Southwest Sirloin Salad

I have a lot of May blogging to catch up on. Did I mention I got married?! And I can't wait to share it with you!

For now, I'll leave you with what I know...food.

We came back from our honeymoon with this wonderful surprise from JT's family.

 Isn't that the sweetest gesture ever? It made me smile to see healthy options and not-so- healthy options. It proved how thoughtful this gift really was. Just hours before, we were both discussing a good time to go grocery shopping. This bought us another day. 

In taking advantage of this gift, our first meal at home as a married couple was Viola and salad. Which is pretty funny since Viola is pretty much what our entire relationship is based on...remember when I got 100 coupons?

A little backstory---

The only thing that made me nervous about getting married was cooking for a husband each night. Cooking for one is tough and totally not worth eating taco soup for three weeks straight thanks to leftovers. I also don't eat fast food (or not by choice, anyway) so that that resulted in me eating yogurt and salad most nights for dinner. Fine if it's just me, but hubby? Not so much. So, I was nervous about making healthy food that is husband approved. 

When in doubt, go with steak. 

Southwest Sirloin Salad 
JT rating=5

Ingredients

• 8-10 ounces Sirloin steak
• 4 cups Spring Mix lettuce
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 ear of corn
• 1/4 purple onion, sliced
• 1.5 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt

Directions

1) Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Pour in one tablespoon of Olive Oil. Lay steak flat on the skillet and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon mixed up salt.

2) cook for 6-10 minutes, flip steak, sprinkle remaining 1/2 tablespoon mixed up salt and cook for another 6-10 minutes, or until steak is cooked to your liking.

3) While steak is cooking, prepare another cast iron skillet with 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil over medium heat. Grill corn for about 3 minutes on each side. Grill purple onions. Finally, shred the cheese using a grater.

4) Prepare salad by starting with piling the lettuce on a plate. Shave the corn off the cob using a knife, and add it to the salad. Add the grilled red onions and the shredded cheese.

5) Lastly, slice Sirloin steak into strips and add them evenly to each salad.

6) Top with dressing of your choice (vinaigrette if you're me, Ranch if you're J.T.)

Not really a recipe, more of a piling one delicious item on top of another. Nonetheless, this dinner will be on the menu again soon! It was ready in under 30 minutes, easy to put together, and a healthy meal complete with protein, fiber, and carbs. I can only imagine how amazing this will be prepared on the grill. It made the perfect summer salad. 

This whole cooking thing isn't so bad after all...of course, it's only been a week. 

Did I mention dishes? Because dishes are by far the worst part.

What's your go-to weeknight dinner?

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Peggy's Pimiento and Cheese

Kathleen and the rest of the clinnuts gave me a wonderful wedding gift of a cookbook filled with their own recipes. This Pimento and Cheese came from the West family themselves and while they didn't share the brownie recipe, I'll take what I can get. I really don't like Mayonnaise so I did slightly change the recipe by decreasing the amount from the original 1/4 cup. My dad and JT were eating it and said the only problem is that "it's gone". Make this at your next gathering and serve with celery and other vegetables (the way they do at Hundred Acres in NYC!) and it won't disappoint!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cheddar cheese (1 block, shredded)
• 2 tablespoons diced jalapeños
• 1/2 of a jar (3.5 oz) pimientos
• 2-3 dashes of hot sauce (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Shred the block of cheddar cheese using a ninja or other food processor.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

4. Serve with raw vegetables.

*the original recipe is double what is listed about and would serve 6 people. This recipe serves 2-3 as appetizers. 

What's your favorite way to eat Pimiento and Cheese? 

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Buffalo Chicken Salad

Meat is something I just don't buy a lot of, so naturally, I don't cook a lot of it either. I discovered Tuesdays at The Fresh Market where they have chicken on sale for $2.99 per pound. I started going by on those days to grab a couple of pounds to get me through the week. The first time I cooked the chicken, I used a George Foreman grill and marinated the chicken in Dale's seasoning. I didn't like it at all. I remembered why I don't buy meat but since I can't waste food I tried to spice it up a little to give it more flavor. That's when this buffalo chicken salad was born and it is so good! I have made it three times in the past two weeks. So, if you don't love chicken, make it spicier!

