When selecting berries for this delicious low-carb dessert, remember that not all berries are the same with regards to carbs. Raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are the lowest in net carbs, 5 g per 3.5 ounce serving. Blueberries are more than double the amount of carbs at 12g. For a more complete guide to fruit carbs go to dietdoctor.com. 
Both fresh and frozen berries will taste delicious in this recipe. Let your fresh berries com to room temperature for better flavor. If using frozen berries, thaw them before using. 

Serves 4
10 ounces of mixed fresh or frozen berries at room temperature-raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
1 1/3 cup heavy cream-keep very cold 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. A cold bowl and cold cream will help to whip the cream faster. Pour the heavy cream into a large, metal mixing bowl. Add the vanilla. Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, whip until firm peaks form. The whipped cream should still look soft and pillowy. Be careful not to over whip. 
2. Divide the whipped cream into small serving bowls.
3. Evenly divide the berries and place on top of the whipped cream. Serve.

serves 4-6

​1 cup shelled hemp hearts
½ cup cauliflower, riced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup scallions
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Additions:
Feta cheese
Avocado
Black olives

​1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup chopped baby spinach or arugula
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Pepper, freshly ground
 
To cook the cauliflower, fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower head. Cut the head into florets. Add to the boiling water and cook until just fork tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the cauliflower well. Place onto a warm platter and cover w/foil to keep warm.
 
While the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large sauté pan and turn the heat to medium low. Cook the garlic slowly until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and chopped herbs to the cooked garlic and bring to simmer over medium high heat. Cook for an additional 3 minutes to infuse the cream with the herb flavors.


To finish, add the cooked cauliflower to the simmering sauce and toss gently to coat evenly. Add the cheese and toss gently. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
 
Variations:
Herb Alfredo Cauliflower with Prosciutto and Peas
Sauté 6-8 thin slices of prosciutto in a little olive oil until crisp. Remove the prosciutto and set aside on a paper towel. Prepare the recipe above as written. When you add the cauliflower to the sauce add 2 cups frozen petite peas (thawed) and the cooked prosciutto.

​Makes 4-6 appetizer servings
 
Gnocchi:
1 ½ pounds russet baking potatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 
1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the potatoes until fork tender or steam-do not boil. Boiling the potatoes will add too much moisture to the potatoes and make the gnocchi heavy and dense. While hot, remove the skin and rice the potatoes with a potato ricer(use the disk with the smallest holes) onto your work surface. Spread it out as you work to avoid piling up. You want the potatoes to air cool. You can also use a fork too, do not use a food processor.
2. Form a well in the center of the potatoes. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of flour and the salt over the potatoes.
3. Crack the egg into the well. Using a fork, lightly beat the egg, and incorporate the remaining ingredients to form a dough. Knead lightly on the work surface until the dough is soft and smooth. Add just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking.
4. Working on a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch in diameter, sprinkling with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut each rope into 3/4-inch bite-size pieces.
5. To roll the gnocchi, you’ll need a fork or gnocchi board to give them ridges. The ridges will catch the sauce. Be sure to use enough flour so that the gnocchi don’t stick, and roll them down the front of the fork tines using your index and middle finger to push on the dough, while holding the fork at a 45 degree angle. Do the same if you are using a gnocchi board. Be sure to flour the board before beginning.
6. To cook, fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop in about 2 dozen gnocchi. When they float to the surface, allow them to simmer for about 30 seconds and remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Place the drained gnocchi onto a warm platter and cover with hot tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.

 
Herbed Gnocchi:
When forming the dough, add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon chopped chives with the egg and incorporate into the dough.
 
Brown Butter Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
4 large sage leaves
Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to accommodate all of the gnocchi without crowding. When the butter begins to foam, add the gnocchi to the skillet and cook, turning as necessary, until they're browned and crisp on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Add sage leaves and cook until crisp, 30 seconds. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

 
Baked Gnocci:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1 lb sausage meat
1 jar pasta sauce-Rao’s is a favorite
2 teaspoons fennel seed
4 oz whole milk ricotta
8 oz mozzarella, shredded or in pieces
2 tablespoons parsley
Parmesan cheese for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large ovenproof skillet, brown the sausage meat over medium/high heat until its cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
3. Add the pasta sauce, gnocchi, and fennel seed to the pan with the cooked sausage, and stir gently until the gnocchi is coated with the sauce and the sausage is well-distributed.
4. Top with spoons of ricotta and the mozzarella. Bake on an upper rack for 15-20 minutes until heated through and the cheese has crisped up a bit. If you want more of a browned crust, place under the broiler for a few minutes.
5. Top finished baked gnocchi with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and serve warm.

 
To Freeze Gnocchi:
To freeze, place uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them air dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours. Transfer baking sheet to the freezer until frozen solid. Transfer to freezer bags. Cook frozen gnocchi in the same way as fresh.

