Whole30 Day 2: Steak Fajita Salad

Photo: Researching San Diego

When I came across grass-fed hanger steak in my freezer I looked up how to cook it and realized it would make great fajitas.

Marinade Ingredients:

• hanger or flank steak, sliced 
• 1/4 C EVOO
• 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• 3-4 smashed garlic

Salad Ingredients:

• fajita Veggies:  bell peppers, onions, zucchini, etc
• salad greens
• guacamole

Marinade Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a giant ziploc bag and mix well.
2. Allow to refrigerate for at least 6 but not more than 8 hours, turning once halfway through.

Salad Directions:

1. Sauté veggies in EVOO until al dente, not mushy
2. Add salt and cumin (optional) to taste, remove from pan, and set aside
3. Add steak to same pan and cook to desired temp.
4. Place salad greens on each plate
5. Add sautéed fajita veggies
6. Top with steak and guacamole

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Thanks to PreppyPaleo for the inspiration for this delicious side dish.  We have officially added this accompaniment to our Thanksgiving lineup.  My husband loved it so much he had it again for lunch the next day.

Photo: Preppy Paleo

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. raw honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Salad:

6 cups mixed greens
4 cups chopped root vegetables - beet, parsnip, sweet potato, carrot
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple cider
1 tablespoon melted butter

salt to taste

4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425˚F.
• Toss root vegetables with cider and butter. Season with salt and bake for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.
• While vegetables are roasting combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
• Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
• Toss mixed greens with dressing, top with root vegetables, bacon, and almonds.

Traditional Cranberry Sauce

My husband is becoming less and less frilly with his food.  So, this year we're not adding pears, apples, nuts, chipotles, or anything (almost) to our cranberry sauce.

Photo: Can You Stay For Dinner?

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh cranberries
juice of one orange
zest of one orange
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.  
• Cook for about 30 min or until consistency is jam-like. 

Serves 5-8

Double or triple your recipe as needed. Fresh cranberry sauce should be used within a week.

Recipes to gobble it up:

Baked Sweet Potato with Citrus topped with cranberry sauce
As a topping for Coconut Waffles
Add to Apple Cider Vinaigrette and serve with Kale Cranberry Salad
Spread onto warm Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Cucumber Salad

Photo: Kaylyn's Kitchen

What do you do with the abundance of cucumbers growing in your garden or, as in my case, your husband brings home beautiful, giant cucumbers from the farmer's market?

You make cucumber salad!  Thanks to Kaylyn's Kitchen for this delicious recipe. Makes 2 generous servings or 4 side-dish servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 cucumbers, peeled
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 avocado
• 1 T apple cider vinegar 
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• gorgonzola or feta cheese, optional if you can tolerate dairy

Directions:

1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise then slice into half-moons.  
2. Peel and cut up the avocado into small cubes.
3. Combine the cucumber, tomato, onion, avocado, and vinegar in a bowl and gently toss together.  
4. Add in gorgonzola cheese and combine.  
5. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper. 

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad

I was trying to think of something healthy I could eat at a baby shower I threw for my friend, Mandie.  This recipe is totally made up and turned out to be a huge hit.

I used a mixture of iceburg and spring mix lettuces.  Use whatever organic lettuce you like on your cheeseburger.

Brown 1-lb grass fed, ground beef.  Drain and let cool.  

Cook one package of high quality bacon.  I used Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon.  Let cool.  

Grate about 1/2-lb grass fed cheese.  I used Trader Joe's New Zealand Grass Fed Sharp Cheddar.

After the meats have cooled, combine all ingredients together and add a couple handfuls of organic cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

The dressing is mayo (learn how to make your own here), apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and sea salt.

Mix all ingredients together and top with more cheese!

Since I served this at a baby shower, the kids couldn't give it a rating but all my friends loved it!

Enjoy!