Welcome to Good Housekeeping Low Carb! Whether you’re eating low carb to lose weight, controlling carbs because you’re diabetic, or limiting carbs for other health reasons, enjoy our selection of tasty main dishes, plus suggestions for sides to round out your meals. All were chosen to keep you happy and satisfied while adhering to our nutrition department’s low-carb guidelines: No more than 20 grams of carbs per serving.
Following a low-carb diet doesn’t mean eliminating carbs from your diet! The goal is to reduce your total carb intake, limiting your intake of unhealthy carbs like refined white flour products and avoiding added sugar in favor of regulated portions of healthy carbs (see “Carbohydrates,” for suggestions).
Here’s how it works: Eating a meal high in carbohydrates raises the blood sugar level, which in turn raises the insulin level. When your insulin level is high, carbs are the main source of energy in your body. The low-carb theory is that when your insulin levels are low, your body uses a mixture of stored carbohydrates and fat as energy, thus promoting weight loss. A healthy diet will provide carbohydrates for your brain, help your body use stored fat as energy, and keep the muscle protein intact.
If losing weight is the goal, in addition to restricting carbs, be sure to watch your overall calorie count: Many experts agree that keeping track of calories consumed versus calories expended is the key to controlling weight. To help you do this, we’ve tagged all low-calorie recipes in the book with the following icon: 
. This indicates maindish meals, including a starch or fruit, that are 450 calories or less per serving, along with other main dishes that are 300 calories or less per serving. In addition, heart-healthy 
, thirty-minutes-or-less 
, make-ahead 
, and slow-cooker icons 
will help you choose recipes that best suit your needs.
To make this book a lifesaver for busy cooks as dinnertime approaches, we’ve organized the chapters by main ingredient: chicken and turkey, beef and veal, pork and lamb, and seafood, plus a chapter on veggies, eggs, and cheese that includes many meatless mains. Many of these recipes are meals on their own. For those that aren’t, we’ve provided quick and easy ideas for low-carb sides that we hope you’ll find as inspiring as our entrées.
THE NUTRIENTS YOU NEED: THE BIG THREE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that everyone eat a wide variety of foods to get the calories, nutrients, fiber, and vitamins they require for good health. Our bodies need three essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Carbohydrates: The right kinds of carbohydrates are a key part of a well-balanced diet; they are the body’s major source of energy, including fuel for the brain. “Good” carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Carbohydrates can be made up of dietary fiber, starch, or sugar. Those who follow a diet rich in dietary fiber have been shown to have a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, among other benefits, and research indicates that whole-grain eaters are thinner than people who eat few whole-grain foods.
The starch and sugar in carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs for normal functions. When carbohydrates are digested, they become blood sugar (glucose), which is then used as fuel in our bodies. In general, the less sugar you eat, the better. However, this doesn’t include the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit, milk, or yogurt. The real culprit is the added sugar that comes from sweeteners, including white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, fruit juice concentrate, and other sweeteners.
Proteins: The body needs protein to produce new body tissue. As anyone following a low-carb diet knows, proteins are also great for weight loss: They help keep you feeling full for hours after eating. Too much protein, however, is unhealthy; it can stress the kidneys, and if it comes from fatty meat, it is also filling you with saturated fat. For optimum health, you should eat a variety of protein-rich foods, including seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and lentils, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. The latest USDA guidelines suggest that you eat more fish and non-meat protein; increase and vary your protein intake by substituting fish and shellfish (or beans, lentils, or tofu) in place of some of the meat and poultry you would typically eat.
Fats: The USDA guideline for fat consumption is 20 to 35 percent of your total daily calories, which is a wide range. However, much more important than the total fat is the amount of saturated and trans fat in your diet. Long-term studies suggest that when an excess of saturated fat is consumed, it raises your blood cholesterol level, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Saturated fat is found naturally in foods, but it is especially concentrated in fatty animal-based foods, such as fatty red meat, butter, and chicken skin. If you’re following a low-carb diet, you need to keep an especially close eye on your saturated fat intake. See “Proteins,” for lower–fat proteins you should be sure to incorporate into your regular rotation.
