A low-carb, Indian-inspired “dahl” (with lentils, ground turkey and cauliflower)

Plus, January's meal plan!

Hi! If there’s one thing January calls for, it’s cozy, hearty, meals, and this week’s new recipe is exactly that.

When it comes to comfort foods, we tend to think of carb-heavy or starchier dishes that contain ingredients like pastas, rice, potatoes, etc. One of the things I enjoy most about developing recipes is taking a classic version of a dish and coming up with a way to make it healthier and low-glycemic without sacrificing the key characteristics (like flavor and texture!) that really make the dish.

Sometimes, it’s a whole recipe transformation, using ingredients that are completely different to achieve a close likeness to the original recipe (like my grain-free granola, made with nuts and seeds instead of oats, or keto chocolate chip cookies, which require several flour substitutes, different sweetener, etc.). This is often the case with low-carb, grain-free and keto-friendly baking.

But often, and especially when it comes to cooking, it’s about finding creative ways to reduce the overall carbohydrate load and tailor the ingredient list or method slightly… without having to tailor our taste expectations. 😉

I recently made a red lentil Indian dahl (or sometimes spelled dal) for family, and it was such a nice reintroduction to lentils, a complex carbohydrate that, until recently, I rarely prepared.

Lentils are little powerhouses of nutrition, packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and prebiotics. They contain a higher amount of carbohydrates which is why many people on a low-carb lifestyle might deem them off limits altogether, but we know that when it comes to complex carbs, it’s not just about the what, but rather the how you incorporate them into your meals.

I made several changes to a traditional, Indian dahl recipe to create this low-carb version with all of the heartiness and flavor you’d expect.

Ground turkey, diced tomatoes, finely-chopped cauliflower, red lentils, coconut milk, and a medley of bold, Indian spices come together in this dish that is filling and flavorful.

It’s ready in 30 minutes, leftovers taste even better the next day, and it’s made with nutrient-dense ingredients that won’t spike your blood sugar.

This recipe— along with a printable PDF and nutritional info— is available to paid subscribers. A HUGE thank you to the new paid subscribers who have signed up since last Thursday; 100% of every new paid subscription this past week went to support World Central Kitchen, an organization that is providing meals to those affected by the L.A. wildfires. ♥️

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More hearty/cozy/wintry meals

Since we’re on the topic, I must share some other warming meals suitable for January!

• No-oats oatmeal

• Keto Thai curry with chicken and eggplant

• Autumn chicken chili

• Low-carb cauliflower soup with roasted garlic

• Crockpot green chili chicken soup

• Low-carb zuppa toscana

• Turkey meatballs in creamy curry sauce

Keto Thai curry with chicken and eggplant.

And, in case you missed it, all of the recipes now live in the Recipe Index so you can easily find dinner inspiration all in one place!

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A January meal plan

I really want this newsletter to help you out as much as possible, and one of the requests I have received a few times is for more meal plans.

So, I have decided to create and share a week-long meal plan every month. Each one will follow the same format as the last two (but share any suggestions/requests you have!), with five dinner recipes, one breakfast or treat recipe, and a shopping list.

Here is January’s meal plan and a few things to know about it:

• every recipe is low-carb, low-glycemic, gluten and grain-free;

• the recipes are strategically put together with similar and overlapping ingredients to make the most of your time and budget;

• every recipe is wonderful as leftovers and can be adapted to make salads, bowls, or wraps for easy, next-day lunches.

Here is January’s meal plan and shopping list- happy cooking!

At The Table Meal Plan 3

808KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

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Low-carb “dahl” with red lentils, ground turkey and cauliflower

A couple of tips before diving into this low-carb “dahl” recipe:

• make sure to use red lentils and don’t substitute them (other varieties require longer cook times)

• add salt to taste at the very end and make sure you add enough since it helps enhance all of the other spices (I usually add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons).

Yield:4-6 servings

Prep time: ~30 minutes

Ingredients