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It’s totally affordable. Crunchy. And everyone forgets that coleslaw is just dressed-up cabbage. So this dish has its own superlative: slawsome. It is so easy to make it delicious. Grate or slice up a head of cabbage, or buy pre-prepped coleslaw mix. Toss with our easy slaw dressing and some chopped herbs.
(When in doubt, add salt and/or pepper.)
~ 3g net carbs per cup of raw cabbage
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A fish you can cook like a steak. What a relief! Just season with salt and pepper, and slap it on the grill over medium heat (or you can use the broiler, but be warned, steak-like qualities aside, it does still smell like fish when you cook it). Flip once, after about 5 minutes. Cook until your instant-read thermometer reads 145°F. (Them’s the USDA rules. If you like it rare, do your own thing.) Serve with our simple tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon. Or just melt some butter on it—like a steak, right?
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
How do you make zucchini that your family will fight over? Try a vintage-style formula our grandmothers deployed: Butter + cheese. Slice zucchini, lengthwise, into ~1⁄4 inch thick planks. Arrange them in buttered baking dish and dot with more butter. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle on grated parmesan. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until zukes are tender and cheese is browned. Sprinkle on chopped herbs, serve, and stand back.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 2g net carbs per cup of raw zucchini
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Fish with a mayo crust. It’s a bit of kitchen magic that means you don’t need breading. Use whatever fish fillets you like: cod, haddock, halibut, tilapia. Arrange on a buttered baking dish, spread with mayo, sprinkle with a squeeze of citrus—lime, lemon, even grapefruit. Bake until the fish is just cooked (145°F on your handy-dandy instant-read thermometer, or less if you like it rare) and the mayo browns and forms a crust. If you don’t care for mayo, try thin slices of butter instead. If you do like mayo, don’t forget the tartar sauce.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
This veggie might conjure up memories of soggy green spheres of bitterness, but these are not your mother’s B. sprouts. Give the “cabbage patch kids” a shower, trim off stems and slice 'em in half, lengthwise. Coat with olive oil, season, and place in single layer on baking dish. Roast in hot oven for ~30 minutes, stirring once toward the end. They’re done when well browned, with some crispy leaves. Crumble on bacon and make some new memories.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 5g net carbs per cup of raw Brussels sprouts
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Contrary to the nutrition cognoscenti, salmon is not the only path to wellness. If you like it anyway, keep it moist and flaky by using your insta-read thermometer and topping it with slices of butter before broiling. Or, cook it on foil on the grill (still with some butter on top) and keep the smell out of the house. Good with a sprinkle of lemon and dill just before serving, but even better with hollandaise, if you have time.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
Cut ’em up into rounds, sticks, or strips. Shape doesn’t matter; flavor does. Pan-fry until golden in plenty of olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, finish with crumbled feta and basil leaves, and say hello to color and flavor. Speaking of flavor, don’t be surprised if it tastes like zucchini, okay? Because it tastes like zucchini.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 4g net carbs per cup of raw yellow squash
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The underwater version of filet mignon, scallops can’t help being delicious. Start with fresh or defrosted sea scallops—the big boys. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Season. Melt plenty of butter and pan-fry scallops over medium heat, a few minutes per side. You can treat your scallops (and yourself) to a glug or two of white wine, poured in the pan after they’ve been flipped and the second side is seared. Or not. Cook until firm and white all the way through (or to 130°F on your instant-read thermometer; 145°F if you follow USDA rules). Serve with a drizzle of buttery pan juices and a wedge of lemon. And help yourself to deliciousness.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
Broccolini is the gangly adolescent version of broccoli, and this dish is as sweet and nutty as a teenage rom com. Rinse and trim thick ends of stalks. Sauté in butter over medium heat, stirring and flipping often, for about 5 minutes. Remove broccolini, season, and add more butter and a handful of pine nuts to pan. Keep the heat moderate and cook for just a few minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Top broccolini with pine nuts and butter sauce. Ah, young love.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 4g net carbs per cup of raw broccolini
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Looking like a cross between an octopus and an alien spacecraft, kohlrabi is kinda scary. But just below the surface is a sweetheart of a veggie that cooks up as easy as a familiar friend. Peel off the tough outer layer and cut it into wedges. Coat with olive oil, season—add a little minced garlic if you’re in the mood—and roast in a 400°F oven. Remove when golden brown and fork-tender. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan, and say hello to another delicious oddball vegetable buddy.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~3g net carbs per cup of raw kohlrabi
