Grilled Steak Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound French-cut, bone-in ribeye steak, about 2 inches thick
Olive oil
Steak Rub
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salad
4 cups packed fresh lettuce leaves, washed, dried and torn into small pieces
1 cup cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
Half a medium red onion, thinly sliced
Half a cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, cut in eighths
4 large radishes, sliced thin
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon grated garlic
2 tablespoons very good balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine the rub ingredients. Brush the steak with olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning over the entire steak and set aside.
To make the dressing:
Place the garlic and vinegar in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Continue whisking and slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the grilled steak:
Heat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Oil the grill grates or pan. Prepare one side of the grill for indirect heat or turn the heat under a grill pan to very low. Place the steak on the indirect side of the grill.
Plan on grilling the steaks for 10-15 minutes on each side over indirect heat. When the internal temperature measures 80-85 degrees turn the steak over. If it’s higher, decrease the amount of cook time on the second side to 5-10 minutes. Once the internal temperature of the meat is about 120 degrees move the steak to the direct heat side of the grill for 2 minutes per side for searing. For a grill pan, turn the heat to high and sear the steak for the same amount of time. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
For the salad:
Toss the lettuce with half the vinaigrette. Place the lettuce on a serving platter. Top the lettuce with the cheese, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, radishes, and avocado. Line each topping in its own individual row.
Slice the steaks into strips and place them on the salad platter. Drizzle the remaining balsamic vinaigrette over the salad ingredients.
Pistachio-Basil Pesto
Ingredients
4 cups washed basil leaves
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Place the pistachios, garlic, salt, and pepper in a processor bowl. Process until the nuts and garlic are chopped.
Add the basil leaves and process for a minute or two. In the opening spout at the top, pour the olive oil as you process.
Keep processing until the mixture is smooth.
Fresh Tomato Pesto Tart
Press in the Pan Pastry Dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups All-purpose, Low-Carb or Gluten-free flour
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, melted
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the flour, cheddar cheese, and salt into a 9-inch pie pan. Stir with a fork to mix the ingredients together. Pour in the melted butter and mix with the fork until the dry ingredients are completely moistened. Press the dough, using the fork, across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
Filling
1 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
6 plum tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ cup pistachio basil pesto, recipe above
Directions
Spread the bottom of the baked crust with the pesto. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes in an overlapping single layer over the crust and sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.
Bake until the tart is deep golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before cutting.
Bell Peppers Stuffed With Shrimp Salad
When using shrimp for salads, I prefer to grill or oven roast them. Boiling tends to make them soft and they do not stand up to the dressing.
Ingredients
Shrimp
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 chopped green onions
1 stalk celery, chopped
Zest and juice of half an orange
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
4 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
Directions
Heat a grill pan over medium-high.
Place the peeled and deveined the shrimp in a ziplock plastic bag with 1 tablespoon olive oil, seafood seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and shake the bag. Spread the shrimp in one layer on the heated grill pan. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through. Let cool for 25 minutes.
To make the dressing. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange zest, orange juice, dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
When the shrimp are cool, cut them into ½ inch dice and add them to the dressing and toss. Chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Fill bell pepper halves with shrimp salad and serve.
Summer Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 finely chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Coarsely chopped basil for garnish
Directions
Several hours before serving:
Place green beans in a pan of salted boiling water to cover. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes according to the size of the beans. Do not overcook. Drain.
In a salad bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, shallots, garlic, oil, chopped tomato, salt, and pepper. Add hot, drained green beans and toss well. Sprinkle with basil. Let the dish sit at room temperature for several hours before serving. Toss a few times during the marinating time.
Mexican Summer Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cucumber. peeled and sliced
4 very thin slices red onion, halved
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Directions
Arrange the slices of tomato, cucumber, and onion in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, cilantro, and oil. Drizzle over the salad. Let sit at room temperature for one hour before serving.
Creamy Coleslaw
Servings 6-8
Ingredients
16 ounces thinly shredded cabbage
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping)
1 1⁄2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
In a large serving bowl, combine the coleslaw, carrots and green onions. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the honey, salt, pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, whipping cream, vinegar, and lemon juice, using a whisk.
Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Pour over the coleslaw mix, stir gently to mix. Refrigerate, covered. for several hours before serving.
Chicken Salad
6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup red grapes, cut in half
1 cup small pecan halves, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Directions
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard together in a serving bowl Add the celery and onion; stir,
Add the chicken and mix carefully to keep the chicken from breaking up. Fold in the pecans and grapes. Adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
Cover and chill. Serve over lettuce.
