013 or so, and wait, Ithink I had the math wrong.
I don't think 2010 was marked.
Oh, maybe it was Okay.
So then, a few years after that, found keto and dabbled on and
(02:46):
off for about seven years, againusing it as a weight loss tool
and, I think, always justassuming that a healthy weight
meant a healthy body and Istopped keto.
I had used it again to after mysecond baby, to lose 50 pounds
for like the third time and Istopped doing what was working
(03:07):
for me.
I got caught up in the anti-dietculture BS where they're like
all foods fit, everything on thetable.
There's no such thing as badfoods.
I'm like yes, let's do this.
Okay, I am a sugar addict.
I cannot moderate things.
So it started out okay.
No-transcript.
(03:51):
Dr Paul Saladino's TikToks andhe sent them to me for about a
month before I even asked himlike why are you sending me
these?
Should we not be eatingvegetables?
I'm like this is so weird.
And he's like I need to, youknow, dig into it.
So that was our introductionand I started off.
(04:12):
So it's been almost three yearsnow I started off animal based.
I'm realizing now like my sugaraddicted brain still wanted
those fruits, still wanted thatfructose.
Figured out five weeks in thatI need to just stop with the
fruits.
My belly could be full from apound of ribeye, but my mouth
still wanted blueberries.
So I'm realizing that sugar,just you know, still had a hold
of me.
So I went, you know, carnivoreafter that.
(04:32):
And yeah, the rest is history.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
People don't really realize, or they're just uh,
haven't had this their ownpersonal experience with uh
being addicted to food.
You know, uh, it's it's.
You mentioned it, you, youacknowledge it.
You're like, why am I atMcDonald's right now?
I know this is not the thingfor me right now, but it gets
ahold of people and that's oneof the big things and it's tough
(04:57):
and I thank you for sharingthat too, because some people,
you know that's something theywant to keep tight to the chest.
But you, you've lost weight ona carnivore.
But was Paul Saldino likeanimal based at that time, or
was he doing more of the allmeat Cause?
I know he had a little bit of atransition.
You know, carnivore MD 2.0 kindof thing.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, I never saw his content when he was carnivore.
So he even in the keto space onand off when I was in it.
I never heard about carnivore.
Like I don't know why I was solate to the party, why I didn't
see things like in my socialmedia feeds.
So, yeah, he was my firstintroduction to this whole
meat-based world.
I hadn't even really heard ofcarnivore.
You know he was doinganimal-based, so having all his
(05:38):
fruit, and then once I startedthere, then I slowly started to
see you know more of like thecarnivores show up.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So, yeah, yeah, and, and I, I'm not a big uh, uh, I
don't demonize fruit by anymeans.
I, I, you know, I, I have mycarnivore card and things like
that.
But, uh, to your point of youknow, I don't buy fruit for my
own home.
If it's out, I'll, I'll, I'll,I'll have some.
But I just know, if I buybananas right, and I have one, I
(06:05):
rip one off that the wholebushel of bananas is supposed to
last me the entire week.
It does not.
It maybe makes it to the end ofthe day, and so I have to
abstain from having stuff in thehouse, but I can moderate it if
it's out, and which is the onething that I've had to tackle.
But going into, let's say, justgoing into the ketogenic space,
(06:28):
like how was that transition?
And then from also keto tocarnivore.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah.
So I always had success, butfor the weight loss.
But then it never stuck.
And in hindsight, you know, now, knowing that I need to abstain
for from these like sweet, knownow, knowing that I need to
abstain for from these likesweet flavors, so making keto
treats, I'm realizing now, oh,that's why I couldn't, you know,
have that way of eating beingsustainable, because I was still
having those sweet things and Ifeel like it's very accepted in
(06:56):
the keto community to do likecheat meals on the weekend.
So you know, in hindsight, thatwasn't working for me.
I think if maybe I stuck to awhole foods approach, that would
have worked better.
But those keto you know, justthe keto sugars like they just
had a hold on me.
So I feel like when I justrealized, like a couple years
ago, and I saw someone talkingabout it, the whole abstainers
(07:17):
versus moderators, and that'swhen things clicked it's like,
oh my gosh, like I can'tmoderate myself with these foods
that aren't I mean some of themI wouldn't even consider food
we're not arguing over a bananabut like donuts and cupcakes and
all that and I can't just haveone, or maybe I would, but I
would obsessively think aboutthe rest of them during the day,
(07:39):
or I would try and fit them inmy macros, or maybe I would
binge and eat them all and thenI would restrict the next day,
so realizing that I just need tostay completely away from those
types of foods.
Even fruit, honestly, like oncein a while Now, I was very
strict for two years, Never hada bite of anything.
Now, like little bites here andthere of my kids' fruit slip in,
and even that it's like okay,then I want more.
(08:01):
So it's actually crazy what itdoes to your brain chemistry and
how it keeps you wanting more.
And it doesn't do it foreveryone.
My husband's carnivore, but hegoes off plan every so often
because he can moderate thatstuff.
But I'm like an alcoholic whenit comes to food.
Well, there's a reason why Idon't drink too because I can't
stop at one, but yeah, I justget a little out of control.
(08:24):
And too, because I can't stopat one, but yeah, I just get a
little out of control.
And you asked me something else, and now I'm forgetting the
other part to that question.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Sorry, I went off on a tangent you know just the, uh,
that transition piece you knowinto a ketogenic, and then now
you transition to carnivore.
