Let's Start Cooking!

When all this started just a few short weeks ago, it was a catalyst for a few many things.
- Stopped drinking diet soda (one lapse when I wanted a vodka drink at The Fox)
- Drinking more water.
- Researching healthy recipes galore.

So many books to choose from in the library. Want to check them for good photos and do-able recipes before buying anything. Well, glad I did. Found a few for my new wok ... but just a few that seemed healthy and do-able. So we will just photocopy those.

Then came across a magazine that really got my attention. Clean Eating Magazine.

Low and behold there is a 200 Recipe Clean Eating book published in 2010 AND in 2011! And the library has the first one.
Let's check this one out?



Got it... and now NEED it. I can't photocopy the whole darn book!

After a good cleanse day yesterday, I was VERY pumped to make my first recipe today.

Today was Grilled Steak Flank (no fancy name here).

I will post the recipe... with my changes.

First, do you know how much flank steak is? I mean, $17 for that 2 lbs of steak! That is just the meat and not the veggies, side dish or grain. I think we would just go out to dinner even if this is a healthier option! I mean, then I don't have to do all the prep work and clean up! Really, that is worth money! But thankful to the butcher at Schnucks who said it is way overpriced, in his opinion, and I would be just as good off with a Top Sirloin. Yes! $8 it is! Off to cook.

I cut up all the veggies for the topping which was supposed to be served cold on top of the flank steak.
Did not have red wine vinegar like I thought. Oops. Well, let's just use the Aldi's Fit n Active Salad Dressing instead of the vinegar and honey.

Well?  The topping tastes good but there is no way the kids will eat this.
Not as big on vinegar taste as I am.  Wait... sauteed it is!

Went from this pretty mix (more like what is in the book photo)...




To this!

Not as pretty in this picture. And it is SO much prettier in the recipe book!

But the kids loved it. Score for the first recipe from Clean Eating (with my changes).

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 lbs of flank steak (I used top sirloin)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste for steak (I used Weber's steak pepper grinder)
• 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
• 1 small green bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cup finely diced jicama (I used a granny smith apple)
• 1/4 cup finely diced white onion (this is the big reason I sauteed this)
• 2 Tbsp chopped chives (I admit to using dried)
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (didn't realize I was out so I used Fit n Active Light Sun Dried Tomato dressing which had the vinegar and sugar in it)
• 1 Tbsp honey (I omitted due to dressing be sweeter)

1. Coat stovetop grill or griddle and preheat to medium-high heat.  Season steak on both sides and cook for five minutes each side for medium rare doneness.  Check.  Then remove from pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
2. combine all other ingredients in a separate bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. (this is when I decided to saute this and liked the flavor.)
3. Slice steak across grain, into thin strips, Put the mixture on top. 

They state it has 260 calories and 9 fat grams. Since I messed with the type of steak and some of the toppings, I'm not sure exactly. LOL

Let me know what you think!
Next we are doing a spinach concoction on Thursday night.  Wednesday night will be Los Tres!