Makes One 10” tart
 
½ recipe Art of Pie “Basic Pie Crust” or 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted in the refrigerator.
5-6 firm apples, peeled, cored, and quartered-Granny Smith or Golden Delicious-if using pears, Bosc pears work very well
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ -cup plus 1 Tbs sugar            
4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking rack in the middle of the oven. 
2. Roll the pie dough into a 10-inch circle. Place it onto a plate, cover, and place into the refrigerator until ready to add to the tart. If using a sheet of puff pastry, unfold it and place into the refrigerator until ready to use. 
3. Toss the apples with the cinnamon and 1Tbs of sugar. 
4. In a 10-inch cast-iron pan or other oven proof skillet, heat the remaining ¾ cup sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has turned a dark amber. (Check for color by drizzling some onto a white plate.) 
5. Add the butter to the pan and stir it into the caramel until melted and smooth; be careful, as the butter will make the caramel sputter. 
6. Remove the pan from the heat. Starting on the outside of the pan, carefully set the apple quarters in the caramel, arranging them in a circle so that they all face the same way.  Set them very close to one another, trying to get as many as possible into the pan.  Fill in the center of the pan with as many of the remaining apples as will fit.  
7. Put the pan back on the heat and allow the apples to cook on top of the stove for about 5 minutes.  
8. Remove the pan from the heat.  Place the cold pastry dough over the apples, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan.  Work carefully so as not to burn your fingers, but also quickly so as not to melt the dough. 
9. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and immediately put the pan in the oven.  
10. Bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the crust is browned, and the caramel is bubbling around the edges of the pan, another 15-20 minutes. 
11. Carefully remove the tart from the oven and cool it on a rack for about 20 minutes.  Invert the tart onto a serving platter.  If any apples stick to the underside of the pan, simply return them to their rightful spot on the tart. 
12. Tarte Tatin is best served right away, but it can stand a room temperature and be reheated briefly in the oven, if that suits your schedule better.

 
 
 
 
 

Serves 6-8
 
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes (leave the peels on)
2 pounds ground beef, pork, lamb, or combination
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2.5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken)
2 cups peas, frozen and thawed
1/3 cup butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. In a 4-quart sauce pot, cover the potatoes with water, plus 1 teaspoon salt and boil until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. 
2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ground beef, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Brown the ground beef breaking it up a bit as you are cooking it. I like to use a 10-inch cast iron pan and then use it to bake the pie in after. You can  use any oven-proof pan.
3. Remove the cooked ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the stove and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add the vegetables and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the cooked and seasoned ground beef back into the pan and stir in the tomato paste and stock. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. 
5. When the potatoes cooked, drain well and put the potatoes back into the pot with the butter and mash. Stir in the thawed peas, 2/3 cup of the cheese, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Spoon the meat mixture into a deep-dish pie pan or a large baking dish. Cover with the potato and pea mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese over the top.
7. Bake for another 30 minutes or until heated through and the potatoes are lightly browned.

Variations:

• Curried Cottage Pie, instead of adding herbs, add 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander to the ground beef while it is cooking.
• Substitute the potatoes with mashed rutabaga, celery root (celeriac), or cauliflower. These are lower carb alternatives for potatoes.

This is the perfect replacement for buttered noodles. Naturally sweet and fragrant and low in carbs.

Serves 6

4 ounces butter
2 pounds cabbage, about ½ large head-shredded
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced    
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup assorted greens-baby spinach, flat-leafed parsley, baby arugula-chopped
1 lemon, zested
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. When melted, add the sliced garlic to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Place the shredded cabbage, thyme, and crushed red pepper to the pan and stir to coat with the butter. 
2. Lower the heat to medium-low, add 1/4 cup water, cover with a lid and steam until the cabbage is wilted, but still bright green, about 5-7 minutes. 
3. Remove the lid and add the chopped herbs, lemon zest, juice from half the lemon, and the heavy cream. Heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

A delicious and elegant entree for any time you are feeling a little fancy. Its actually very easy to prepare. Serve it with my favorite low-carb side dish Mashed Cauliflower.

​Serves 6
 
3-pound boneless pork roast or pork loin (not pork tenderloin)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed 
1 16-ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained
8 ounces feta, crumbled
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil, pork fat, or coconut oil
Butcher’s twine
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. To prepare the filling, squeeze the thawed spinach of excess water and place into a large bowl. Roughly chop the drained roasted peppers and add to the spinach. Add the crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Evenly combine all the stuffing ingredients.
2. Holding a sharpened boning knife or chef’s knife parallel to the cutting board, make a horizontal slice lengthwise about 1/3 of the way from the bottom, stopping about 1/2- inch from the other side. Open the flap like a book. Make another horizontal cut into the thicker side of the roast, level with the first cut and stopping about one inch from the edge. Open that flap to create a flat piece of meat. As an alternative, you can cut the loin in half being sure to stop at 1/2 inch from the edge and opening like a book. Stuff and tie with twine.
3. Spoon the filling mixture onto the pork loin and cover the entire surface of the loin. Press the filling in an even layer.
4. Carefully roll the loin towards the end that has the fat facing down so that the fat is exposed when complete.
5. Cut 5 pieces of twine 18-inches long. Tie the stuffed loin with twine so that the loin is firmly held together. 
6. In a small bowl combine the chopped rosemary with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. Coat the loin with the seasoning and press into the meat.
7. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Place the stuffed pork loin into the pan fat side down and sear until browned.  Turn the pork over and place the pan into preheat oven and cook until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees, or about 40-45 minutes.  Remove the loin from the oven tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 
Notes:
You can often find instant read thermometers at the grocery store
Instant Read Thermometer
Digital Meat Probe
Butcher Twine

• Alternative seasoning: Add ¼ cup chopped fresh mint and/or ¼ cup chopped fresh dill to the stuffing.
• Replace the roasted peppers with ½ cup dried fruit-chopped apricots, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.
• Cook your roast on top of carrots, parsnips, or wedged potatoes and serve them as a side dish.

Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons butter, ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil
12 ounces cauliflower
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
Salt and pepper

1. To “rice” the cauliflower: Remove outer leaves. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Using a box grater, grate the cauliflower florets. To use a food processor, place the blade attachment in the processor bowl. Add the florets and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. 
2. Place the riced cauliflower onto a cotton towel and squeeze it to release as much water as possible. 
3. In a large heavy skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the riced cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften--about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and cook just until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Additions:

• 1 cup riced broccoli
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• Hard boiled eggs