You know any big differencebesides just the cravings like,
like physically you know, um,you know other things that are
going on that you didn't evenrealize were happening, even
though you came to this forweight loss.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, I definitely think I do better on strict
carnivore weather as opposed to,you know, doing just regular
keto and having those vegetablesor low carb fruits, like I just
feel better, even just mentally, eating this way.
So, yeah, besides the weightloss, I was able to go off of my
medication for Zoloft, which isfor anxiety and depression.
(09:11):
I've always had horrible acne.
That is completely cleared.
I feel like I have food freedom.
I know a lot of people are likehow do you have food freedom?
You're not eating anything andyou know that goes back to the
whole abstainer versusmoderators and why I eat this
way.
I feel like I have food freedomnow because I'm not obsessively
thinking about these otherfoods.
So it's just like I just feel alot freer and I feel like for
(09:34):
some people, with restrictioncomes freedom.
I was talking to Bronson aboutthis and he's like, yeah, it's
not a restrictive diet.
What's restrictive is like hisbathroom issues he was having
and being out in public andalways need to know like where
the bathroom is.
So being restrictive and eatingthis way brings a lot of
lifestyle freedoms even.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Yeah, coach Bronson, he's the man I love that guy.
You know the addiction of thefood and again, alcohol, right,
somebody that really needs to beabstaining from alcohol.
It's a trigger for them.
Nobody's putting the beer infront of them.
Be like, come on, man, justhave one.
Like nobody's doing that.
But with food people think it'sdifferent.
It really isn't, because wehave to have food to survive and
(10:21):
thrive and it's around us 24,seven and people are very, very
easy Just like, have one, comeon, have a cupcake.
But it is that snowball effectwhere once you start rolling, it
could be very difficult to stop.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, and that comment actually pisses me off
because I get it a lot.
They're like how sad that youjust can't have a slice of cake.
I'm like, would you say that toan alcoholic?
How sad that you can't justhave one glass of wine.
And like go on and on and onabout it, like you would never
say that.
So why are we not treated withthe same respect?
You know, I think a lot ofpeople they don't get it, they
don't understand, they don'tthink you can be addicted to
(10:56):
sugar.
So it's like very dismissive,it's just, I mean, it's an
accepted drug, essentially, youknow, and everyone, just
everyone's addicted to it.
So everyone makes excuses onwhy we should have it and why
you need to have it to make yourrelationship with food Okay.
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, and then has your approach changed over the
years to?
You know you're saying you were, you were strict.
You know, for two years nofruit, maybe some fruit, the
parent tax, I like to call it,you know, or the mom or dad tax
for cheese or fruit when you'regiving it to the kids.
But have you kind of opened upin certain things.
I'm thinking like, like LindaSalant, you know the carnitarian
(11:36):
.
She does like differentseasonings now and sells those.
And a little bit more open withsome different things that
might not be consideredcarnivore.
Yeah, in the beginning I rarelyeven use seasonings.
Bit more open with somedifferent things that might not
be considered carnivore.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, in the beginning I rarely even use
seasonings and I even still,like, don't necessarily feel the
need to have a lot of that.
I mean, I do sometimes and it'slike, oh, this is nice.
But I feel like my taste budshave changed and I just
appreciate meat with salt.
But yeah, as far as like otherthings I mean once in a while
I'll have an olive getting wildbut stuff like that like isn't
(12:10):
triggering to me and I feel likethere's worse things we could
be eating.
I wish I didn't let the fruitstuff slip back in, because I
don't know it, just it.
I feel like I slipped back intoold behaviors where just a bite
of fruit, I'm like I want more.
So I really have to almost getthat out of my system again once
I have a bite.
(12:30):
So, yeah, for me I don'trecommend.
I don't think it's a good thingthat I'm having bites of fruit
here and there.
Mentally it doesn't make mefeel my best.
So yeah, I guess that's kind ofwhere I'm at and I do try and
just keep it to the basics ofcarnivore and I'm not really
interested in adding things backin, at least not now.
I try not to be like dogmaticabout it, but I don't know, at
(12:53):
least for now, like I'm goodwith where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, and you mentioned your husband's
carnivore and you know thekiddos too, like what is.
You know, is the family likekind of all together on this?
And I think you know, for youknow, animal based for kids
versus more carnivore for yourhusband.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah.
So I would say my kids are moreanimal based, if you had to
give them a label.
So they eat everything we eatwhich is animals dairy eggs.
We do have fruit for them inthe house and then occasionally
I do buy a good qualitysourdough bread, whether our
friend makes it or we get it atthe farmer's market.
So they do have treats.
I don't like to have them inthe house because if it's more
(13:37):
than one serving then they'reconstantly asking for it and
it's annoying.
I'd rather get them on Friday.
Our friend owns a gelato shopand it's like okay, I know she's
using, yes, it's sugar, but atleast it's like the best quality
she can find and everything'slike organic.
I don't know, I feel likethat's a marketing term, but you
know what I mean.
If you're going to have it,it's the best quality.
So once in a while I get themthat because I want them to also
(14:01):
have a feeling of control.
I don't want to always be likeno, no, no, no, no, and then
when they're older they're goingto go to a friend's house and
like binge on all the thingsthat mom wouldn't let them have.
So I do like them to have thatfeeling of power to make their
own decisions sometimes.
But we do teach about, likeproper nutrition with them.
(14:21):
So if we are, you know, gettinga scoop of gelato, it's like,
okay, you don't need to eat allthis, listen to your body, you
know.
