We talk about food a lot in our house. Oftentimes when we’re having dinner, the question arises: “What do you want for dinner tomorrow?” We’re not even through with the meal sitting right in front of us and we’re discussing one that’s 24 hours away.
If we’re going out of town, especially to someplace new, I spend way too much time researching local dining spots and end up with dozens of tabs open in my browser, each to a different restaurant’s website.
In my defense, this research worked out well for me on a recent trip to League City — halfway between Houston and Galveston — for a work conference. Dinner one night was at Williams’ Place where I had Latin Chicken — a 1/2 chicken that had been baked and then quick fried right before serving — with avocado salad and french fries. Fresh-from-the-fryer pork rinds were given as an appetizer. The next night, I drove to Galveston and had Greek Nachos at Cajun Greek. They were similar to traditional nachos, but instead of melted cheese, the tortilla chips were topped with lamb, tzatziki sauce and feta.
So food is important to us. Not just as nourishment, but in a number of other ways as well: as fellowship, when others come to our house for dinner and the conversation is loud and spirited and filled with laughter; as work, as we get to share our food experiences in this column, and I was the food writer at the Waco Tribune-Herald a bunch of years back; and as adventure, when we’re on the road and looking for our next (hopefully) memorable meal.
Abby and I have been lucky in the nearly 30 years that we’ve been married. Aside from a couple of allergies, we’ve eaten pretty much whatever we wanted. But we realized a few months ago that we probably needed to start paying more attention to the nutritional value of what we were eating, maybe cutting back on sugar and carbs and the like. And after a short time of adjustment, we’ve pretty much stuck to that, if you don’t count my recent out-of-town meals anyway. We realized that with just a few tweaks here and there, we’re really not missing out on anything. The food we eat at home is still delicious because, well, Abby is doing the cooking. She’s figured out workarounds for most everything. And that’s important with Thanksgiving just around the corner. A typical menu is loaded with carb-heavy dishes, but we’ve got two side dishes and a rich dessert that work well if you’re also cutting back. The carbs won’t be there, but you won’t be missing out on any of the flavor.
The Recipes
Roasted Carrots with Feta, Honey and Pecans
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup hot honey
- Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)
Heat oven to 400. Place carrots on sheet pan, drizzle with olive and add salt and pepper. Mix to coat well.
Bake until carrots are fork tender, about 18–20 minutes depending on the thickness of the carrots. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, add the feta, yogurt or sour cream and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
In a small skillet, melt the butter, then add pecans. Toast the pecans until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 5–7 minutes.
To assemble, spread the feta mixture in an even layer onto a serving plate. Lay the carrots on top of the feta with all the carrots facing the same direction. Sprinkle with toasted pecans then drizzle with the honey. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if using. Makes about 4 servings.
Tennessee Onions
- 3–4 Vidalia sweet onions
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Italian blend cheese, finely shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
Heat the oven to 350. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Peel the onions and slice them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Don’t separate the rounds into individual onion rings.
Spread the onion rounds evenly across the prepared baking dish. Season with salt, garlic powder and oregano.
Cut the butter into about 8 portions and place evenly over the onions. Sprinkle the Italian blend and cheddar cheese over the onions, and top with the Parmesan.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Serve hot. Makes about 10 servings.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter
- 8 ounces good quality dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup monk fruit or allulose; a combination of the two also works (or 3/4 cup sugar)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Whipped cream and berries, to serve, optional
Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9-inch round springform cake pan with butter, then lightly sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pan with cocoa. Tip the pan upside down to get rid of any excess cocoa.
Place the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Slowly add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat. Egg whites should become white and glossy. Continue to beat until egg whites are thick and form soft peaks. When you remove the whisk, the meringue should be stiff enough to hold its shape and only the peak should drip.
Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add cocoa powder and salt and whisk until smooth.
Add about 1/4 of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold using a spatula. Add remaining meringue and continue to fold until mixture is just combined.
Pour the mixture into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the cake has developed a crust and no longer wobbles in the middle. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Do not remove the cake from the pan. The cake will sink as it cools.
Dust the cake with cocoa powder just before serving, then serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries, if using. Makes about 10 servings.
