Meal Prep + Cooking for Carnivores (Week 1)
I get asked a lot about how I cook for my three carnivore family members, as a vegan. I am a big fan of food prepping, and planning, and it helps a lot to have things lined out before the week starts!
My partner and I always bring lunch from home, so all the recipes listed are for six hearty servings. Here is a menu for one week, and some tips and tricks around making the evening hustle a bit easier.
Enjoy!
Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce (6 servings)
*Note* This recipe creates:
- 4 dinner servings
- 2 lunch servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Zucchini (cut into matchsticks)
- 1 cup Bell Pepper, add optional spicy peppers (cut into matchsticks)
- 1 cup Radish (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup Cilantro (chopped)
- 1/4 cup Green Onion (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 package Buckwheat Soba Noodles
- 1 – 12oz bag of frozen Mukimame (edamame that has been removed from its shell)
- 6 tbsp PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter)
- 2 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 4 tbsp Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce
- 15.5 oz Extra Firm Tofu
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
Direction
- Start by pressing your tofu, it needs to press for approximately 20 minutes.
- Chop your veg into thin slices, or matchsticks. All of it will be served raw, so the thinner the better.
- Pop steam able bag of Mukimame in microwave.
- Add olive oil to a skillet and heat to 7/10 heat.
- Add water to a pot and bring to a boil.
- Cut Tofu into cubes, add to your hot pan with spices and a dash of coconut aminos. Cook until golden brown on all sides.
- Once water is boiling add noodles, they should only need to be on for 4-5 minutes (I recommend waiting until tofu has been turned and is beginning to become golden brown)
- In a small bowl add PB2, lime juice, lemon juice, coconut aminos and combine.
- Layer noodles, tofu, edamame, raw veggies, cilantro, green onions, and sauce up and enjoy.
- NOTE – we eat our lunch portions cold the next day. If you would like to warm it, separate the raw veggies, cilantro, green onion from the rest to be added after you heat.
*Nutritional Information (per serving)
245 Calories – Total Fat 9.2g – 22.2g Carbs – 17.5g Protein
*Note – this recipe is really good with chicken, if you’re not into tofu. Just sub the tofu for chicken in this recipe, and cook it the same way. Nutritional value will change.*
Egg Roll in A Bowl Ramen ( 6 Servings)
*Note* This recipe creates
- 4 Carnivore Servings
- 2 Vegan Servings
Ingredients
- 1 LB Ground Beef
- 1 Cup Abbots Ground Beef (Vegan Sub)
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 3 Carrots
- 1 tbsp Minced Ginger
- 1 cup Veggie Broth
- 2 cups Shredded Cabbage
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 tspToasted Sesame Oil
- 1/4 cup Chopped Green Onions
- 3 Blocks Ramen
Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/2 cup Kite Hill Unflavored Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
Directions
- Preheat 2 skillets to a 7/10 heat. Add ground beef to one, and Vegan sub to the other, cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Divide and add sweet onions and cook until onions are soft and meat is well done.
- In a medium pot add water and bring to a boil.
- Divide and add shredded carrots, garlic, ginger, and veggie broth saute for a few minutes. Add your cabbage, and cover.
- Cook Ramen in the boiling water.
- In a small bowl combine bang bang sauce ingredients, set aside.
- Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, pepper, to cooked ramen toss seasoning out. Mix until its combined.
- Layer ramen, meat and veggie mixture, green onion, and bang bang sauce.
Nutritional Information
Carnivore 428 Calories – Fat 17.8g – Carbs 32.9g – Protein 31.4g
Vegan 345 Calories – Fat 11.6g – Carbs 37.3g – Protein 23.8g
Chicken Stir Fry (6 Servings)
*Note* this recipe creates:
- 4 dinner servings
- 2 lunch servings
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Cups Broccoli Florets
- 2 Bell Peppers
- 3 Cups Brown Rice
- 2 Cups Abbotts Chopped Chik’n (Vegan Sub)
- Avocado Oil Spray
- Salt Pepper
- Simple Truth Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Directions
- Start your brown rice.
- Chop your chicken, onion, garlic, broccoli, and peppers into bite size pieces.
- Warm two skillets over 7/10 heat.
- Divide and add 1/3 the onions and garlic to one skillet, and the rest in the other. Cook until soft and translucent.