So, just telling them, teachingthem to pay attention to how
they're feeling, kids' birthdayparties they're so frustrating,
honestly, we'll feed them beforeso hopefully they're not, like
you know, ravenous.
I will draw the hard line atred dye, like no, you're not
(14:44):
going to have the red cupcake,get the white one.
But we just teach them.
Then later, like when they'rerunning around being like insane
, it's like, okay, see howyou're feeling, see how you're
acting, this is because of yourdiet.
So we just try and teach themlike the food we're eating
affects our body and I'm justhoping for the best that I'm not
screwing them up.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No, I think that's a great way to approach it.
I think tackling food at home isa big miss for a lot of
families because they'll justagain, they're going to go out
into the world, you know, atyoung ages, birthday parties,
other kids' homes, whatever itmay be.
But having them have that, theirown power and their own
knowledge of you know saying,yeah, I'm going to have that or
not, or if they do have it, youknow, understanding, like, how
(15:26):
is it making you feel?
Is you know, I just stuffingyour face with pizza?
Yeah, pizza tastes great, I'mnot going to deny that, but it's
like, oh, I feel terrible afterI do that.
So having them have the powerand just the knowledge is that's
a great step.
You know I don't have kids, butyou know that's one thing that
I look at, as you know, as I getolder and other people and my
(15:46):
friends, they're all reallypaying attention to what's in
even baby formula, if they'redoing that route baby food, what
they're getting their kids, andreally being also diligent on
nutrition labels as well,because, as we know, there's
just a mix of just things that Ican't even pronounce on there.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Exactly, and that's interesting.
You say that the labels causemy six-year-old he can read
pretty well now.
So now we get like soccersnacks, and I don't ever want to
be rude, so we accept the snackand we just handle it in the
car.
And so he'll be reading thebacks of these things and be
like oh, mom, I probablyshouldn't have this.
Or even like Gatorade, likewhen my three-year-old was
(16:27):
playing soccer.
I'm like my three-year-old doesnot need a Gatorade.
Like she snuggled with me halfthe game.
Like there's no electrolytesthat need to be replenished.
But so he's old enough.
My six-year-old, where he'lllike get the drink.
He'll be like mom, look,there's an orange Gatorade, I'm
(16:50):
not going to drink this becauseof the dye.
So of course it tastes good andhe would, I'm sure, love it.
But he's also, you know, makinghis own decisions based on what
we've told him.
And, yes, he he'll might, youknow, pick one of the, you know
whatever the chewy chocolatechip crap bar that's in there.
Sometimes.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
we'll let him, you know, pick one of them, but then
I think for the most part he'slike, yeah, this stuff isn't
good, so I'll choose this oneand then the rest of it can go.
So, oh, yeah, that's, that'sawesome.
And you started out as your.
Your career was very uniquebecause you were a yacht chef,
right, is that correct?
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Well, if anyone's seen the show below deck on
Bravo, it's very similar to that.
Yeah, I started out, um, as astewardess and as the years went
on, you know, working closelywith the chef, I'm like, well, I
want to do this, Like I don'twant to scrub toilets anymore, I
want to cook dinner foreverybody.
Cook the meals.
Um, joke was on me because myfirst cooking job actually still
included being a stewardess.
I was like a stew cook, so Ihad to cook dinner and scrub the
(17:47):
toilets.
But, yeah, it was amazing.
It was so much fun.
I miss it.
You know it was a lot ofawesome travel and then cooking
usually not in a healthy way,Like everyone, of course, you're
on board and you just want tohave like the most delicious,
amazing foods and desserts andyou know croissants and all that
(18:07):
.
So, yeah, it was.
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
You know I, like I mentioned earlier, like I love
your Instagram and the YouTube.
You know what, what made youwant to get into you know,
sharing your journey with peopleand putting this all out there
for pretty much the world to see.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah.
So it was kind of at least thiscarnivore stuff was accidental,
so I had showed up, shown up alittle bit online, Like when I
was still on boats.
I remember there was this onetrip we took where I shared like
a few pictures.
This was when Instagram waslike just pictures, like this
was in probably 2014,.
Like reels didn't exist, youknow.
(18:43):
It's like a really crappypicture.
So I started kind of sharinglike that.
And then I I wasn't everconsistent.
And then, after I had kids, Iwas doing more of like low carb
keto stuff and I was sharingthose recipes online and never
once like got any bad commentsor anything.
Mind you, no one really cared,didn't have much of a following.
(19:05):
And then so I was just likenaturally like sharing my
journey.
Here's my low carb keto recipes, here's what I'm doing, here's
what I'm doing to try and loseweight, cause this was, you know
, after both of my pregnancies,you know, gaining so much weight
.
And then it was like okay, I'mstarting carnivore tomorrow.
I don't even know what it means.
Like I remember talking to mystories and just saying like I
don't even have resources foryou guys, like essentially, I'm
(19:27):
blindly trusting my husband thatthis is what I should try.
And then I just started sharing, like, what I was eating in a
day.
And I remember the one video onTikTok where, all of a sudden,
I'm like, oh, people arecommenting and I'm like, oh,
they're not happy either, likethey're really mad that I'm
eating this way.
You know nowadays, if someonewere to be like I'm going to
(19:50):
start sharing my carnivorejourney, I'm going to put it out
there.
I know people are going to benasty Like.
I know it's like people I feellike know what to expect.
I was completely blindsided byall these negative comments.
I just had no idea and, yeah,so I just I've continued to
share every ever since and it'sjust become my passion to at
(20:10):
least let people know that thisis an option to eat this way.