Both Joey and Janey approved of this recipe! It's a great weeknight salad-- super simple, fast, and delicious!



Buffalo Chicken Salad
Time: 45 minutes

Serves 2-3 
Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breast
1/2 cup Hot Sauce + more as dressing (I use Frank's RedHot Original Sauce)
2 cups mixed lettuce

Directions: 
1. Marinate chicken breast with Buffalo Sauce for about an hour.
2. Spread olive oil over the bottom of an oven safe dish to make it non-stick.
3. Lay chicken breast flat in the pan and top with remaining Buffalo Sauce.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until thermometer reads 165 degrees.
5. Slice chicken breast and place on bed of lettuce. Top with blue cheese and extra Buffalo Sauce. **You can also top with Light Blue Cheese or Light Ranch Dressing if you like.

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3 Kitchen Essentials + 3 Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store

Source

Currently, I am living without an oven. And I love to bake. Cooking is just ok. I really love baking. Sometimes, I mix something at home and take it to my dad’s to bake just to keep me sane.

It works.

Kind of.

My refrigerator is a mini fridge. I freeze everything because I hate waste, so a freezer the size of a pizza box has really put a damper on my food preservation. Worst part? The amount of fruits and veggies I buy leaves my refrigerator door fighting to stay closed.

Living like a dorm-stricken college freshman without the social aspect is not ideal, but for now, is practical. Limited kitchen appliances would leave most people feeling as though they have no choice but to eat out but I am too cheap for that, too! So, I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner from food in my own house. I pack breakfast and lunch each day for work. If I know I am staying late, I will even pack dinner so that I don’t get stranded without food. So, what has all of this taught me? That you can eat healthy on a budget and with a limited kitchen.

Here's how- 

I do have 3 staple appliances… well, four if you count the coffee pot. But did I even have to mention that? I will never understand people who don’t drink coffee. I mean, why get out of bed if coffee isn’t there to greet you? Ok, moving on.

• First up, a NINJA. My mom bought me a NINJA two years ago for my birthday and I have literally used it every day since. I’m serious. Every day. Unless I was out of town and in some instances I took it with me! Each morning, I blend some type of protein shake. Staple ingredients are chocolate protein powder, ½ frozen banana and 2 tablespoons of PB2 with water. Additions vary but either way, breakfast is a cinch!
• Next, is a counter top electricgriddle. JT got this for me for Valentine’s day last year (how romantic, right?). He knows me. I have used it almost as much as the NINJA. It’s simple to use, easy to clean, and the perfect stove top because the “skillet” is already included. From eggs to fajitas, you can make anything on this!
• Finally, a rice steamer. Don’t be fooled by the name, I have never cooked rice in it. In fact, I don’t like rice so when JT gave me this one I thought he gave it to the wrong girlfriend. Behold, it can double as a crockpot that has been known to house some wonderful taco soup. I also use it for steaming vegetables like Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.

Now that you have the essentials, check out these money saving tips!

• One way I save money is that I don’t cook a lot of meat. For the most part, meat (good meat, because I would rather not eat meat than eat great value chicken) is pricier than vegetables so adding that to the grocery list adds a good bit of cash. I also am only cooking for me and meat tends to be more time consuming than my impatient, just ran 5 miles and need food body can handle when I get home. Another perk to being just me is that I can eat salad all the time and I love it. Or oatmeal, or canned Progresso soup, Pita and hummus, the list goes on. I have noticed that when I go to buy food for JT and me to make together it ends up costing way more so I will save the meat purchasing for the Mrs. life. This is actually one of the things I am worried about when I get married. What am I going to cook for JT that I will like too? Suggestions welcome!

