Asian Marinated Sirloin Steak Stir-Fry

Green Girl Goodies, November 2012

This tasty stir-fry packs a nutritional punch with the added protein from the tofu and an array of nutrient dense vegetables like broccoli and spinach.  When stir-frying I like to use the entire broccoli, including the stem.  I slice it thin and it adds a nice texture to the dish.  I marinated the steak in a simple Asian marinade comprised of soy, ginger, garlic, onion, sriracha and honey.  I used the same marinade when baking the tofu to give it some added flavor.  I served the dish over brown rice to complete the meal; however, it would be just as delicious over your favorite Asian noodle!  The recipes below come together to create 2 large portions or 4 smaller portions of a tasty yet nutritional dish.

Basic Asian Marinade

Yield approximately 1 cup

¼ c Soy Sauce

1 ½ tb Honey

1 tsp Sriracha

½ c Yellow Onion, roughly chopped

1 tb Ginger, fresh, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tb Garlic, crushed

-     Place the onion, ginger and garlic into a food processor and pulse until minced.

-     Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  The marinade can be held properly refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.  In addition to being great for steak and tofu, it is also a nice complement to chicken.

FOR THE STEAK:

1 10 oz portion Sirloin Steak, cut into thin strips

-     Pour the marinade over the steak and mix well to make sure the marinade covers all the meat.  Let marinade for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

FOR THE TOFU:

1 16 oz pack Firm Tofu, cut into thin rectangles

-     Use a spoon to cover the tofu with the marinade and let stand for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

 

FOR THE STIR-FRY:

Really any combination of vegetables can be used…I like to use stir-fry’s to clean out my fridge and this time I happened to have garlic, ginger, broccoli, red pepper and onion.  I am a huge fan of the combination of beef and broccoli so the timing worked out well!

2 ½ tb Ginger, minced

2 tb Garlic, minced

2 c Broccoli, florets and stems

¾ c Yellow Onion, medium dice

1 ½ c Red Peppers, medium dice

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Additional Ingredients:

½ c Brown Rice, uncooked

2 c Baby Spinach

-     First start the rice and remember:  brown is the healthy, more flavorful option but takes approximately 40 – 45 minutes so plan accordingly!

-     The tofu could be pan seared but this time I chose to bake it at 375 for approximately 7 minutes, rotating the pan halfway thru.  I then placed it under the broiler for approximately 9 minutes to get a nice crispy outer layer.  While the tofu was cooking, I prepared the beef and vegetables on the stove top.

-     I heated a cast iron skillet and added a tablespoon of olive oil to sear the beef.  The key is to get the pan extra hot but not smoking to get a nice color on the meat.  You also need to cook the meat in batches because if you overcrowd the pan the beef will not get the delicious outer crust on the meat and it will steam itself in its own liquid.  After getting a nice sear on one side, flip the beef and add a small amount of broccoli florets so they can soak up some of the beef flavor.

-     After starting the first round of beef, I heated another pan and added a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the oil was hot I added the onions, garlic and ginger and cooked them for a minute until slightly browned.  I then added the peppers and broccoli stems and tossed to mix.

-   Meanwhile, continue batch cooking your beef and broccoli.  Cook the meat to your desired doneness.  After the first batch, remove the beef and broccoli, set aside and reheat the pan for the second batch.  After the second batch, remove the beef from the pan and set aside, leaving the broccoli and juices in the pan.  Add the broccoli from the first batch back into the pan.  

-     I then added the stir fried vegetables into the cast iron pan with the broccoli and cooked it for an addition 2 – 3 minutes to finish the vegetables.

-     Place the cooked rice on the plate first, and then add the spinach.  Next add the stir fried vegetables and try to cover most of the spinach so it wilts slightly.  Top the vegetables with the beef and tofu and enjoy!

Up Next…

Spicy Pink Turkey Bolognese over Quinoa Pasta Shells served with Cheesy Balsamic Garlic Bread

Spam, Rice, & Eggs (a.k.a. Hawaiian Breakfast)

Green Girl Goodies, February 2012

When my boyfriend first made this for me, I initially turned up my nose in disgust. Spam!? Since I’ve tried it I have to admit it is one of my favorite guilty pleasure breakfasts. Still common in Hawaii, this spam breakfast is usually served with white rice but we use brown to add a bit of earthy flavor (and a bit of a healthy touch!). The key is to cut the spam very thin so it gets crispy in the oven. Quick, easy and delicious, I urge you to overlook the spam and give it a shot!

