Couscous & Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Quick Summer Tomato Sauce

I picked up a whole bunch of rainbow colored peppers at the farmers market and knew exactly where they would end up...stuffed and in my belly! I just love stuffed peppers, they are so easy and you can fill them with whatever you have on hand, grains, cheeses and even other veggies. I like to do a combination of all three; I usually clean out my fridge and call it a meal! These particular peppers are super sweet and filled with equally sweet zucchini, onions and lots of oven roasted tomatoes...oh good gosh! I added in some whole wheat couscous to hold everything together, plus it happens to be one of my favorite fillers (I am terrible at cooking rice). Then I mixed in some cheese, a little bit of pasture raised ground beef and I had every single food group covered! I like to make up a whole bunch of these babies because they freeze so beautifully and they can go with a salad, soup or a piece of crusty bread anytime of the week for a quick and incredibly healthy, home cooked meal.

This recipe makes 6 half peppers, which are 1 serving each. (you can easily double the recipe and freeze the remaining)

Ingredients

3 Large organic bell peppers, any color.

2 Cups whole grain couscous, cooked.

2 Cups quick summer tomato sauce (see recipe at the end), if it is not summer I recommend using a favorite jarred sauce.

1/2 Cup parmesan cheese, grated.

1 1/2 Cups pasture raised mozzarella cheese, grated.

1/2 lb pasture raised ground beef

1 Small, organic zucchini, diced.

1 Small organic onion, diced.

2 Cloves organic garlic, minced or grated.

1/3 Cup mixed, fresh, organic Italian herbs, chopped. My mixture had thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil, leaves only and all chopped finely.

2 Tbsp olive oil

Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Fresh organic chives, finely chopped to serve, optional.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs carefully, I use my hands. Cut the peppers in half and set them aside.

In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and cook the ground beef with some pepper and salt till browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and turn the heat down to medium and add in another tbsp of olive oil. Saute the onion, zucchini and garlic till browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef back in and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.

In a large bowl combine the veggies, meat, couscous, 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs and 1/2 cup of the oven roasted tomato sauce. Stir well to combine everything.

Fill the peppers with the mixture, they may overflow this is fine, just use up all the mixture. Spread 1/2 cup of the oven roasted tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and place the peppers in the dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly, browned and the peppers are easy to pierce with a knife. Remove from the oven to cool slightly before serving.

To serve, heat up the remaining sauce and serve over top of the warm peppers with a bit of the pan drippings and a snip of chives. Enjoy!

Quick Summer Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

6-8 Organic roma tomatoes, boiled a few minutes to remove the skin and squished with your hands to break up.
1 Small organic onion, diced.
4 Cloves, organic garlic, minced or grated.
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 Cup fresh, organic basil, leaves only, chopped.
1 Tbsp fair trade, raw cane sugar.
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Directions

Heat a sauce pan over medium low heat, with the olive oil. Add in the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes till soft. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the basil, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste for additional seasoning. This sauce only tastes amazing when you are able to use summer tomatoes. 

Flank Steak Fajitas with Tequila Onions & Guacamole

Fajitas are always a favorite meal at our house. I usually make up a bunch of fillings, set them all out and everyone combines their own favorite flavors inside warm tortillas. Flank steak and skirt steak are traditional when making fajitas, they are cheap cuts of meat that can be delicious and tender if treated properly. The flank steak comes from the belly of the cow and is full of marbling, which means its full of flavor but this also means that it is a tough cut of meat. I like to do a few things to maximize the tenderness; marinating it with a tenderizer such as alcohol, cooking it over high heat very quickly and then letting it rest and, lastly, cutting it against the natural grain of the meat. Treating the meat this way ensures that this humble cut of meat will be even better than a more expensive cut.

I like to layer flavors when I make fajitas, the meat is only one component. Vegetables, given a bit of special attention, can put your meal over the top. I like to caramelize onions, cooking them low and slow, then dousing them with some reposado tequila at the end, which is dark and aged giving them a sweet, boozy flavor. The homemade guacamole provides heat and creaminess to every bite, these three things together, with a squeeze of lime create the perfect fajita experience.

This recipe serves 4-6, 2 fajitas each.

Ingredients

1 lb Pasture raised flank steak

2 Tbsp my Latin seasoning mixture*

Corn tortillas, I use La Tortilla Factory.

Limes, cut in half.

Monterrey Jack cheese, grated, optional.

Pasture raised sour cream, optional.


Marinade

1/2 Cup reposado tequila

1/4 Cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Cloves organic garlic, minced or grated.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, 1/2 tsp each.

Onions

2 Large sweet, organic onions, sliced.

2 Tbsp pasture raised butter

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

1/4 Cup reposado tequila


Guacamole

4 Avocados, pits removed and scooped out of the skin.

3 Organic roma tomatoes, chopped.

1 Organic shallot, minced.

1 Clove organic garlic, minced or grated.

1 Lime

1/2 tsp ground red pepper, or to taste.

Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Directions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish and place the steak in the dish turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

In a bowl smash the avocado with a potato masher. Add in the remaining ingredients except the lime. Stir to combine well. Juice the lime over the mixture and stir to combine, taste for salt and season as needed. Refrigerate with your meat overnight or at least 3 hours. Bring to room temperature with the meat.

When you are ready to cook, remove the steak from the fridge to come to room temp. While waiting for the steak to come to room temp, cook the onions. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and add in the onions with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 25-30 minutes or until they are deeply brown and caramelized. Add in the tequila and cook for 5 minutes to reduce and remove them from the heat. Cover and set aside.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill over high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and wipe off excess marinade. Sprinkle the meat with 1 Tbsp of seasoning on both sides. Add some olive oil to the pan and sear the meat on all sides, 5 minutes a side. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes under a tent of foil. When ready to serve slice the meat against the grain, very thinly with a very sharp knife.

Warm your tortillas by placing them in a large, clean and damp kitchen towel. Microwave for 2 minutes or until they are steaming and hot. Keep them warm by placing them, with the towel in a covered basket or dish.

To assemble and serve: scoop the guacamole and spread onto a warm tortilla, place the onions on top and then the meat. Top with cheese and drizzle with sour cream, if using and squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!

*Latin Seasoning

1 tsp organic ground cumin
1 tsp organic ground chili powder
1 tsp organic ground corriander
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Slow Cooker Beef Shank & Fresh Tomato Sauce

I really love using my slow cooker in the summer time to make fresh tomato sauces, especially meat laden ones that cook all day low and slow. It creates a thick, rich and flavorful sauce that requires very little work and doesn't heat up your kitchen. I choose inexpensive and tough cuts of meat that have lots of great bone marrow and lots of wonderful fat. The marrow and fat break down during the long, slow cooking process and make for the most delectable sauce you have ever eaten. For this recipe I used a pasture raised beef shank, its such a large and cheap cut of meat and it tastes so wonderful in the tangy, summery tomato sauce. The meat becomes so tender, like the moistest pot roast on the planet! I love to use fresh tomatoes when they are in season because they are so affordable and they taste so fresh and amazing; feel free to use canned tomatoes if you are reading this in winter, it will still be wonderful! We chose to serve ours over some wonderful organic ravioli but feel free to make my homemade pasta or even serve it up over some garlic mashers, that would be amazing as well!

This recipe will serve 8-10 as a sauce over pasta.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs Pasture raised beef shank

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 lbs of fresh organic tomatoes, about 10 apple size tomatoes.

4 Pieces pasture raised bacon, chopped.

2 Medium, organic onions, diced.

6 Organic cloves garlic, minced or grated.

3 Stalks organic celery, diced.

1 Organic fresno chili, diced, I used all the seeds and ribs but if you don't like it super spicy then remove those and chop, any spicy pepper that you like can be used.

1/4 Cup organic tomato paste

1 Cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio.

2 Tbsp organic, fair trade, raw cane sugar, you may need more or less depending on the acid level of your tomatoes.

2 Sprigs organic, fresh rosemary

5 Sprigs organic, fresh thyme

1 Sprig organic, fresh oregano

1 Fresh, organic bay leaf

Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Directions

Bring your shank to room temp, about 30 minutes on the counter.

Salt and pepper your beef shank all over, generously.

In a dutch oven or heavy bottom sauce pan, over medium high heat, brown the beef shank on all sides. Remove and set aside. In the same pan cook the bacon till crispy and remove. Turn the heat down to medium and in the same pan cook the onions, garlic, celery and pepper till soft and translucent about 6 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and stir to melt, add in the white wine and cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Place the beef, bacon and vegetable mixture into a large slow cooker.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and slice an x in the bottom of each tomato. Boil the tomatoes in batches for about 4 minutes, each batch, until the skin starts to peel away from the flesh, remove tomatoes to a large bowl. When all the tomatoes have been boiled and have cooled so that you can work with them, peel the skin off of each tomato and discard the skin. Break up the tomatoes into a bowl, removing the hard stem that runs through them, its usually white and hard you will feel it. You don't need them to break up uniformly its really only to help the cooking process and take out the stem, I just squeeze them with my hands and pull away the soft flesh from the hard part. Add the soft tomato flesh to the slow cooker.

Tie the rosemary, thyme and oregano up with kitchen twine and place in the slow cooker along with the bay leaf. If you don't have twine its fine to place them in there as is, you will just need to look for and remove the stems when the sauce is done.

