Butternut Mash

Butternut Mash

BUTTERNUT SQUASH · BUTTER

BOIL

Make any day taste like Thanksgiving with this delicious mash. Give yourself a break—Thanksgiving is a holiday, after all—and buy your squash already cubed. Boil or steam the cubes until fork-tender. Drain off the water and add way more butter than you think you should. It’s okay. Really. Then mash it on up. An immersion blender will make it extra smooth and creamy, but a fork works fine. Did we mention add more butter?

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~14g net carbs per cup raw  butternut squash

Roast Turkey

Roast Turkey

TURKEY · BUTTER · GRAVY

Roast — 300°F — IT 165°F

Turkey doesn’t have to go into hiding after major holidays. It’s a great way to feed a crowd. Or buy just the breast and feed a smaller crowd. Start by pressing some butter under the skin and seasoning the bird. There are soooo many ways to roast/smoke/grill. Either use your tried-and-true, favorite method, or try something new you find online. Just don’t forget to make a lot of gravy. You won’t be sorry. You can put it on your veggies, too. Just saying.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Green Beans

Green Beans

GREEN BEANS · OLIVE OIL · ALMONDS

Sauté — Medium-high

Decisions, decisions. Green beans are so easy and basic, you’ll have to figure out how you like them best. If you don’t get the pre-trimmed kind, snip off stem ends. Or not. Now all you need is a hot skillet and some fat. Olive oil. Butter. Ghee. Bacon fat. Pick one. Sauté until beans are just soft and brown. Or cook them less, for more crunch. Top with slivered almonds toasted in butter, or just butter. Not as French; just as delicious. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~ 4g net carbs per cup of raw green beans

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Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

ACORN SQUASH · BUTTER · HERBS · CINNAMON

ROAST — 400°F

For a taste of fall anytime. Cut your squash in half, stem-to-stern, clean out seeds, and cut each half into four wedges. Balance wedges, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Dot with butter. Bake in a hot oven for about 25 minutes. They’re done when edges brown and squash is fork-tender. Serve with more butter, a little salt, maybe a sprinkle of cinnamon. Whatever warms your heart.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~10g net carbs per quarter of a whole, raw acorn squash

Roast Beef

Roast Beef

ROAST BEEF · OLIVE OIL · HORSERADISH SAUCE · HERBS

Roast — 375°F — IT 145°F

Old school satisfaction without much work. Prep is easy. Coat with olive oil, slap on some seasoning, and shove it in the oven. Roast for about 20 minutes per (boneless) pound. Use your instant-read thermometer, and pull it out about 5°F before it reaches the temperature you seek. (See chart on page 17. We like it medium-rare, and shoot for 125°F.) The tricky part? Rest. You need it. So does a roast. The roast sits on the counter for about 20 minutes. You might prefer a couch. Whip up a creamy horseradish sauce before putting your feet up to enjoy the smells, knowing you and the roast are still cooking.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Rainbow Swiss Chard

Rainbow Swiss Chard

SWISS CHARD · OLIVE OIL · SHAVED PARMESAN

Sauté — medium-high

Stand up and take chard! Yes, you can make this rainbow of a veggie the focal point of your plate. Pull off the leaves and chop up the stems. Sauté the stems for a couple of minutes in olive oil. When the stems are lightly browned, tear up the leaves and throw them in too. Stir for a minute—maybe two. Top with shaved parmesan and a drizzle of oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~ 1g net carbs per cup of raw swiss chard

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Cauliflower Mash

Cauliflower Mash

CAULIFLOWER · BUTTER · SOUR CREAM

BOIL

Legit creamy satisfaction. Cut up a head of cauli into uniform chunks, cover with water, and boil until fork tender. Drain well. (Or, you could just roast it.) While it’s still warm, mash, mix, or blend to your preferred level of creaminess with plenty of butter and sour cream. Don’t skimp. We’re talkin' ~ 1⁄4 cup butter and 1⁄2 cup sour cream per head. Add in roasted garlic for fancy or Parmesan for cheesy—or both.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~3g net carbs per cup of raw cauliflower

