1 small zucchini, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried chili flakes
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat with garlic and chili flakes.
2. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and spread as evenly as possible.
3. Sauté until tender, about 7 minutes, and season with salt, pepper and oregano.

Makes 3 servings

4 six ounce pork chops
2 tablespoons lemon pepper, or equivalent black pepper and lemon zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
3. Meanwhile, rub the pork chops generously with lemon pepper.
4. Drizzle olive oil over pork chops and add to the skillet.
5. Fry until browned, about 3 minutes, then flip.
6. Fry another 3 minutes and then transfer to the oven to finish, about 6 more minutes.
7. Allow to rest before serving and garnish with green onion.

Makes 4 servings

24 asparagus spears, trimmed to equal lengths
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a cast iron skillet inside.
2. Meanwhile, coat asparagus spears in olive oil and divide into 4 groups of 6.
3. Lay 6 asparagus over a single slice of bacon and roll the bacon around them. Secure with a toothpick, if necessary.
4. Season liberally with black pepper and transfer to the skillet.
5. Allow to roast until bacon has crisped, about 12 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Day 3 of low-carb week was fast, easy and delicious and only about 6 net carbs per plate. As the main entree I liberally
rubbed some pork chops with lemon pepper and simply fried them. Shannon really enjoyed the Lemon
Pepper Pork Chops, as did I. She doesn't care for the fat, so I trimmed it, but I think fried pork fat is delicious!
Pan frying is definitely my favorite way to make pork chops since the high heat sears them nice and crispy, which makes the
flavor and texture so much better, and also reduces the cooking time in the process.

I gave Shannon the choice between having cabbage or zucchini for dinner and for some reason she choose zucchini. Poor
neglected sulphurous lettuce, you'll get your turn! Anyhow, I just quickly sautéed some Zucchini and Mushrooms with garlic and red pepper flakes. I think mushrooms and zucchini go
together very well since they both have meaty textures and tend to absorb the flavor of whatever they're cooked in.
Naturally, anything cooked in garlic is bound to be quickly gobbled down.

Finally, we had little bundles of Bacon Wrapped Asparagus. Shannon said that the
asparagus tasted bitter, which I agreed on for the tips, but I thought the stalks were actually quite succulent. I really
enjoyed the center cuts with the crispy bacon and just-crisp sort of sweet bite from the roasted asparagus.