If I'm not saying everybodyshould, I'm just saying if you
are not feeling good and you'restruggling to lose weight, your
mental health sucks, your skinsucks.
You know you have all theseissues like, just give it a
chance.
Clearly, what you're doingisn't working for you.
So, yeah, I just continue toshare my journey and deal with
(20:30):
the haters.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Haters are going to hate.
Yeah, that's that's for sure.
Uh, yeah, I, I would, I wouldagree with you and it's it's a
kind of a leap of faith to likestart putting stuff online.
And it feels kind of weird atfirst.
I don't know about you.
I felt very weird about, likeyou know, putting stuff online.
I was like my tag used to becarnivore athlete and I've
changed it like four times.
Like, oh, is this one picturereally good?
(20:55):
Or this video you know youmentioned I completely just
forgot that Instagram used tojust be pictures too.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
I'm just like doing videos and I'm like, oh, I gotta
keep editing.
And you spent like 15, 20minutes on a video.
Post it, take it off, post it.
And then you know, justnowadays I'm just like let it go
and it's whatever.
But did you have a strugglestarting out?
Or you were just like, whatever, I'm going to just keep posting
and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Yeah, no, definitely, cause I mean in the beginning,
when it was just pictures it wasjust pictures of my food and it
it took me a while to want tobe in the videos, Like it it
just felt weird and, of course,like when I first started, like
I was severely overweight and soI didn't feel good about myself
but I just showed up, showed upanyway, and now I have zero Fs,
(21:43):
like I don't care, there's noshame.
I will show up and talk aboutpoop, like I.
There's nothing that willembarrass me now.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, and then you know, speaking about that,
because that's also in the bookhere, there is a little comment
about bowel movements in there.
So the book, you know,carnivore in the Kitchen is
awesome.
Like I said, it's for me,especially variety wise, it's
gold, it's awesome.
(22:12):
For me, especially variety wise, it's, it's, it's, it's gold,
it's awesome.
But what made you, you know,want to write this book and get
this out to the people?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Yeah, so I I always kind of thought maybe I'd do a
book someday never thought itwould be carnivore at all, um,
but yeah, so I I had on my listof things that like I wanted and
my dream would be to write acookbook and have it be with the
publisher, because I knew me,if I were to self-publish it, it
(22:39):
would take me forever.
Like I wanted those likedeadlines.
I wanted someone to be likethis is what we need to do to
like get it done.
And so one day, like I got anemail from my publishing company
and I had already like kind offound them online because I'm
like, okay, if I write my book,what am I going to do with it?
Where do I shop it around?
So I got the email.
I'm like, oh my gosh, this isso weird.
This is who I was eyeing, likeif I made a book, and yeah.
(23:02):
So they reached out to me andI'm like this is perfect.
Like, yes, I think the beautyabout eating this way is it can
be so simple and all you needare, you know, steaks and burger
patties.
But there's a lot of peoplethat get bored, and so I just
wanted to offer something tosomebody that might need things
to be a little bit more creativeto keep this way of eating
sustainable, and so there arelike a lot of fun and creative
(23:25):
recipes, but there is a chapteron just simply meats, because I
know a lot of people don't doall the fuss, like they just
want to cook some meat, sothere's different ways to cook,
different cuts, and there's thewhole chapter on animal-based
kids meal plans, grocery listsand, yeah, carnivore 101 section
, where I think I evenacknowledge like sorry to talk
(23:46):
about poop in a cookbook, butyou know, it's like one of the
main questions that is askedwhen we're talking about
troubleshooting on a carnivorediet.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Yeah, it does come up a ton and you know you go over
those kind of things.
The macros give a littlesection of like you know, hey,
this is where plants can beharmful.
Here's some reasoning why,which is really good.
And then I also appreciategoing through different versions
of meat-based diets because you, you'll, you, like you said,
(24:15):
you'll have the people that nothrills, that that you know they
might have an autoimmune issueor whatever.
They gotta get real strict.
So you got that line dietversion, keto for animal based.
You know, you do the babies,the uh, that's the Dr Kiltz,
right.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, dr.
Barry the BBBE.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Oh, bbbe, okay, but yeah, it's cool.
I like that you give theautonomy to like kind of pick
and choose your own path andthen also going into the
animal-based kids you know youtalked about with your kiddos
some of the you know educationat the home, but what are some
of the staples that you cook foryour kiddos that they love?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
We do a lot of pizza, chicken nuggets, trying to
think what else they love porkrind cereal.
So I don't necessarily havethat as a recipe in my book but
I mention it.
I know it sounds absolutelyhorrendous.
So you take pork rinds and youjust crunch them up a little bit
.
You can do a little sprinkle ofcinnamon.
If someone's doing a sweetener,like a little sprinkle of monk
(25:15):
fruit would be good and thenmilk and honestly it tastes like
if you're not using thesweetener.
It tastes like Rice Krispies dobefore you like add the packet
of sugar.
Sounds horrendous, but it'sliterally so good and the
cinnamon like makes it almostlike cinnamon toast crunch.
Oh, interesting it isinteresting, yeah, and I didn't
(25:35):
create it.
My friend B I saw her shareabout it.
I don't even know where she gotit from, so I don't take credit
for it.
But it's life changing becausesometimes we just like need that
crunch, we want the cereal.
So we do a lot of that A lot ofmeat sticks, bacon, hard-boiled
eggs, trying to think what elsewe mainly do for them.
