The
Daily
Fix
12-minute AMRAP
Winter Squash Risotto with Cauliflower and Sage Butter
Shortcomings of Ancel Keys’s Lipid–Heart Hypothesis
Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes:
20 box jumps
1 legless rope climb
A cozy, creamy risotto-style side dish made with roasted winter squash, riced cauliflower, and finished with a rich sage-infused butter.
How decades of dietary policy were built on flawed assumptions about fat and heart disease.
Men jump to a 24” box and climb 15-ft.
Women jump to a 20” box and climb 15-ft.
Post number of rounds completed to comments.
Ingredients
1½ Tbsp butter or tallow (for sautéing)
½ cup roasted winter squash (butternut or kabocha, mashed)
2 cups riced cauliflower (fresh or thawed from frozen)
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped onion or shallot
½ cup chicken broth (no sugar added)
¼ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
Extra Parmesan
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Optional: 1 tsp olive oil (cold drizzle for finishing)
Macronutrients
Protein: 9g
Fat: 26g
Carbs: 7g
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scoop out the seeds, and cut squash into cubes. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 35–45 minutes, until tender and caramelized. Scoop out flesh and mash until smooth; measure ½ cup for the recipe.
In a small saucepan, melt butter (2 Tbsp) over medium heat. Add chopped sage and cook until fragrant and just starting to crisp, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter or tallow (1½ Tbsp) over medium heat. Add onion or shallot (¼ cup) and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft. Add garlic (2 cloves) and sauté for 30 seconds.
Stir in riced cauliflower (2 cups) and cook for 4–5 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
Add roasted mashed squash (½ cup), chicken broth (½ cup), and heavy cream (¼ cup). Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 4–6 minutes, until thickened and creamy.
Stir in Parmesan (2 Tbsp) and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle with the sage butter and garnish with extra Parmesan or pumpkin seeds. Add a light drizzle of olive oil (1 tsp) if desired.
This historical review by Mary T. Newport and Fabian M. Dayrit argues that Ancel Keys’s influential lipid–heart hypothesis—linking saturated fat and cholesterol to heart disease—was based on faulty data and ignored key variables such as trans-fat and high linoleic acid intake. By conflating natural saturated fats with industrial fats and promoting seed oils without limits, the resulting dietary guidelines misdirected public health policy for decades. The authors conclude that these errors helped replace whole foods with processed substitutes and contributed to rising rates of obesity and metabolic disease.
COMMENTS
20 Box Jumps(24”)
1 Legless RC(12’)
7’ legless rope climb from L-sit on ground x2/rd
6rnds+10 box jumps
Scaled rope climb to 5 strict pull ups
5 rounds + 20 bj