- Divide and add 1/3 of the broccoli and bell peppers to the smaller garlic and onion pan, and the rest in the other.
- Add chicken to the pan with the larger veggie ratio, and vegan protein to the other. Cook meat thoroughly.
- Add Sweet Thai Chili sauce to each pan and warm through.
- Serve over brown rice.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Carnivore 379 Calories – Fat 7.3g – Carbs 34.5g – Protein 39.3g
Vegan 368 Calories – Fat 6.8g – Carbs 40.5g – Protein 31.7g
Southwest Stuffed Squash (6 Servings)
*Note* This recipe creates:
4 Carnivore Servings
2 Vegan Servings
Ingredients
- 1 Large Squash of your choice
- 1lb ground beef
- 1 Cup Abbots ground beef
- 1 Medium Chopped Onion
- 4-5 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1 Cup Chopped Crimini Mushrooms
- 1 Cup Chopped Bell Peppers
- 1 Can of corn
- 1 Can of black beans
- 1/2 Cup Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Vegan cheese
- 1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro
- 1/4 cup Chopped Green Onions
- 1.5 tsp Paprika
- 1.5 tsp Cumin
- 1.5 tsp Chili Powder
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Avocado Oil Spray
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice squash lengthwise in half, and remove seeds. Place on baking sheet, open side up, spray with avocado oil, salt and pepper, bake for 30-40 minutes
- Preheat 2 skillets to 7/10 heat.
- In one skillet add beef, the other add vegan sub.
- Divide onions and garlic and add to each skillet, cook until beginning to soften, then add spices, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Cook until meat is thoroughly done.
- Divide and add corn, and black beans, warm through.
- Once squash is beginning to brown on the edges and is fork tender, remove from the oven.
- Fill the squash with skillet mixtures, and top with cheese, pop back in the oven to melt.
- Serve with green onions, and cilantro.
Optional – Serve with hot sauce, sour cream, salsa.
Nutritional Information
Carnivore 404 Calories – Fat 17.3g – Carbs 29.3g – Protein 32.3g
Vegan 334 Calories – fat 11.3g – Carbs 34.3g – Protein 27.3g
Spaghetti (6 Servings)
*Note* This recipe creates:
4 Carnivore Servings
2 Vegan Servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb Hot Italian Ground Sausage
- 1 Medium Chopped Onion
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 cup Abbots Ground Beef
- 1 Spaghetti Squash
- 1 Jar Marinara
- Optional – fresh basil or parsley
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and place on baking sheet. Place open side up and coat with olive oil and salt and pepper. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside and fork tender.
- Preheat 2 skillets to 5/10 heat.
- In one skillet add hot Italian sausage, the other vegan sub.
- Divide and add onions and garlic cook until soft and meat is cooked through.
- Divide and add marinara sauce to skillets (meat mixtures), heat through, and add aromatics if you have them and want too.
- Once spaghetti squash is cooked, remove from oven, and pull from the shell with a fork.
- Serve over spaghetti squash.
Optional – Add parmesan or red chili flake… and we usually cook spaghetti noodles for the kids.
Nutritional Information
Carnivore 260 Calories – Fat 14g – Carbs 20.8g – Protein 14.5g
Vegan 220 Calories – Fat 6g – Carbs 25.3g – Protein 19.5g
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms (6 servings)
*Note* This recipe creates
4 Carnivore Servings
2 Vegan Servings
Ingredients
- 1lb Hot Italian Ground Sausage
- 1 cup Abbots Ground Beef
- 30 Baby Portobello’s Mushrooms
- 1 Diced Red Onion
- 4-5 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 3 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 pkg Baby Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Directions
- Wash and remove mushrooms stems.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop mushroom stems, onions, garlic, and parsley.
- Divide mushrooms stems, onions, garlic, parsley, panko, mix with Italian Sausage. Fill mushroom caps and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Add the rest of the mushroom stems, onions, garlic, parsley, and panko with vegan substitute. Fill mushrooms caps and arrange on second baking sheet.
- Cut potatoes in half, coat with olive oil and salt and pepper, and arrange on vegan mushroom sheet.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and meat is cooked through.
Nutritional Information
Carnivore 454 Calories – Fat 23.4g – Carbs 42.5g – Protein 22.4g
Vegan 330 Calories – Fat 8.9g – Carbs 41.5g – Protein 24.4g