Chicken Bites

Chicken Bites

CHICKEN · PEANUT OIL · SOY SAUCE · SESAME SEEDS · RED PEPPER FLAKES

Sauté — medium — IT 165°F

Ancient kitchen wisdom: small pieces = cooks quickly. Cut up—or snip up with kitchen scissors­—raw chicken (breasts or thighs) into bite-sized chunks.  Sauté in peanut oil over medium heat, using a spatula to flip the pieces every couple of minutes. They’ll be ready before you know it, 10 minutes max, but check the biggest chunks with your instant-read thermometer. 165°F is the magic number. Once you get there, stop cooking and start sprinkling:  sesame oil, a little soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes for Asian flavors. Garlic, herbs, cayenne, and salt for something else just as tasty. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Snow Peas

Snow Peas

SNOW PEAS · PEANUT OIL · SESAME SEEDS

Sauté — High

Keep your peas in the pod and eat the whole damn thing. The more plant parts, the better. We like to cut off the ends, but if that sounds like too much work, just leave ‘em. Sauté in peanut oil, but make it quick—2 minutes, tops. Think wok, but don’t bother buying one. Depending on what else is on the plate, flavor with sesame seeds and a splash of soy sauce, or with salt, pepper and a little crumbled feta. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~ 5g net carbs per cup of raw snow peas

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Roasted Parsnips

Roasted Parsnips

PARSNIPS · OLIVE OIL · HERBS

ROAST — 400°F

A parsnip looks like an anemic carrot, but packs a surprising flavor punch. Peel (like carrots), cut in half lengthwise, and coat them with olive oil. Balance your ‘snips, round side down, on baking dish, and roast in a hot oven for about 30 minutes. No need to flip them. They are done when nicely browned and fork tender. Shake on some herbs, salt, and pepper, and knock ‘em out with your mad dinner skills.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~17g net carbs per cup of raw parsnips

Sirloin Tips

Sirloin Tips

STEAK · MARINADE · PEANUT OIL · SOY SAUCE

PARSLEY · PEANUTS · RED PEPPER FLAKES

Sauté — medium — IT 145°F

Bruce Lee fast but without the toughness. The secret to stir-fry tenderness is a quality cut—sirloin or similar—sliced across the grain into bite-size strips. Marinate for whatever time you’ve got, hours, minutes, or not at all. Sauté in peanut oil over medium-high heat until barely done, maybe 2 minutes per side. The USDA says shoot for an IT of 145°F, but we get them off the heat sooner rather than later; they’ll cook a little more as you season them. Drizzle with soy sauce, top with chopped parsley and crushed peanuts, and add some crushed red pepper for an extra kick. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Baby Bok Choy

Baby Bok Choy

BOK CHOY · PEANUT OIL · SOY SAUCE · SESAME OIL · RED PEPPER FLAKES

Sauté — high

Your mom may not have made this, but we promise you someone else’s mom did. Baby bok choy is easy, tasty and, like all babies, so cute! Slice in half lengthwise, and do your best to rinse off any dirt around the base, but don’t freak out about it. Pan-fry in peanut oil in a hot skillet, about 4 minutes per side. Dress the babies in sesame oil and soy sauce, red pepper flakes if you are feeling feisty.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~ 1g net carbs per cup of raw bok choy

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Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower Rice

CAULIFLOWER · BUTTER · HERBS

Sauté — medium-high

Okay, we know it’s not rice. But why add a nutritionally wimpy starch to a meal when you can add a vitamin-packed veggie? Grate the cauliflower—or save your knuckles and buy your cauliflower already “riced.” Melt a bunch of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your “rice” and stir, sautéing until slightly golden. Like any good love story, you want it tender, but not mushy. Add more butter if needed, plus some chopped herbs. It may not really be rice, but it can still soak up any yummy sauce that comes its way from other dishes on your plate.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~3g net carbs per cup of raw cauliflower

