Bacon wrapped Beef Tenderloin

Serves 4 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 15 minutes

This is a throwback to a popular ’80s dish, when many things were wrapped in bacon despite the moratorium on fats. Bacon-wrapped steaks were found on every restaurant menu because the salty richness of the bacon combined beautifully with the lean tenderloin. If you are looking for higher omega-3 fatty acids and vitamine in your beef, source-out organic grass-fed animals.

4 Beef tenderloin steaks (4-ounce)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
8 bacon slices
Sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Season the steaks with salt and pepper.

3. Wrap each steak snugly around the edges with 2 slices of bacon and secure the bacon with toothpicks.

4. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

5. Pan sear the steaks for 4 minutes per side and transfer them to a
baking sheet.

6. Roast the steaks until they reach your desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

7. Remove the steaks from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes.

8. Remove the toothpicks and serve.

A CLOSER LOOK 

Bacon has a bad reputation in many nutritionist circles because it
can be very high in preservatives and sodium, depending on the brand and processing. Look for organic bacon with no additives, preferably from a reputable butcher.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 565; Fat: 49g; Protein: 28g; Carbs: 0g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 0g; Fat 78%/Protein 22%/Carbs 0%

Cheeseburger Casserole

Serves 6 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 40 minutes

Casseroles are the epitome of comfort food, and the no-fuss preparation is attractive for anyone who has a busy schedule to maintain. The favor of this dish will remind you of sizzling cheese-topped beef burgers right off the barbecue on a balmy summer evening. If you have leftovers, either enjoy them for lunch the next day or freeze them for up to 2 weeks.

1 pound 75% lean ground beef
½ cup chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1&½ cups shredded aged Cheddar, divided
½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 large tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef.

3. Brown the beef until cooked through, about 6 minutes, and spoon off any excess fat.

4. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender,
about 4 minutes.

5. Transfer the beef and vegetables to an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish.

6. In medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of shredded cheese and the heavy
cream, tomato, basil, salt, and pepper until well combined.

7. Pour the cream mixture over the beef mixture and top the casserole with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese.

8. Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly
browned, about 30 minutes.

9. Serve.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 410; Fat: 33g; Protein: 20g; Carbs: 3g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 3g; Fat 75%/Protein 22%/Carbs 3%

Italian Beef Burgers

Serves 4 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 12 minutes

Sometimes it is more fun to plan the toppings on a burger than is to make the burger itself. You can top these juicy patties with whatever catches your imagination, such as bacon, avocado, homemade mayonnaise, or simple tomato slices—or all of the above and more. Tomatoes are a wonderful choice because they are very high in
vitamins A, C, and K and a phytonutrient called lycopene, which can help prevent certain cancers and support a healthy cardiovascular system.

1 pound 75% lean ground beef
¼ cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
¼ sweet onion, sliced thinly

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground almonds, basil, garlic, and salt until well mixed.

2. Form the beef mixture into four equal patties and flatten them to about ½ inch thick.

3. Place a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

4. Panfry the burgers until cooked through, flipping them once, about
12 minutes in total.

5. Pat away any excess grease with paper towels and serve the burgers with a slice of tomato and onion.

SUBSTITUTION TIP 

Ground lamb is a perfect choice if you do not want to use
ground beef; just make sure the ground meat is not too lean. Try to get 70% lean or less so that your fat macros are not too low.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 441; Fat: 37g; Protein: 22g; Carbs: 4g; Fiber: 1g;
Net Carbs: 3g; Fat 76%/Protein 21%/Carbs 3%

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Serves 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 5 minutes

What would pizza be without gooey melted mozzarella? Mozzarella is produced using a method that spins the cheese from milk and then cuts it, called pasta filata. Mozzarella is a good choice for the keto diet. It is high in fat (65 percent), contains about 32 percent protein, and has only 3 percent carbs.

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium tomato, cut into 4 slices
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and
set aside.

2. In a small bowl, toss the mushroom caps with the olive oil until well coated. Use your fingertips to rub the oil in without breaking the mushrooms.

3. Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet gill-side down and broil the
mushrooms until they are tender on the tops, about 2 minutes.

4. Flip the mushrooms over and broil 1 minute more.

5. Take the baking sheet out and spread the garlic over each mushroom, top each with a tomato slice, sprinkle with the basil, and top with the cheese.

6. Broil the mushrooms until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 1 minute.

7. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

These pizzas pack a lot of flavor, so you’ll need an assertive
main course to share the plate with them. Some wonderful options could include Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin (page 101) or Sirloin with Blue Cheese Compound Butter. These juicy mushrooms make a tempting snack, as well.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 251; Fat: 20g; Protein: 14g; Carbs: 7g; Fiber: 3g;
Net Carbs: 4g; Fat 71%/Protein 19%/Carbs 10%

Garlicky Green Beans

Serves 4 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 10 minutes

Sizzling lightly caramelized green beans flavored generously with garlic are a perfect culinary storm of texture, color, and taste. You might find yourself whipping up a batch to eat as a snack instead of a side dish. Yellow wax beans or a combination of the two colors would also be a lovely choice if you want to vary the ingredients.