Grilled Tuna Au Poivre
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tuna steak, about 8 oz; 1/2″ thick
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Sea Salt to taste
Basil Parmesan Cream Sauce, recipe below
Directions
Heat an indoor grill pan over high heat. Brush the pan with the melted butter. Thoroughly pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels.
Season the tuna steak lightly with salt and press in the crushed peppercorns on both sides of the tuna.
Grill the tuna steak for 2 minutes per each side. Give the tuna steak a quarter turn and grill two minutes. Turn the tuna steak over. Grill two minutes more. (For a total of 6 minutes.).
Place the tuna steak on a serving dish, cut in half and pour a little basil cream sauce over the tuna. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
Basil Parmesan Cream Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light (half & half) cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a food blender, combine basil, garlic, salt and olive oil. Process for about 40 seconds, or until mixture begins to emulsify. Pour the light cream into the blender and pulse for 20 seconds to incorporate. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, be careful to not let the mixture boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese. Set aside while you cook the tuna.
Sautéed Yellow Squash Noodles
Feel free to use cooked spaghetti in place of squash noodles.
2 servings
Ingredients
2 yellow squash
1 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Use the thin julienne setting on a mandoline. a spiralizer or a sharp knife to slice the yellow squash into thin strips similar to spaghetti. Next, the “noodles” need to dry out or the texture will be mushy when you saute them. Ideally, leave them on your counter on double thickness of paper towels for at least 3 hours.
If you want to prep the dish in the morning for dinner, wrap the noodles in paper towels and place them in a plastic ziplock bag. After the noodles set and lose some of their moisture, warm the olive oil and garlic in a skillet and saute the noodles just a few minutes to heat and coat with oil. Season with salt * pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve with the grilled tuna and cream sauce.
Tomato Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
1 1 /2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
14 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2″ slices
1 tablespoon rinsed capers
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh herbs to taste
Directions
Combine shallots, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil to blend.
Set vinaigrette aside.
Arrange tomatoes on a large platter. Sprinkle capers over; season with salt and pepper. Scatter herbs on top. Whisk vinaigrette again and drizzle over the tomatoes before serving.
Sautéed Grouper In Shrimp Cream Sauce
2 servings
Sauce
1 large shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup white wine
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup diced shrimp (about 6 large) (peeled and deveined)
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 teaspoon each of white pepper and salt
5 or 6 leaves of fresh basil, torn into small pieces
Grouper
2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil for sautéing
1 grouper fillet or other white fish fillets, about 8 oz
Flour
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Directions
In a saucepan, sauté the diced shallot in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Add the wine, tomato, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil and let the broth simmer until reduced to about half. Add the shrimp and cream. Cook for about one minute or until the shrimp are barely done.
Set aside while you prepare the fish.
Put the butter and oil in a skillet large enough to cook the grouper. Season the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour.
When the butter sizzles, add the fish and cook on each side until cooked through and golden. Pour the shrimp cream sauce over the fish and garnish with basil.
Serve immediately.
Broccoli Sauté
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups broccoli florets
Zest and juice of one orange
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
2 tablespoons toasted, slivered almonds
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, orange zest, orange juice and sauté with the olive oil and garlic mixture until the broccoli turns bright green and becomes tender.
Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Cinco de Mayo 2018 occurs tomorrow on Saturday, May 5. A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, however, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage. Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence day. Mexican independence is celebrated on September 16.
Celebrate the day with this traditional Tex-Mex dinner, Steak Fajitas. The fajita is a Tex-Mex food (a blending of Texas cowboy and Mexican panchero foods). The Mexican term for grilled skirt steak is arracheras, and its American counterpart is fajitas. Today, the term fajita has completely lost its original meaning and has come to describe just about anything that is cooked and served in a rolled up soft flour tortilla. The only true fajitas, however, are made from skirt steak.
Sonny Falcon’s Fajita Concession (Austin Chronicle)
According to the Austin Chronicle, Fajitas appear to have made the leap from campfire to backyard grill in 1969. Sonny Falcon, an Austin meat market manager, operated the first commercial fajita concession stand at a rural celebration. That same year, fajitas appeared on the menu at Otilia Garza’s Round-Up Restaurant, At the Round-Up, fajitas were served on a sizzling platter with warm flour tortillas and mounds of condiments – guacamole, pico de gallo (chopped fresh onions, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro), and grated cheese – for making tacos. The more popular the dish became, the less likely it was to be made from skirt steak. By the mid-1980s, fajitas were a fairly common dish in most Mexican restaurants and would ultimately become a popular nineties fast-food item where other cuts of meat were used, and the addition of grilled items such as chicken, shrimp, and even vegetable “fajitas” blurred the line even further.