Shrimp on a stick makes dinner look fancy, but keeps the cooking easy. Especially if you start with shrimp that are already cooked (in which case, you can skip the whole darn stove thing and serve them cold with cocktail sauce). Skewer about five shrimp at a time—precooked or not—and line them up so they lay flat. Melt some butter in a non-stick skillet and fry raw shrimp for about 4 minutes per side. Use your instant-read thermometer to check if they are done. Bonus: The skewer keeps your fingers clean when you dip these babies in melted butter.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
Think no one likes okra? This spicy, slime-free, no-breading treat will make you think again. Rinse the pods and slice them in half, lengthwise. Use a high-heat tolerant oil (coconut, peanut, or ghee) and add a little to your pan. Sauté the okra over high heat, stirring all the while. As the okra cooks, sprinkle it with cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes. It’s done when the okra is dry, crispy, and browned in spots. Your family will think you’re amazing.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 4g net carbs per cup of raw okra
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In the scramble to make dinner every night, sometimes breakfast standbys can save the (end of the) day. Whisk three eggs per person. If you want, add some cream for a velvety texture. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté eggs, stirring continuously, until everything firms up. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs (chives are yummy). Serve immediately, and get your evening off to a fresh start.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
Our grandmas would never toss out bacon fat. Thrifty, yes, plus pan drippings add something special to a simple dish like this. Rinse tomatoes and cut in half, through the equator. Warm bacon fat in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, cut side down, and pan-fry for ~5 minutes. Flip them, reduce heat, and cook a few minutes more. Serve cut-side up, with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, chopped herbs, and parmesan. Recycling at its tastiest.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 4g net carbs per cup of raw tomatoes
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Slice and serve. That is all. Okay, we can’t leave all this blank space, so here are a few more words: Slice around the avocado, down to the pit, and twist apart the two halves. Slice the fruit stem-to-stern and peel the rind from each slice. Arrange your slices on the plate in some decorative pattern, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime and practically no effort whatsoever.
(When in doubt, add salt and/or pepper.)
~1g net carbs per half of a raw avocado
The yolk’s on us. We were once told to limit eggs because of cholesterol, but nutritionists have come around to the vintage way of thinking and eggs are back on the menu. So get cracking and fry some up for dinner tonight. Plenty of butter and a non-stick skillet is a must. Pan-fry over medium heat and plan for about 4 minutes. Salt, pepper, and herbs are all eggcellent additions. An egg is full of so many nutrients (especially the yolk, folks), you can build a whole chicken from one.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
For overachievers, start by planting spinach seeds in spring. For the rest of us, start with prewashed baby spinach. Melt some butter over medium heat and add the greens—lots. They cook down to almost nothing. Sauté, stirring, until spinach is totally wilted. Add a few glugs of heavy cream and simmer for another minute or so, until cream thickens. Remove from heat and top with toasted pine nuts and maybe a sprinkle of nutmeg. Popeye will be jealous.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~ 0g net carbs per cup of raw spinach
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These overgrown ‘shrooms make a meaty, earthy, super simple side. Start with portobello caps, wiped clean, and sliced into 1⁄3 inch wide pieces. Brush both sides with olive oil, season, and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes (or pop them under the broiler). Turn the pieces over, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Serve with a drizzle of melted butter and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Be one with the earth.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
~2g net carbs per cup of raw portobellos
Dinner time and nothing in the fridge? Eggs to the rescue. Steaming them over boiling water for about 12 minutes makes peeling a breeze, but straight-up boiling them works too. Dunk in cold water for easy handling, peel, and slice in half. Top with a dollop of mayo and a sprinkle of chopped herbs. Or just dust with paprika, salt and pepper. Present with confidence and no apologies. Ever. You meant to have eggs for dinner. Because eggs are boss.
(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)
However you pronounce it, that pale, crispy, bitter lettuce is a perfect way to enjoy Boursin—or your other favorite spreadable cheese—while eating your veggies. Rinse and trim the endive and separate the leaves. Pat dry, and place a generous dollop of Boursin in the hollow at the base of the leaf. Voilà. Now, get creative and add diced olives, chopped walnuts, or crumbled bacon. Whatever floats your (endive) boat.
(When in doubt, add salt and/or pepper.)
~ 0g net carbs per cup of raw endive
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