Yield 4 to 6 servings

8 to 12 eggs
1 can Spam, sliced in very thin strips (approximately 1/16th inch thick)
2 c Brown Rice, uncooked
Soy Sauce, to taste

- Start rice on the stove or in a rice cooker and preheat the oven to 375.

- Place the thinly sliced spam on a cookie sheet and place in the oven.

- Cook the spam for approximately 8 minutes until starting to crisp on the edges. Rotate the pan and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown almost all the way thru.

- Cook your eggs to desired doneness and season with salt and pepper to taste.

- Place the rice in a bowl and garnish with soy sauce.

- Place the eggs and spam over the rice and enjoy!

Up Next…
Huevos de Cebollas

Cleansing Diet, Day 12: Amazing what a few fresh vegetables can do!

After packing all day we whipped up a quick stir fry for dinner before heading to meet our friends Matt and Kel for drinks before the Hawks game. We cooked up some brown rice to go with our veggies and used the leftover Spicy Almond Paste from the Southeast Asian Lettuce Wraps we had on Day 8.

Stir fry is great when you are in a hurry and there are endless combinations of vegetables, proteins and sauces to make every stir fry unique. Stir fried items make a great side or for a complete meal have your stir fry with rice, noodles, lentils or quinoa. Cook your chosen accompaniment separately and top with your stir fry or mix it in for more of a family style dish like you see below.

The key to stir fry is to get the pan and chosen fat nice and hot but not smoking before adding your items. Add heartier vegetables with longer cooking times first and greens and cooked grains last. Toss or stir to mix all items and cook your stir fry fast and hot.


Up Next…
- Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Pasta Salad

Greetings 2012

Happy New Year!

The end of 2011 came quickly and with the move and the new job, keeping up on the blog hasn’t been a top priority. Things have finally settled down and I plan on making a habit of posting every Monday. I will start with the last 2 days of the “Cleanse Diet” and after that I will feature a new recipe each week. I am always open to suggestions so please speak up with questions, comments and ideas for features you would like to see in the future.

Thank you and enjoy!

Coming Soon…

Black Bean Patties topped with Spicy Charred Pepper and Corn Pico de Gallo served with Cilantro Lime Slaw

Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Pasta Salad

Home Made Energy Bars

Southwest Black Bean Taco Salad

Emeril’s Cajun Slaw, 2 Ways

Spam, Rice and Eggs

Huevos de Cebollas

Dressing Up Your Oatmeal

Cleansing Diet, Day 5: Vegetable Fried Brown Rice

Green Girl Goodies, September 2011

Serves 4 to 6 Entree Portions or 8 to 12 Side Portions

1 c Brown Rice
2 c Carrots, small dice
2 ½ c Celery, small dice
2 c Yellow or White Onion, small dice
1 ½ c Green Peas, frozen
3 c Spinach, hand torn *
2 tb Ginger, minced
2 tb Garlic, sliced
2 tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tb Rice Vinegar
4 tb Sesame Seeds, toasted
3 tsp Sea Salt
½ tsp White Pepper

- Cook rice according to package instructions (I prefer a rice cooker) and set aside to cool completely.
- Heat a large sauté pan over high heat, add oil and heat briefly. Sweat carrots, celery, onions, ginger and garlic until fragrant and translucent.
- Add cooked rice and stir to mix.
- Add peas, salt, pepper, vinegar and sesame. Stir to mix well.
- Once all ingredients are heated thru, approximately 2 – 3 minutes**, turn off the heat and mix in spinach.
- Serve immediately!

*Tightly Packed Cup
**The key to fried rice is cooking everything very hot and very fast, otherwise the rice can overcook and become mushy.

Up Next…
Bean Scene: Fun Facts and Tips for Cooking Beans
Cleansing Diet, Day 6: Fruit Smoothie #3
Cleansing Diet, Day 6: Vegetable Crudité and Hummus
Cleansing Diet, Day 6: Garlicky Quinoa and Spinach Pilaf