• I go to the grocery store only twice a month. This is something I recently started and was a pretty hard adjustment. Some people skip food and buy shoes. I would rather wear the same clothes I have had since 2003 and have great fruits and vegetables. In college, I would spend $80 that I didn’t have in any given week at the grocery store. If I was going to have a salad, I wanted a salad bar type selection at hand. Now, I have realized that I can enjoy simple salads too and save a lot of money! I usually go around the 30^thor 1^st of the month and then again on or around the 15^th. I always prefer fresh fruits and veggies but they usually only last about a week so I make sure I have healthy pantry/freezer staples as well. Always, always, one or two cans of Progresso light soup in case I am desperate for satisfying but still pantry food. I buy frozen fruits and veggies and save them for when the fresh run out.  I have nuts, seeds, peanut butter, or PB2 for protein sources.  The only exception to this rule is if I need to make something for a party or special gathering, then I will venture to the wallet eating grocery store.  
• Finally, make a list. Aimlessly wandering around the grocery store really stresses me out and I always end up with random-why-did-I-buy-that items. Make a list and stick to it! Making one exception leads to more exceptions which leads to money-saving failure.

What are your kitchen staples? What advice do you have for eating better on the cheap?

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Blue Apron Review Via Mary Lauren

Mary Lauren Scott, MD, amateur chef, foodie, runner, from Louisiana so she knows good food! She’s passionate about health and fitness and devotes her days to helping families create healthier lifestyles! She is very knowledgeable about living a healthy lifestyle and maintains a good weight by eating well and exercising regularly. She enjoys cooking, but like most people, doesn't love the grocery store. Not to mention, she is crazy busy!  When she told me about Blue Apron I was intrigued. It sounds like such a great concept! Mary Lauren decided to try it for a couple of weeks to see if she liked it and graciously offered her review for Be Well. Read on to learn more about what Blue Apron is and how it can help keep dinner fun and interesting!

1) How would you explain Blue Apron to someone interested in a meal delivery service?

They send fresh ingredients in adequate portions for 1 or 4 people per meal. $10 per meal per person. 3 meals a week with all ingredients and instructions but you are responsible for cooking and preparation. I’m doing 2 people meals so I have six meals a week.  I like that there are no leftover ingredients, I don't have to add extra portions of meat so it helps avoid waste, and the herbs and seasonings come premeasured/mixed so you're not having to buy large quantities of different spices or foods you wont reuse.

2) Why did you choose to order Blue Apron?

I like a variety of different types of foods. They give recipes for varied ethnic dishes and cuisines, restaurant quality food prepared at home for less than 500-700 calorie per serving. I like to cook so it didn't take that away from me and I am cooking foods I have never been courageous enough to cook on my own.

3) How much does it cost? Are the ingredients truly fresh? Would it be beneficial for a family or more beneficial for a couple or just one person?

Fresh, locally grown or made (pasta) in the New York area, over-nighted in a cooler to your home. Family? Yes, if children will eat spices and food varieties... no if picky, probably more ideal for a working couple.

4) They forgot to ship your meat one week, but did not charge you for that week. Were you pleased with the customer service?

Yes, the returned with a prompt response and full rebate for the week that was missed.

5) Would you recommend it for someone interested in losing weight? What about someone who just wants to cook healthier meals but isn't sure where to start?

Losing weight? Yes, if you are able to carefully monitor the portions of your other 2 meals, because they would have to be less than 500 calories to make it work out for weight loss. Most of these meals are very filling. It is also great because you can keep recipes and use them later while learning different cooking techniques and ways to prepare things.  Bonus=most meals take less than 45 minutes to cook and prepare (chopping, etc.). 

6) Would you order from them again? Yes. I have really enjoyed it. 

This seems like it would be a wonderful learning experience for any age group... newlyweds, newly out of college people, and even new parents who have little time for food shopping and prep...the possibilities are endless! Cooking is becoming a lost art in our fast paced, fast food world and a meal service like Blue Apron may just help people get back to the dinner table. Go check out Blue Apron, today!

Meal Prep photo for Beef and Lamb Sliders with Cucumber Salad.

Have you tried Blue Apron or another meal delivery service?

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