(25:55):
Lots of burger patties, steaks.
We keep it fairly simple, butthen do a lot of creative
recipes for, maybe for dinner orsomething.
Bacon cheeseburger soup in mybook is a huge hit.
That and the pizzas, I feellike, is what we go back to the
most.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
It's familiarity amongst other dishes, but you're
making it with the carnivoretwist or keto-vore twist to it.
So, yeah, I feel like if youwere.
I think, when people thinkparents want their kids to be
more of that carnivore orketo-vore or whatever, that
they're just like puttingtomahawks on their you know on
their plates to eat.
You know, as little kids, butthat's not necessarily the case.
(26:31):
So the creativity is awesome.
And for people that are likegrocery shopping right, you know
if they're doing carnivore,keto or whatever may be like
what's some tips to find somequality meat, save money and
maybe avoid some like commonpitfalls at the store.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Yeah, so I'm part of the group that says eat what you
love, eat what you can afford.
I don't think it all has to beorganic grass fed.
What does Barry say?
Like panda, massaged cows orwhatever.
If that's what you like, go forit.
But eating Walmart beef is stillgoing to be nutritious, and way
(27:12):
more nutritious than a standardAmerican diet.
So I wouldn't feel pressuredinto buying those other things
because they can be expensive.
So I think shopping the sales,check the weekly flyer, see what
your grocery stores are doingand you can shop according to
what's on sale, buy in bulk, putin the freezer or, if you do
want to buy from a farm.
(27:33):
I mean, sometimes they canstill be really expensive.
Even if you're buying like aquarter cow, it still can be a
little pricey per pounddepending on who you're getting
it from.
But that would be another wayto look into things.
You don't have to buy the.
You know the eggs that arepasture raised and you know all
that stuff.
Of course that's going to beideal, but if that is not in
(27:54):
your budget, there's nothingwrong with getting you know the
cheapest eggs you can find.
So I wouldn't let budget get inthe way of you from trying this
, because it's still going to beso more nutritious than you
know eating a different way.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Yeah, don't, don't let perfection be the enemy of
good.
It doesn't have to be perfectevery single day.
Yeah, I've also looked intogetting half of a cow at a time,
or quarter cow.
I mean, I'm in Chicago, soshipping fees just for the food.
I was like you know what?
I'm going to go to Costco,let's just call it that.
(28:36):
And I like Costco.
I'm one of those.
You know I love Costco.
They make ground beef insix-pound like packages.
I can get some.
You know it doesn't have to bethe prime cuts or whatever, it's
just like the choice or theselect or whatever, which is
amazing, like it's still great,it tastes amazing.
(28:56):
So I'm a Costco advocate forsure.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I am too.
They have amazing ribeyes and Iwould even say I've been more
impressed with, like I'm tryingto think, was it choice?
Like select Is select themiddle one.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I think selected.
Yeah, it's like choice, likeselect is select the middle one.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I think select yeah, it's like choice, select then
prime.
Okay, like I don't get theprime, I've splurged a few times
.
I'm like this isn't even worthit.
I don't feel like it was muchof a difference, but they have
amazing ribeyes and I'm tryingto think what else I usually get
there.
Honestly, if I'm buying steaks,it's usually the ribeyes there,
and I buy from farms too.
I have, you know, farm food inmy freezer, but I Costco has
(29:34):
good meat.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Yeah, it's, it's great.
I had a friend who has uhparents owned, uh an operated
restaurants and he has arestaurant Depot card.
So that was like the besthookup.
Uh, if you're listening to this, we have to go back.
So he would take me, we wouldgo because he had the access to
Restaurant Depot and we wouldbuy the primal cuts, like the
(29:57):
huge cuts at a time.
It's like literally restaurantquality and it was like
restaurant quality for like$11.99 a pound, which is not out
of this world at all.
You go to the conventionalMariano's or Whole Foods you're
looking at sometimes $19 a poundfor certain steak cuts.
But then he showed me how tolike cut it up myself and
(30:19):
actually, you know, trim it alittle bit and that was the most
cost effective.
But yeah, it does take a littlebit of time.
But if you know a littleknow-how or you got a hookup,
you know you can, you canprobably save, save some, some
shekels.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah, that's a good idea too.
And now that you mentioned that, if you shop at grocery stores,
like around the holidays, youcan get, like Christmas, they'll
do a lot of like rib roast.
So you buy the whole big roastand you slice up your own ribeye
steaks, or even, like I'mthinking, at Easter time I feel
like they'll do some roast.
So, yeah, if you buy them bigand slice them up and even right
(30:55):
now St Patrick's Day ishappening, what is it?
Corned beef is usually supercheap, like $2.99 a pound.
I will stock up.
I don't know what it is aboutthe seasoning and corned beef.
I love it.
I should probably make my own.
I'm sure it would be betterquality.
But yeah, just you know, shopthe sales, shop bulk, cut it
down yourself and and renderthat tallow too, and then save
(31:18):
the tallow to cook things with.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Nose to tail.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Nose to tail.
And speaking of, like thecooking, you know essential
cookware.
You know what.
What are the must have tools orcookware items that you know
make this way of eating andpreparing more enjoyable, and
what are the must-have tools orcookware items that make this
way of eating and preparing moreenjoyable, and what are the
ones that are your go-to?
I swear by these.
You should have these in yourkitchen.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
So I've been using cast iron for probably like 12
years now, so I will never goback from that.
I would definitely get a castiron pan.