Cook everything on high for 6-7 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork, it should literally be like slicing through butter, if its not then keep cooking it. When your meat is tender and falling apart remove it and the bones from the sauce. Separate the meat with two forks and pull out any and all bones. You also want to remove anything that isn't tender, mine had some tough, unappetizing fatty pieces. I also like to check inside the bones for any marrow that hasn't made its way out, I push it out with anything long and thin. Add all your shredded meat and any marrow back to your sauce. Remove the herb stems and bay leaf and turn off the heat. Stir to combine well. At this point I taste for salt, pepper and sugar levels and add accordingly. It sometimes takes quite a bit of salt and sugar to get the sauce you want so don't be afraid to add it in! Stir each time you add, and taste.

To serve: ladle sauce over ravioli, homemade pasta, garlic mashed potatoes or even over bread as an open faced sandwich topping, like a fancy sloppy Joe! Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Grilled Sirloin, Creamed Pesto Greens & Artichokes with Boozy Pepper & Onion

My absolute favorite side dish at a steakhouse is creamed spinach, I could eat buckets of it! I was determined to make it at home, so that I can make it with healthier ingredients and make it my own. My recipe uses local goat cheese and a tiny bit of half & half to make a creamy, rich sauce that is satisfying but lower in fat. I also used a combo of fresh spring greens instead of just the quintessential spinach, I used dandelion greens, baby spinach and my own homegrown micro greens. The result had a slight bitter bite from the addition of the dandelions and yet, still had that familiar spinach taste. To bump up the healthiness of the dish I melted some spinach & walnut pesto in at the end along with some baby artichokes, which are also in season! My souped up version was so unique and delicious, I might never make plain creamed spinach again!


What else goes with grilled, grass-fed sirloin...peppers and onions! My version cooks the peppers and onions just till the raw bite has left, and then douses them with a generous amount of whisky! They are perfect piled up on top of your smoky sirloin and creamy greens. They are incredibly sweet and the bitter, tangy greens need that occasional sweet burst. It's similar to a salad with cranberries on it, every once in a while you get a pop of sweet that is so welcome on your taste buds, sublime!

This recipe is written for 2, if you made another steak the sides would be enough for 4.

Ingredients

Steak

1 Small, grass-fed sirloin, we always split one and eat more healthful sides instead of eating more meat.
1 Tbsp grill seasoning blend, I make my own*

Creamed Greens

1 Bunch organic dandelion greens, washed and chopped.
1 Bag organic baby spinach, chopped.
1 Cup organic micro greens, if you can't find these sprouts or baby bok choy would be delicious.
1 Can baby artichokes, not marinated, drained.
2 oz Soft goat cheese, I used Nettle Meadow Fromage Blanc, any soft goat cheese would work. If you don't like goat cheese you can sub in 2 oz cream cheese or mascarpone.
2 Tbsp pasture raised, organic half & half
Olive oil, for sauteing the greens.
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.
1/3 Cup parmesan cheese, grated.
1 Tbsp pesto, I used my homemade spinach & walnut pesto.

Boozy Peppers & Onions

1 Organic red pepper, sliced in strips.
1 Organic onion, sliced.
Olive oil, for sauteing.
1 tsp pasture raised butter
1 tsp grill seasoning blend, same as used on steak*
1/4 Cup whisky

Directions

Get your steak out 30-40 minutes before you are ready to grill, so that it can come to room temperature, season with grill seasoning on both sides and set aside.

Heat up your grill and cook on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes each side, we like our sirloins medium because of the marbling. When the steak has a nice golden crust and is cooked to the temp you desire, set on a cutting board, cover with foil to rest while you finish the sides.

While steak is grilling, heat up a saute pan on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil and a tsp of butter, add in peppers and onions and season with grill seasoning. Cook for 7 minutes until they are slightly soft, deglaze with whisky and let the alcohol cook off, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside.

In another large saute pan heat over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil and add in all greens, salt and pepper generously. When they have wilted add in goat cheese, artichokes and half & half and stir to combine and melt cheese. Remove from heat, add in parmesan cheese and pesto. Stir to combine. This whole process takes about 7-10 minutes.

Serve by spooning a bed of creamed greens with artichokes onto a plate. Cut your steak in half and place one half on the bed of greens and top with peppers and onions. I like to drizzle it all with a little more olive oil.

*My homemade grill seasoning blend:

1 tsp organic dried oregano
1 tsp organic dried thyme
1 tsp organic garlic powder
1 tsp organic onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix all together in a small jar and use for whatever meat or veggies you are grilling. This will store in an airtight container for up to 1 year. It doesn't ever go bad it just loses potency and flavor after time.

Steakhouse At Home

Grilled NY Strip with Horseradish Sauce, "Fully Loaded" Baked Potato & Oven Roasted Spring Asparagus

I love steakhouse meals but I don't always want to pay steakhouse prices, plus sometimes I don't want to worry about making reservations or getting a babysitter lined up. The good news is, most meals with the right ingredients are simple to make at home.  I love to take restaurant meals and personalize them, making them healthier! It makes dinner feel special, while saving you a ton of money and calories! For the price of one plate at a restaurant you can make a whole meal; with leftovers. P.S. the leftovers from this meal make a great spring frittata, recipe coming soon! But let us not deviate from what is important, Steak!