Lamb Chops

Lamb Chops

LAMB CHOPS · MARINADE · OLIVE OIL · BUTTER · MUSTARD · MINT

Pan-fry — medium — IT 145°F

Don’t feel sheepish about breaking out the lamb chops when you want an easy, elegant treat. Marinate chops for a few hours if you can—or skip this if you’re in a hurry. Season your chops with salt and pepper and pan-fry over medium heat in a cast iron skillet coated with a little olive oil—grilling works too—for about 5-10 minutes per side. Use your instant-read thermometer and take them off the heat a little early. While the little lambs rest a wee bit, add some butter and mustard to the frying pan for a simple pan sauce. Skip the green jelly and add a sprig of fresh mint. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Romaine Salad

Romaine Salad

ROMAINE · CREAMY DRESSING · PARMESAN

Cold Prep

Caesar salad without the fuss. Just clean up the romaine, make sure it is dry, and layer leaves on plate. Top with a creamy dressing and shaved parmesan. Walnuts? Certainly. Bacon? Of course. Parmesan crisps? If you’ve got ‘em. Making it yours makes it even more delicious.

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~ 1g net carbs per cup of raw romaine

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Grilled Eggplant

Grilled Eggplant

EGGPLANT · OLIVE OIL · VINEGAR · HERBS

Grill — medium

#freetheeggplant. Get this racy emoji’s namesake out from under all those breadcrumbs and let its own flavor stand out. Here’s how: Slice the eggplant lengthwise, salt it all over, and let it bask on some paper towels for a while. Towel off some of the salt and slather on the olive oil. Grill over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes per side (broiling works too); slices should be brown and tender. Splash. Drizzle. Sprinkle. Balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar if you are sugar-sensitive) or soy sauce. Olive oil. Herbs. In that order. Satisfying enough to turn anyone into an eggplant lover.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~2g net carbs per cup of raw eggplant

Lamb Kebabs

Lamb Kebabs

GROUND LAMB · SPICES · OLIVE OIL · TZATZIKI

Pan-fry — medium — IT 160°F

Kebabs are quick and fun, like little meat lollipops, and a nice change from the same-old, same-old. Start with ground lamb in a bowl. For a pound of meat, you’ll need a tablespoon each of cumin, paprika, and chili powder, plus a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. (Your own favorite spice blend works too.) Form the meat around skewers; shoot for 5 skewers per pound of meat. Pro tip: square them off for easy cooking. Pan-fry the kebabs in a little olive oil, turning often and getting all four sides. Remove from heat when internal temp hits 160°F. Spoon on some tzatziki, which is easier to make than it is to spell, and even easier to buy, if your market carries it. 

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

CUCUMBER · CREAMY DRESSING · FETA CHEESE

Cold Prep

Keep your cool with this no-sweat side dish you can make in minutes. Peel your cucumbers as much or as little as you like. Slice them in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or just leave ‘em. Slice your cukes into bite-sized chunks and toss with our creamy dressing and crumbled feta. You might want to add fresh herbs and few sliced bell peppers or cherry tomatoes. You definitely want to add salt and pepper. What could be more chill?

(When in doubt, add salt and/or pepper.)

~ 3g net carbs per cup of raw cucumber

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Grilled Onions

Grilled Onions

ONIONS · OLIVE OIL · HERBS

Grill — medium-low

Don’t worry about dragon breath; low and slow grilling makes onions sweet, not scary. Peel and slice the bulbs through the equator into half inch thick circles. Dip in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over low heat for about 20-30 minutes; a little char is okay. When they’re falling apart, they may not look as pretty but they’ll taste even sweeter.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)

~9g net carbs per cup of raw onion

Veal Scallopini

Veal Scallopini

VEAL CUTLET · BUTTER · CAPERS · LEMON · HERBS

Pan-fry — medium — IT 145°F

Forget the wiener and the schnitzel. Veal cutlets are delicious, super quick, and a lot less messy without the breading. Cover them with parchment paper and work out any anger issues by pounding them to about 1⁄4-inch thick. Very therapeutic. Pan-fry in butter over medium heat; a couple of minutes per side will do. Remove the cutlets and add more butter to the pan. Allow it to brown, mixing in parsley and capers and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. Drizzle the sauce over the veal, and don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. Serve with calm and a (relatively) clean kitchen.  

(When in doubt, add butter and/or salt.)