You could also use stainless Idon't typically gravitate
towards that, but definitelycast iron.
Get yourself a grill if youhave the space, or smoker, or
like a combo grill smoker wouldbe amazing.
(32:03):
Air fryer I use our air fryer alot, especially for those that
have small spaces and can't havea grill.
Instant pot I use all the timebecause you can cook things like
roast from frozen in therequickly.
I wouldn't put a frozen roastinto a crock pot.
It takes too long and then yourfood is in the danger zone.
(32:25):
But if you're doing yourinstant pot, since it's pressure
cooking, it's fairly quick, soit's safe.
So I love that, especiallybecause I'm horrible about
shopping my freezer and pullingthings out to defrost.
For some reason it even justfeels overwhelming.
I'd rather almost go to thegrocery store and buy fresh meat
than take things out of myfreezer and plan ahead that way.
So being able to throw thingsin last minute from frozen is
(32:49):
amazing too.
So yeah, cast iron pan, instantpot, air fryer and a grill if
you want to, and you'd be allset.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I've had some friends who they do a lot of their
steaks in the air fryer and Ibought an air fryer.
I tried it.
I did a steak ribeye steak andI think I did like a wing flats
or something in there and Ididn't like it.
It could be me, it could be meI might've messed it up, but
yeah, I tried it and I was justlike I just there's something
about the fire hitting the, youknow the, the ribeye or the
(33:20):
burger patties or whatever.
I just feel like that textureis a little bit better or I just
messed it up.
But everybody keeps telling melike you got to get an air fryer
.
I was like all right.
So I was like all right, so Imight attempt.
I've gotten somerecommendations that get up to
like higher to.
They're like get the one thathas the higher temperature or
something like that.
So I'm going to try it.
But yeah, small spaces inparticular, if you don't have,
(33:44):
you know, a grill or area forthat, or it's really cold
outside, like Chicago is liketwo degrees out right now, I
don't want to.
I don't want to go outside agrill.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Yeah, exactly, I don't want to go outside a grill
.
Yeah, exactly.
No, I'm with you on like thesteaks and the air fryer I have
before I think if it's a littlebit thicker and you can cook it
from frozen that way, like theoutside's getting a little bit
better of a crust because it'sin there longer.
But I'd rather get a crust on acast iron pan.
What I use my air fryer for,like if we're doing meatballs or
(34:09):
nuggets or I'll do my pizzacrust in there, and usually like
if you get one that has like anoven setting, then it's not
just doing like the high heat ontop air fryer, you can use it
as like a mini oven.
I do like chicken wings inthere, but then I also will
usually fry them at the end intallow.
So yeah, I'm with you on thesteak, you can, but I'd rather
(34:33):
grill it or throw it in a pan,for sure.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And you make carnivore bread.
And actually even just I saw Iwas just going through my feed
very recently and Carnivore Raygave you a shout out on some
carnivore bread.
What the heck is in carnivorebread?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
So it's essentially like an egg meatloaf carnivore
bread.
So it's essentially like an eggmeatloaf.
Oh, there's a lot of eggs, somecottage cheese, panko and
butter.
I think that's it.
When you, if you, I don'trecommend eating it as it, I
mean you can, you can slice itand eat it.
It's good.
What I suggest is you slice itas thin as you can and then you
air fry it or toast it.
(35:09):
Like it's very dense how it is,and I could add more pork panko
to like make it less dense, butthen it tastes more like pork.
So I feel like this is the bestratio to get like a neutral
flavor, but it just needs alittle help to like dry it out a
little bit.
So if you slice it and air fryit for about like 10 minutes, it
almost like dries it out andgets it to kind of like a toast,
(35:31):
like a normal toast, and that'show I would eat it.
It's really good.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah, it's.
It sounds like a great optionfor people that you know they're
they're ready to dive intocarnivore, but they, they love
you know the buns on the burgeror what have you.
Um, and just keeping thatsomewhat normalcy for people
that that want that.
But uh, you also have salads inthere and I think people are
going to get very weary.
(35:56):
Like what do you mean?
They have salads in thiscookbook.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
All the good stuff in a salad, you know, is the meat,
the cheese and the dressing.
Like, okay, yeah, it may benice to like have that crunch of
the lettuce, but like, when youthink about like I would get
like a cob or a chef salad, likeall the good stuff is the bacon
, the egg, the meats, the bluecheese and then the dressing, so
we can have all that oncarnivore.
Just, you know, leave thelettuce off or have the lettuce,
(36:20):
I don't care.
I'm not judging you, but yeah,I just thought it would be kind
of fun to tap into some thingslike we, we used to be eating.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Yeah, the I've, I've made the chicken Cobb salad in
there and you're right, it'slike I that's all, even if when
I before, when I used to do ketoand other things like and I
would have the big ass salad,basically this whole like salad
bowl, but I would just literallypick around the lettuce and
just have all of the other stuffand then it'd be and I'm like,
oh, I guess I got to finish mylettuce now, or whatever because
(36:50):
.
I thought that's what I needed,but no, it's really really good.
Go into like different dips anddressings and all that stuff,
which is awesome.
But the big thing is like I'mnot a baker by any stretch of
the word.
I'm terrible at baking anything, but you make these look really
really simple and easy desserts.
(37:11):
You know what are some of theingredients you can use for
desserts, rather than you knowthe typical sugar and flour.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Yeah, so I mean, the thing about eating this way is
we don't have many ingredientsto work with.