Even worse than saturated fat is trans fat, which not only raises the LDL (“bad cholesterol”) but also lowers the HDL (“good cholesterol”). It is formed by a process called hydrogenation, which turns oils into semisolids like margarine and shortening. Trans fats are used in many packaged foods and baked goods. On the ingredients list, these oils appear as partially hydrogenated oils or shortening and are reflected in the trans-fat total on the Nutrition Facts label.
It is important to keep your intake of trans fat low. Use canola or olive oil whenever possible and “0 trans” or “trans fat–free” margarine. Eliminate processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oils, and limit those made with butter or oils high in saturated fat (such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut).
Although the rewards are motivating, sticking to a healthy diet that’s low in carbohydrates can be challenging. Common pitfalls include loading up on red meat, cheese, and other items that are high in saturated fat and not eating enough vegetables, fruit, and whole grains that deliver the essential vitamins, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber you need for optimum health. And, of course, there’s always the danger of cheating and binging on starchy potato dishes, white bread products, or sweets that contain little nutritional value. Here are our tips to help you stay the course!
Focus on lean meat, poultry, and seafood: To avoid consuming an excess of saturated fat, choose skinnier cuts of red meat like top-round roast, sirloin tip steak or brisket, lean ground beef, and pork tenderloin. When it comes to poultry, skinless boneless chicken breasts or turkey cutlets are always a smart choice. Remove the skin from chicken thighs and whole chicken or turkey after cooking to retain all of the flavor without ingesting the extra fat. Fish and shellfish are naturally lean, making them great options for any meal. But don’t skip oily fish like salmon and tuna: They contain omega-3s that are not only good for your heart and brain functioning, but aid in weight loss and management, too.
Don’t forget whole grains: Brown rice, barley, quinoa, cornmeal, and more are all rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. To keep carbs in check, try incorporating one-half a serving of whole grains into your meals: about ¼ cup cooked grains. Toss them with veggies, fresh herbs, and cheese, or make them part of your main dish by pairing them with a meat, poultry, or seafood entrée. You’ll enjoy the benefits of whole-grain goodness while still sticking to your target carb count.
Avoid pasta pitfalls: You don’t have to eliminate pasta altogether just because you’re eating low carb. Simply reverse the usual proportions of pasta and sauce: Instead of a heaping plate of noodles topped with a little sauce, serve two-thirds meat and veggies with sauce tossed with one-third pasta (we recommend whole-grain noodles). That way, you can enjoy the comforts of pasta while avoiding the carb overload.
Another healthy solution: Try substituting ribbons of zucchini or yellow squash for noodles. Simply trim and discard the ends and peel long ribbons of squash with a vegetable peeler. Sauté the ribbons with a little olive oil and crushed garlic to create colorful vegetable “pasta” noodles.
Don’t ban bread—just slice it thin: If you’re craving a sandwich, try slicing whole-grain bread so thin that you are actually just eating one-third to one-half a serving—then enjoy your sandwich open face. You’ll get your bread fix without blowing your carb count.
Eat fresh produce: Don’t pass up colorful vegetables because you’re saving your carbs for starchy white high-carb treats. To ensure satisfaction and good health, incorporate a wide range of fresh produce in all the colors of the rainbow. Think salads, veggie sides (steamed, grilled, sautéed, or roasted), fresh fruit platters, and crudités served with dip. Frozen vegetables are an easy and nutritious swap in a pinch.
Satisfy your sweet tooth—with fruit: The fructose, or sugar in fruit that gives it its sweetness, is low glycemic: It causes only a small rise in blood sugar levels if eaten in moderation in its natural form, the whole fruit. So, if you need a sweet fix, dip a strawberry or two in dark chocolate or create a yummy parfait by tossing a few slices of peach or mango in low-fat Greek yogurt—then sprinkle with toasted chopped nuts.
