Steak Salad with Spinach and Oranges

Serves 4

1 (1-pound) sirloin steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 navel oranges
1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted salted almonds

1. Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill on high.

2. Sprinkle steak with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Place steak on grill pan and cook 3-4 minutes on high. Reduce temperature to medium-high, flip steak and cook 3-4 minutes to desired degree of doneness. Transfer steak to cutting board and let stand 2-3 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.

3. Meanwhile, to make salad, peel oranges, removing all white pith. Cut oranges into rounds; cut rounds into quarters. Place oranges in large bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat.

4. Divide salad evenly among 4 serving plates and top evenly with steak. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Served with grilled red potatoes.

Results: I tell you, I wrinkled my nose up at putting any kind of rub on sirloin. It doesn't need it! But, I was wrong, because the cumin blend tasted so great on this steak. And can I give my husband some props for grilling this steak to PERFECTION. I mean, for realsies! Look at that picture!

So, in case you couldn't tell, I really liked this meal. I loved the cumin on the steak and the salad was yummy. Very filling and satisfying meal. Chris loved it too. I didn't even realize until I was typing in the recipe that I forgot the almonds. They would have been great on this salad.

The boys had this lovely creation. That's all Chris, baby!

This recipe came from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers. If you can get your hands on one of these cookbooks, I HIGHLY recommend it. Almost every recipe in this book has been amazing. Or, Fabulous, I guess!

Grilled Flank Steak with Mango Chutney

Serves 4
Prep time: 12 minutes, Marinating time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 10 minutes

cooking spray
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat (also called skirt steak)
1/3 cup mango chutney
1/3 cup pineapple juice
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vinegar, tarragon-flavored (I used white wine vinegar)
1 1/2 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
2 clove garlic, minced

1. Coat grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray; preheat grill or broiler.

2. Combine steak and remaining ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan and cook 5 minutes on each side,
turning once, or until done.

3. Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

4. When steak is finished cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut it diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with chutney sauce.

Served with green beans and roasted potato slices (drizzled with olive oil and coarse sea salt, baked at 400 until done.)

Results: this was very easy to make and so good! Chris said the FedEx man actually stopped by while he was grilling to ask what we were having because it smelled so good. The marinade was sweet, with just a hint of spice to it. Definitely making this one again! Henry said the meat took "too long to chew." Both boys loved the potatoes.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Philly Cheese Steaks

Serves 4

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 pound raw lean flank steak, cut into thin slices
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 whole-grain hamburger rolls
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Coat a large, nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add onion, mushrooms and sugar and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove onion and mushrooms from pan; set aside.

3. Add steak to skillet and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and cook until liquid is absorbed.

4. Slice rolls in half. Divide steak evenly between rolls and top with onion/mushroom mixture and cheese. Wrap in foil, transfer to oven and bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Served with steak fries and fresh strawberries.

Results: These were sooooo delicious! Writing this post makes me want them for dinner tonight, but damn it...we're having pork chops instead. The original recipe didn't have the mushrooms, but they are a definite must! I was skeptical of what the sugar was going to do, but it really gave the onions a nice sweetness. These were so good! In case it's not obvious, I really liked these. I liked them so much that I didn't even care if the boys ate them or not. Which they did not. Heathens.

Garlic-Rosemary Flank Steak

Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 10 minutes (but longer if serving with mashed potatoes)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary*
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb flank steak, trimmed
cooking spray

*Note: the original recipe was for Garlic-Thyme Flank Steak, but I didn't have fresh thyme. I substituted fresh rosemary, and it was delicious!

1. Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.

3. Score both sides of steak diagonally in diamond-shaped patterns. Rub herb mixture evenly over both sides of steak.

4. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Served with salad and mashed potatoes (with blue cheese crumbles.)

Results: Fantastic! We are seriously on a roll with good recipes lately, I think we are due for a tumble. Chris wanted me to make this again the next night. My only complaint was that much of the herb mixture came off on the grill, so when you score the beef, be sure to push the herbs into those cuts. Also, the leftover steak was delicious on a salad for lunch the next day.