So I mean, the majority ofthese like dessert-like recipes
are going to be eggs, cream,cream cheese, and that's it
pretty much, you know, and thenit's just mixing them up
different ways, add a littlevanilla and cinnamon.
I feel like those flavors giveoff dessert vibes, so it kind of
(37:41):
like tricks your mind intothinking you're having something
.
So, yeah, I have vanillacupcakes in there, which, if
anybody's been low carb, keto,you have probably heard of cloud
bread, so it's just taking thecloud bread recipe turning them
into cupcakes.
I have like a whipped moussethat I think is just cream
cheese and something I don'tknow.
You know what.
Like some of these recipes, I'mlike I haven't seen or done
(38:02):
anything with them in over ayear.
But yeah, I think cream andcream cheese and I'm trying to
think what other ice creamsandwiches are in there.
So ice cream and that's allthat's coming to mind right now.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Yeah, I mean, those are great alternatives that,
rather than putting inartificial sweeteners or just
straight up sugar, you know,these are just great little
things that, like you said, it'skind of like this it's like you
have this little pool ofingredients and you're just kind
of just picking and choosingand just creating a bunch of
different things that you'rethrowing together that look
(38:37):
pretty similar.
I mean, I'm going through theback of the book.
I'm just looking at all thedesserts.
I'm like these look awesome,especially the those ice cream
sandwiches, cause I thinkthere's like panko in the crust
too as well as like I would noteven think that would even be a
thing, but it's, it looks great.
Um, but yeah, I'm not a baker.
I haven't attempted any of thedesserts.
But the appetizer stuff, likeI've used those, like the
(38:58):
deviled eggs.
I've made those and broughtthose to parties.
That's a huge hit.
Everybody loves that.
Especially, you put the littletopper or garnish of bacon on
there and get a little bacon, uh, grease in the filling too,
with the mayonnaise and the yolk, like everybody, everybody's
like oh, these are great.
So I always bring extra morethan I should, because they
(39:21):
usually go.
But yeah, going into this bookas well.
What are the challenges thatyou had?
Was there big challenges ofjust?
Was it just timeline challengesor it's like just to actually
get this many recipes naileddown in one book?
Speaker 2 (39:33):
Yeah, it was a lot of work.
Honestly, I'm still traumatizedfrom it.
They let me do my own timeline.
But I was like we need to getthis out sooner than later.
Like I can't dilly dally andtake two years to create these
recipes.
Like we need to get a move onit.
So I figured out like what Icould realistically do in a week
(39:54):
and I settled on like threerecipes I think I could do each
week.
So I had a six month deadline.
So I had six months to createall the recipes, write them all
out, take all the photos andthen send them over and then
from there we went back andforth on editing probably for
(40:14):
like eight months.
So, honestly, the hardest partwasn't like developing in the
kitchen, it was the going backand forth with the editing.
Like I definitely cried a fewtimes.
It was a lot going on and I meanI'm so glad I did it, but I
think I might be one and done.
Like they offered book two, Isaid yes, we were in talks for
(40:38):
about a week.
We decided like what the themewould be and then I just
realized I'm like I don't knowif I could like take this on
right now Because, besides itbeing a lot of work, especially
when I have two little kids athome.
I just also don't deal withstress well, so my stress like
affects my family because I justgo insane.
So yeah, I actually turned downbook two for now because I'm
(41:01):
like I just don't think I couldtake it on.
And I'm super proud with thisone, like I feel like I like put
everything in it, like I feellike I could wrap this one up
with the bow and be good and notdo another one, even though I
still have more ideas in my head.
But yeah, I'm super stoked tohave this one out in the world.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Yeah, it's for sure, a home run like you did.
Very well coming coming out thegate.
Is there any?
Any recipe that is yourabsolute favorite that's in here
, or either a recipe that isyour absolute favorite but it
didn't make the book.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Um, I mean, I do have some ideas that didn't make the
book, but I none that I evenlike attempted like they were.
They just stayed on the list.
So, yeah, everything that Iattempted to make worked out and
went in there.
I'd say the Carniza recipethat's.
I have two pizza crust recipesand the Carniza is one of my
(41:55):
favorites.
Bacon, cheeseburger soup,lasagna breakfast meatballs are
really good.
Oh, biscuits and gravy, I feellike, is another like big staple
.
And eggs benedict, I'd saythose rotate pretty often.
Honestly, I should probablyopen my book and flip through it
, because I keep going back tolike the same ones and I like
(42:16):
don't even remember half ofwhat's in there.
I really should flip throughfor some to shake it up here and
get more inspiration for ourmeals instead of like repeating
the same things.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
There's nothing also wrong with being creatures of
habit either you know, just youknow to buy each week I'm
definitely in that camp too andthen a part of your book.
I thought this was interestingand I kind of appreciated that
you included, like for furtherreading reading section, and you
like highlight other carnivoreand animal based advocates in
(42:48):
the book.
You know a lot of people thatdo something like this.
They want the spotlight just tobe on them and what their
information.
You know.
Why did you share all thisother information with other
doctors and or carnivoreadvocates?
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Yeah, I just I want to be, I want to give the
information, to help peoplethrive and eat this way.
And I'm not giving everyone allthat information, like, I am
not trying to be a doctor, Icannot even regurgitate some of
the science.
I say like, I read it, Ibelieve it and I do it.
But to like say it to someoneelse doesn't happen.
And I also just want to raiseup other people in this
(43:24):
community.
I'm not trying to climb to thetop and be up there by myself.