Let's talk steak!  First let's talk about pasture raised beef.  Its higher in omega-3's, vitamins A & E and much, much lower in fat and cholesterol than the feed lot or commercial raised cattle.  Because the pasture raised beef has less fat, you need to be very careful when cooking it. It cooks much faster and is less forgiving if you over cook it. Second, my favorite cut of steak is a NY strip, hands down! It's thick, juicy and has more marbling that a filet, which I happen to prefer. Fat equals flavor and I feel that a strip has enough fat to be tasty but not too much to make it an unhealthy cut.  The other way to keep yourself out of trouble, health wise, is to only eat half a steak.  My husband and I always share one and fill the rest of our place with veggies making us full and satisfied without feeling like you need a nap.

Now let's talk sides. I cannot have steak without a potato and I am partial to oven baked potatoes that are stuffed with whatever your heart desires!  I worked as a waitress in a steakhouse in SC and they always served dinosaur egg size baked potatoes with about 5 or 6 different toppings to chose from, and having all of them meant it was "fully loaded," Oh yeah! I like to recreate this little gem at home but I keep it healthy by cutting the size to more of a ostrich egg size potato and I always use local and all natural dairy toppings.  I always like to make one naughty side dish when making a restaurant inspired meal at home (I mean it does need to be a little naughty if its going to mimic your favorite restaurant accurately).  Then I like to make one very healthy side, for this meal I chose spring asparagus, my local grocery store had this year's first asparagus from a local farm; what's not to love? In season, local, just picked and incredibly cheap! Oven roasted asparagus it is!

The first asparagus of the season is sweet, tender and completely sublime!

That is the best way to shop, in my opinion. I always go and look at what is in season, on sale and looks the best.  Why buy inferior produce just because a recipe calls for it, be open to changing it up.  It's healthier, cheaper and much more delicious.  For example, I normally use chives when topping potatoes but the organic scallions at my grocery store were gorgeous and on sale, so I went with those:

Slightly sharp scallions give that onion kick you need when looking for a
raw onion flavor that doesn't overpower.

The other thing I take into consideration when making sides for a steak is whether the side is easy and low-key because I like to focus all of my attention on cooking the perfect steak, and I don't want to be babysitting a side dish, after all, it is all about the steak!  Both of my sides can cook in the same oven, on the same temperature and need no babysitting!

This meal is for two but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

Steak

1 Pasture raised NY strip, 1lb.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to season the outside of the steak.

Olive oil, for pan


Sauce

2 Tbsp pasture raised, organic sour cream

2 Tbsp prepared horseradish

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.


Potatoes

2 Medium, organic, russet potatoes

1 Tbsp pasture raised,organic sour cream

1/2 Tbsp pasture raised, organic butter or butter substitute, I used Earth's Balance.

2 Tbsp of a sharp, strong cheese, I used an aged, rosemary manchego (the stronger the cheese the less of it you need to feel satisfied).

3 Organic scallions, finely chopped.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.


Asparagus

1 bunch young, spring asparagus

2 Tbsp olive oil

1Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Take out your steak to rest and come to room temperature. This allows you to get the correct, crusty sear without overcooking your steak.

Wash potatoes and place in a baking dish.  Bake for 1 hour or until tender, meaning a butter knife can easily go all the way through.

In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile, snap one asparagus till it breaks naturally. Cut all other asparagus to that same length.  Asparagus naturally break where the stem is tough and you are left with the tender, edible part.  Discard the tough parts, or save for stock.  Place asparagus on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and fresh ground pepper, toss to coat.  When potatoes have 15 minutes left, put the asparagus in the oven and finish with the potato's cooking time.

When you put your asparagus in the oven, preheat a grill pan, or cast iron pan on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper your steak on all sides, liberally.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in your pan and sear the steak on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes a side for medium rare.  Take out of the pan and set on a cutting board cover with foil and let rest.

When your potatoes are done, take out of the oven and cut a slit down the middle, squeeze the sides exposing the flesh of the potato, fill this with all of your toppings except the scallions.  I like to layer it: butter, sour cream and then cheese.  Place back on the baking pan and bake in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes till the cheese has melted.  Place on top of a bed of the asparagus and top with the scallions and fresh ground pepper.

Cut the steak in half and serve with small amount of horseradish sauce on the side and the potato and asparagus. Enjoy and remember to tip!

Medium rare is all we serve in our house, but feel free to cook it more or less
to suit your family's tastes!

Did you know that it's perfectly acceptable, even in a restaurant, to pick up asparagus spears, without sauce and eat them with your hands?  How fun!!