1 pound green beans, stemmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
Cheese
Sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and
set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the green beans, olive oil, and garlic until well mixed.

3. Season the beans lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Spread the beans on the baking sheet and roast them until they are tender and lightly browned, stirring them once, about 10 minutes.

5. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

Look for entrées with a quick cooking time so that your entire
meal can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Try tender Herb Butter Scallops or Pan-Seared Halibut with Citrus Butter Sauce (page 76) for a lovely, speedy meal.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 104; Fat: 9g; Protein: 4g; Carbs: 2g; Fiber: 1g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 77%/Protein 15%/Carbs 8%

Sautéed Asparagus with Walnuts

Serves 4 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 5 minutes

If you are a foodie, you probably wait with anticipation for spring and the slender elegant asparagus spears that come into season at that time. Asparagus is a good choice for keto followers because although this veggie contains carbs, it is also very high in fiber, which creates a low net carb result. Asparagus is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, so it is excellent for eye health, helps fight cancers, and is wonderful for your heart.

1 & ½ tablespoons olive oil
¾ pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Sea salt

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

2. Sauté the asparagus until the spears are tender and lightly browned,
about 5 minutes.

3. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss the asparagus with the walnuts.

5. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

There are very few other ingredients that do not combine well
with asparagus, so you have many delicious options for main dishes to serve with these tasty spears. Good choices to consider are Paprika Chicken or Roasted Pork Loin with Grainy Mustard Sauce.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 124; Fat: 12g; Protein: 3g; Carbs: 4g; Fiber: 2g;
Net Carbs: 2g; Fat 81%/Protein 9%/Carbs 10%

Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Serves 8 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 30 minutes

Brussels sprouts are often left in the produce section of the grocery store because they look complicated to cook. And if you have ever overcooked them, they produce an extremely unpleasant sulphur-like odor. You should rethink this nutritional powerhouse because they are delicious and have many health benefits. Brussels sprouts help fight cardiovascular disease and cancer, lower cholesterol levels, and can improve thyroid function. And they really are easy to cook well.

8 bacon slices
1 pound Brussels sprouts,
blanched for 10 minutes and cut into quarters
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until it is crispy about 6 minutes.

3. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat to grease the casserole dish and roughly chop the cooked bacon.

4. Lightly oil a casserole dish with the reserved bacon fat and set aside.

5. In a medium bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the chopped bacon
and ½ cup of cheese and transfer the mixture to the casserole dish.

6. Pour the heavy cream over the Brussels sprouts and top the casserole with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.

7. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the vegetables are heated through, about 20 minutes.

8. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

This rich dish needs a simple entrée on the plate so that you
don’t feel too full at the end of the meal. Consider Italian Beef Burgers or Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Racks (page 96).

PER SERVING 

Calories: 299; Fat: 11g; Protein: 12g; Carbs: 7g; Fiber: 3g;
Net Carbs: 4g; Fat 77%/Protein 15%/Carbs 8%

Creamed Spinach

Serves 4 / Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 30 minutes

Creamed vegetables, spinach in particular, have been around for several thousand years, although in the past several years, yogurt was often used in the sauce instead of heavy cream. The finished dish is comforting and perfect for large potluck events when you need to bring something to contribute. If you want to cut some of the calories from the recipe, swap out the heavy cream for evaporated milk, but keep in mind that also changes the keto macro.

1 tablespoon butter
½ sweet onion, very thinly sliced
4 cups spinach, stemmed and thoroughly washed
¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream
¼ cup Herbed Chicken Stock
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch sea salt

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter.

2. Sauté the onion until it is lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Sauté until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.

5. Continue cooking the spinach until it is tender and the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes.

6. Serve immediately.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

Adding some color to your meal highlights the simple presentation of this traditional side dish. Look to Roasted Salmon with Avocado Salsa for some pizazz or a subtler Stuffed Chicken Breasts.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 195; Fat: 20g; Protein: 3g; Carbs: 3g; Fiber: 2g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 88%/Protein 6%/Carbs 6%

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

Serves 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 5 minutes

Mashed potatoes might be one of the foods you miss when starting your keto experience, but take heart because this lower-carb version is pretty close to its fluffy counterpart. The cheese, cream, and butter add lots of flavor and a certain creamy feel to the mashed cauliflower, and create a wonderful base for other variations. Try mashed roasted garlic in your cauliflower mash for a truly sublime side dish.

1 head cauliflower, chopped roughly
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

1. Place a large saucepan filled three-quarters full with water over high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Blanch the cauliflower until tender, about 5 minutes, and drain.

3. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and add the cheese, heavy
cream, and butter. Purée until very creamy and whipped.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

Creamy mashed vegetables seem to call out for delectable
sauces to spoon over them. Two of the best come with the Garlic-Braised Short Ribs and Coconut Chicken.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 183; Fat: 15g; Protein: 8g; Carbs: 6g; Fiber: 2g;
Net Carbs: 4g; Fat 75%/Protein 14%/Carbs 11%