Let's all raise each other up.
The better we all do, the moreeveryone's accounts are seen and
their voice is heard, the morepeople we're going to reach.
I think we just all need tohave the common thread that we
want people to know thatcarnivore is an option.
So the more people we're goingto reach, I think we just all
need to have the common you knowthread that we want people to
know that carnivore is an option.
(43:44):
So the more of us that can getout there and spread the word,
the better.
So, yeah, I was more than happyto make this list.
And, you know, give my friendssome shout outs and, yeah, just
help other people in thiscommunity be seen too.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, it thought I had it down of the followers of
like I'm following this person,I'm following that person, but
there was a few people I didn'teven know about that from this
book.
So it was great just to get onInstagram just to see some
different points of views,different people that are in the
space sharing information.
And, like you said, this bookis like really it's simple but
super effective.
(44:20):
You give somebody Sean Baker'sbook, right Carnivore Code and
they could read that, which isreally kind of dense in some
areas, and you're just kind oflike the science could go over
your head, but especially yourone-on-one section.
It's really great, really welldone.
So I think that sharing thisbook and connecting with some of
those peoples in that back textof reading further is great.
(44:44):
So I appreciate you puttingthis together.
I know it was a lot of hardwork.
You know maybe book twowhenever you're ready, but what
would be the theme if you wantto share it, if you were going
to do it?
Speaker 2 (44:56):
Um, I mean, I guess it's not anything like not that
anyone would take it, but it'snothing new.
So I will say we were talkingabout kind of like holidays but
also like lifestyle, whateverthat meant.
So we didn't even really get tounpack it.
It was just like, yes, there'sgoing to be a lot of holiday
functions and just making this alifestyle, and you know, so we
(45:20):
were kind of, yeah, going off ofthat.
So we'll see, maybe when mykids are older, but I don't know
.
Speaker 1 (45:26):
That sounds, sounds cool, sounds like a cool project
.
And, speaking of projects,you're coming to Meatstock.
I think you're going toMeatstock this year.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yeah, and that's like another thing.
Like, yes, I have another bookin me and I have recipes to
share, but I think I'm I don'tknow, I just had this calling
that there's other ways that I'msupposed to like show up and
share my message, and maybethat's not in another book,
maybe it's just sprinkling somefree recipes onto the internet
here and there and things likemeat stock, you know, going to
(45:57):
something like that orcollaborating with other people.
Going to something like that orcollaborating with other people
, like I think there's, I don'tknow.
I'm just being called to otherways to get out there and help,
as opposed to writing anotherbook.
So, yeah, meat stock is reallythe only thing I have on my
calendar this year.
I'm not going to be doing hackyour health again.
It's amazing.
(46:17):
If anyone's going to that,highly recommend it, but I won't
be doing that one.
I know that's like a big one tobe missing, but Meatstock, are
you going to that one?
Speaker 1 (46:26):
I am not.
I have a certification we'redoing like a fitness training
certification.
It lands literally on thatweekend and it's in Chicago, so
I've already committed to that.
Plus, it's my dad's birthdaythat weekend.
So I'm going to be in town.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
for that I was like, ah, I'm like, couldn't be like a
week later or anything likethat.
But this is a big one next year, next year, cause I'm I'm in
talks with Scott who organizesit.
We I say we like, but I feellike I'm in on it with him um
have already lined up quite afew amazing um speakers for next
year as well.
Like we're branching out, we'regetting a little bit bigger, a
little bit more than justcarnivore, more of like making
(47:08):
America healthy again.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
So it's going to be cool.
Speaker 2 (47:10):
So stay tuned for next year.
Then if you can't make thisyear, yeah, is it good?
Speaker 1 (47:14):
Are you guys thinking about being in the same place
again?
Speaker 2 (47:18):
or moving it Same city like Gatlinburg area.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
Okay, awesome, that's going to be next year.
It will be on my 2026 calendarright away, for sure.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
Awesome.
Yeah, he's going to share aboutit, I think, while we're at
this year's I think his win, soafter that he'll start promoting
.
I'm trying to think what thedates were and I don't remember.
I think it's similar, thoughgive or take a month.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
Yeah, I saw the lineup for this year.
I mean, I remember when theyfirst kind of put it out and it
was like it was a great lineupjust.
But then I'm like whoa, I'mlooking at it, there's like a
movie poster of people go and Iwas like well, this is insane.
This is good.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
And every week I'm like okay, scott, like come on,
like but, it's a good thing, butit's just like it keeps like
growing.
I'm like, oh my gosh, yeah,Every, everyone and their mom's
going to be there.
It's going to be pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (48:07):
Yeah Well, I wish you the best.
And then you know, and I'm sureyou're going to crush it, if
you're doing any speaking oranything, you're going to,
you're going to you once theyhear this podcast if they want
to learn more.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Yeah, come say hi.
Slide into my DMs.
I am on every platform YouTube,instagram, twitter, x, whatever
they call it.
Did I say TikTok?
Pinterest is a good spot tolike organize recipes.
And yeah, come say hi.
Facebook.
I have a private Facebook groupas well.
It's free, but a littlecommunity on there as well.
(48:42):
If anyone needs some, you knowcommunity, a group.
You need to bounce questionsoff each other, so that's a good
spot too.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Cool, awesome.
I'll put those in the shownotes and appreciate you coming
on and sharing this information.
This is awesome.
Speaker 2 (48:54):
Thank you, thanks for having me, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
You got it and thanks for everybody listening to
another.
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