How do you make authentic steak fajitas? This way:
First, make the Lime Marinade
Grated zest and juice of 3 limes
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lime marinade ingredients; set aside.
Fajita Ingredients
Lime Marinade (see recipe)
1 to1 1/2 pound skirt steak or flank steak
2-3 assorted bell peppers, cored, seeded, and quartered
1 large sweet onion, cut into thick circles
2-3 plum tomatoes, chopped
Diced avocado
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Flour Tortillas
Directions
Lay the skirt steak on a cutting board and remove the outer membrane (grab the membrane with one hand and slide the knife beneath it, cutting as you go). Using a sharp paring knife, make a number of slits in the meat, cutting both with and against the grain of the meat (this cuts the muscle fiber and reduces any toughness.)
Add the skirt steak to the lime marinade; re-seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour but overnight is recommended, turning the steak occasionally.
Remove steak from refrigerator and bring to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat an outdoor grill and oil the grates.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap stacked flour tortillas in aluminum foil and heat in the oven 15 minutes or until hot.
Brush the bell peppers and onions with olive oil.
Drain the steaks and reserve the marinade. Place the steak on the hot grill and spoon some of the reserved marinade over the steak. Close the grill lid and cook 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (120 degrees F. on a meat thermometer). Remove the steaks from grill and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the steaks on the diagonal into thin strips.
While the shirt steak is cooking on the grill, add the bell peppers and onion slices and grill about 2 minutes or until soft; remove from the grill, place on the cutting board and slice into strips. Place cooked steak strips and vegetables onto a platter.
For each fajita, fill a warm flour tortilla with cooked steak strips, peppers and onion slices. Add tomatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream and avocado as desired and roll up like a burrito.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
I recently discovered black soybeans. What are they, you ask?
Black soybeans are very similar to regular yellow soybeans—free of fat and a good source of protein. They are low in net carbohydrates (the number of carbohydrates per serving minus the grams of fiber) and high in protein, fiber, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and riboflavin. Half a cup of cooked black soybeans has 1 gram net carb plus 7 grams of fiber (8 grams of total carbohydrate), 11 grams of protein, and 120 calories.
The black variety is higher in some phytonutrients, including antioxidants. The only distinction between white and black soybeans is the color of the hull so any nutritional difference will be found in the black outer shell. Similar to blueberries and raspberries, the dark exterior of the black soybean contains the antioxidants.
You can buy them canned in most supermarkets but I prefer the taste of home cooked.
Cooking Technique
Black soybeans are great substitutes for higher-carb beans, such as black, navy, and pinto beans. They don’t taste soybean-like as the yellow ones do, but rather more like regular black beans. You can substitute them in dishes that call for black beans, such as baked beans, refried beans, bean soup, chili, and 4-Bean Salad.
I learned the secret of how to cook these beans successfully from the Very Well Fit Dieticians’ blog.
Because of their delicate skin and silken texture, black soybeans need to be cooked a bit differently than regular beans. To avoid their getting mushy, it is best to soak the dried black soybeans overnight in salted water. You will use the same water measurements called for in recipes using regular beans, but be sure to add the salt. For one cup of dry black soybeans, soak in 4 cups of water with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt added.
When it’s time to cook the beans, use the same measurements you would normally, except salt the water. So if, for instance, you are using 1 cup of beans (which have been soaked overnight in salt water), add them to a pot with 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring the beans to a boil uncovered, reduce the heat to a simmer and skim off the whitish-gray foam on top. Add a clove of garlic and half a small onion, cover and cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until tender, adding more water if necessary.
Use these cooked beans in a variety of dishes. I tried them in my baked bean recipe and it turned out quite delicious.
Baked Beans
Ingredients
3 slices bacon
1 large sweet (Vidalia) onion, diced
4 cups cooked black soybeans
1 cup low sugar barbecue sauce, see recipe below for homemade
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, diced plus 1 teaspoon sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
In a Dutch oven or oven-ready, flame-proof casserole dish cook the bacon over medium heat until it just begins to crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper-lined plate.
Turn the heat to low and add the onion and garlic to the pot. Continue cooking until the onion softens.
Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cut each piece of cooked bacon in half and place on top of the beans.
With a lid on, place the bean mixture in the oven. Cook for about 3-4 hours or the until beans are completely tender and the sauce has thickened.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste. They can be served immediately but are better if left to sit for the next day.
Makes 8-10 servings.
BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
26 oz container strained or crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground yellow mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until thick about 1 ½ hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
