Low carb high fat lamb chops and roasted tomatoes

Tim Noakes wasn’t kidding when he called his latest book ‘the Real Meal Revolution’ – South Africa seems to be going batty for the ‘banting’ way of eating.

Banting, if you’re still in the dark, means eating meals that are Low Carb High Fat (LCHF). If you like, you can read more about the whole story and what you should and shouldn’t be eating.

Over at Food24 we thought we’d very obligingly feed the need and drum up some easy week-night banting dinners that you can bang out in minutes.

There’s no compromising on flavour, and you’ll still feel satisfied at the end of your meal – Scout’s honor! And, one of the most exciting things about this way of eating is that you can still braai in style and eat things like bloke-worthy lamb chops, and if you follow the plan properly, you’ll lose weight and feel great doing it too.

Lamb chops with basil pesto, cauliflower mash and blistered tomatoes
Serves 2 | Preparation and Cooking time approx 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
2-4 lamb chops, depending on size
1 Tbsp olive oil, for frying
Vine tomatoes
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil, for the mash
1/3 cup milk, for the mash
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Basil pesto

Method
1. In a medium-sized pot of boiling water, boil the cauliflower until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, season the lamb on both sides. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat and cook the lamb chops for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium, or to your preference. Add the tomatoes to the pan along with the meat for the remaining 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the lamb chops to rest on a chopping board or plate. Drizzle the tomatoes with the extra virgin olive oil and season them.

3. To prepare the cauliflower mash, drain off excess water, mash well and add in the butter and the milk a little at a time. You may need more or less milk according to how you like the consistency of your mash. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

4. Serve immediately with a drizzle of pesto over the lamb chops.

Quick DIY Pesto
50 g fresh basil (or rocket/watercress/coriander), rinsed and thicker stalks removed
2 Tbsp almonds or pine nuts, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Combine the ingredients in a food processor, mix until it reaches a texture of your liking, taste to check that you have enough salt and pepper.
Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, and leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.