And this year, fall in love with the difference that quality meat makes for both taste and health. Look for grass-finished steak if you can find it locally or you can source it online from companies like Thrive Market that support regenerative farming practices which benefit both humans and the earth. Look for products approved by the American Grassfed Association (AGA) to verify your steak is actually the quality you want.

Cattle fed a natural diet of grass in the summer and alfalfa in the winter offer meat that is much more nutrient dense than grain fed cattle. In fact, beef from grass-finished cows contain so much more of the good fats we need to protect our heart and overall health. This is likely due to a higher amount of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats in grass-finished cattle as well as fat-soluble antioxidants like Vitamin E and other antioxidants like lutein and beta carotene that we see so much more of in grass-finished beef.

Additionally, beef from grass-finished cows contains a certain beneficial fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that can help prevent several diseases and conditions like insulin resistance and diabetes as well as cancer. So, if you haven’t prioritized your quality of meat yet, this is a great time to treat yourself to an amazing meal made with nutrient-dense ingredients you and your loved ones can feel good about!

Seared Steak With Herbed Butter & Roasted Broccolini With Garlic

Ingredients

ROASTED BROCOLLINI

• 1 bunch broccolini, organic if possible (okay to sub broccoli)
• 1 tablespoon avocado or tea seed oil
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

HERBED BUTTER

• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon Simply GOODFATS Whole Food MCT oil
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 

STEAK

• 2 tenderloin steaks, grass finished if possible (4 ounces each)
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon avocado or tea seed oil
• 1 tablespoon grass fed butter
• fresh parsley

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the Roasted Broccolini: trim the ends of the broccolini and place in a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and sliced garlic. With clean hands, massage altogether so the broccolini is evenly coated with oil, salt, and garlic. Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes depending on your oven. When finished, set aside and keep warm with foil.
• While the broccolini roasts, prepare the Herbed Butter: Combine butter, lemon zest, salt, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley in the bowl of a small food processor and blend until mixed. Place herbed butter in a ramekin or small bowl and set aside.
• Make Steak: Generously season both sides of steaks with sea salt and pepper. Note: if possible, allow steaks to sit at room temperature for about an hour before cooking.
• Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Heat oil and butter in a cast iron pan on medium-high heat. Sear steaks on both sides until a nice crust is formed, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Finish the steaks in the cast iron in the oven, about 5-7 minutes longer or until desired doneness. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5-10 minutes. Place on two plates.
• Serve topped with herbed butter and garnish with fresh parsley alongside the roast broccolini. 

Dessert: Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème with Sliced Strawberries

If you are looking for something luscious, rich, creamy and decadently chocolate, you will love my keto version of Pots de Crème. Pots de Crème is French for “pot of custard” or “pots of cream.” In my upgraded version, you get healthy fats from high-quality dairy or coconut milk, MCT oil, and egg yolks without the refined sugars you’d get if you ordered this in a fancy restaurant! Your taste buds and your heart will thank you!

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream ideally from organic, grass-finished dairy. Or for dairy-free use full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon Simply GOODFATS Creamy MCT Vanilla Coconut Swirl
• 3/4 cup 80%-100 % Dark Chocolate chopped fine
• 1 Whole Egg
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings (optional): coconut whipped cream, chocolate shavings, fresh sliced strawberries.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F and set oven rack in the center. Set four, 8oz ramekins or wide mouth mason jars in the middle of a rimmed baking dish. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepot, heat the milk until just bubbling around the edges. Lower the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir to combine. Turn off heat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, monk fruit sea salt, and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Temper the eggs: Using a small ladle, add some hot cream to the egg mixture a few tablespoons at a time (this prevents the egg yolks from scrambling). Once you’ve added about half of the cream, pour the rest of the cream into the bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Optional: Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
6. Evenly divide the mixture into the ramekins.
7. Carefully pour enough hot water into the rimmed baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
8. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard is set but the center still jiggles slightly. Remove from oven. Carefully transfer the ramekins to a plate, and cool to room temperature or chill in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy. Before eating, let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
9. Enjoy with whipped coconut cream, topped with chocolate shavings, or with fresh strawberry slices.

Nutrition Facts: (serving size 1 pots de crème) Fat: 19 g Protein: 4 g Fiber: 3 g Carb: 13 g Net Carb: 10 g