Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Carrots and Cauliflower

Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken! If you're not familiar with harissa, it's a blend of chiles, spices, garlic, and olive oil. It livens up simple chicken and veggies in this sheet-pan dinner!

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Simply Recipes 2018 Meal Plan: November Week 4

Here's your meal plan for the last week of November! We've got a cozy ham and cheese pasta bake, Singapore noodles with shrimp, roast pork tenderloin, and more!

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Simply Recipes 2018 Gift Guide: Top Picks Under $30

Let Simply Recipes help you make gift-giving a breeze this year with our Top Gifts Under $30! Featuring ten stellar gifts chosen by our editorial team, crossing people off your list has never been easier.

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Ginger Almond Biscotti

Ginger almond biscotti cookie recipe with ginger and toasted almonds, as well as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and all spice. Perfect for dipping in coffee.

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What Is MCT Oil?

MCT, or medium-grain triglyceride, oil is a supplement that you’ve probably seen added to smoothies, Bulletproof coffee, salad dressing, or other health-conscious foods. Think of it as a cousin of coconut oil, the type of fat from which some MCT oils are derived. But unlike its fragrant friend, MCT oil is odorless, colorless, and stays liquid at room temperature. And as opposed to a lot of “healthy” food fads out there (ahem, crystal water bottles), this one has some serious science to back up the physical benefits it provides, which include weight loss, energy boosts, and reduced cholesterol.

But What Is MCT Exactly?

First, let’s  get nerdy for a second. Medium-chain triglyceride oil, like its name says, contains medium-length chains of fats called triglycerides. Because of their shorter length, MCTs can be more easily digested and processed by your body, meaning they’re absorbed more quickly than other fats and can be quickly converted into energy. This is the idea behind the keto diet, which allows for MCT oils because many strains of MCT quickly convert fat to ketones for energy.

What Does It Do?

If you’ve been hearing more about MCT, it’s probably because there have been a lot of studies surrounding the benefits of the stuff. Big with keto dieters and intermittent fasters, MCT oil promotes weight loss in a few different ways. For one, it keeps you feeling full. A study found that people who incorporated two tablespoons of MCT oil into their breakfast ended up eating less food at lunch when compared to a group that took coconut oil at brekkie instead. Other research found that MCT oil can help prevent obesity and reduce waist circumference more than its fatty counterparts, such as olive oil.

Similarly, MCT oil has been shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increased HDL, the good kind. One study found that men taking MCT oil, phytosterols, and flaxseed oil for 29 days reduced total cholesterol by 12.5 percent. (With good old EVOO, the reduction was only 4.7 percent.)

There’s also some research out there that says MCT oil helps fuel you faster than long-chain triglycerides because they go straight to your gut and to the liver and because of their short length, are quickly broken down into energy and brain food. (Speaking of brain food, some researchers say that MCT oil may help manage epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and autism.)

MCT also fights off bacteria. In one study, MCTs suppressed the growth of widespread infectious fungus in hospitals by 50 percent.

How Much Should I Take and Where Can I Find It?

Stick to about 1-2 tablespoons a day. That’s a good amount to help you get all the benefits and avoid any negative side effects, which may include increased hunger and potential fatty buildup in your liver. Some diehards skip breakfast and use it in their Bulletproof coffee too. Whole Foods has its own brand and carries a slew of different MCT oils, as does your local health food store, most likely. You can also buy this 3-ounce version on Amazon if you want to give it a try before committing to a bigger bottle.

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Related Video: How to Make Ultimate Keto Coffee

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What Is the Difference Between Butter and Ghee?

We all know butter, that silky, creamy spread that makes everything taste better, whether it’s melting into a warm, crumbly cornbread or slathered all over a chicken that’s about to roast in the oven. Simply put, a world without butter is a world we don’t want to live in.

So why even bother with ghee, butter’s slimmer, hipper, more bronzed older sister? For one, it’s lactose-free, which makes it all the rage with Whole30 and Keto devotees these days. (True story: I started buying it from Trader Joe’s last year while on Whole30, and I’ve never gone back.) But ghee is by no means new—it’s been used in Asian cooking for centuries, and has some deep roots in Ayurvedic practices for its anti-inflammatory properties. (Just imagine a ghee massage…yum.) Here’s the lowdown on what makes ghee different from butter.

So, What Is Ghee Exactly?

Ghee is clarified butter, meaning it’s just regular unsalted butter that’s been simmered, which causes the milk solids to separate and leaves behind a golden liquid that’s nutty in flavor. It’s also shelf-stable, so you can store it in the pantry instead of the fridge and it’ll last for months. Plus, because the milk solids have been removed, it’s lactose-free and much less likely to cause a reaction among dairy-sensitive people than butter.

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When To Use Ghee vs Butter

You can still use butter how you normally would: in baked goods and on top of them, too. But keep in mind that the process of making ghee removes water (and regular butter is about 20 percent water), so ghee has a higher smoke point—about 465 degrees compared to butter’s 350. That makes it a rock star for high heat cooking, like roasting a batch of veggies or sauteing garlic. It’s nutty flavor also holds up well against spices, which is why it’s great for curries and sauces. Or, use it like you would a finishing oil and drizzle it over veggies with some sea salt.

How to Make Clarified Butter and When to Use It

Should I Be Making My Own Ghee?

You could, and we’re not going to stop you, even though most grocery stores sell it in bottles nowadays. (Trader Joe’s even has a buffalo version!) Just take one pound (four sticks) of grass-fed, unsalted butter, and cut it into cubes. Arrange in a saucepan, and melt over medium heat for 20 minutes. First it will foam, then bubble, then stop bubbling. Then it’ll foam again. When you start to notice the ghee has a bright gold hue and there are milk solids forming at the base of the pan, that means it’s ready to remove from heat. Let the pan cool for a few minutes, and use a strainer lined with cheesecloth to strain your ghee. Discard the milk proteins that collects in the strainer and store the ghee in a jar. And remember that you don’t have to refrigerate it after that. Just pop it in the pantry for your next cooking adventure.

Related Video: How to Make Brown Butter in the Microwave

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How to Make Whipped Cream

There's no substitute for Homemade Whipped Cream, which tastes far superior than what you can buy at the store. It comes together really quickly and makes your baked goods, pies, and ice cream sundaes taste so much better.

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