Blog Posts and Articles

This post is an installment in our 52 Health Hinges series. Remember, “Small hinges swing big doors.”

Many of my clients have said, “I want to eat better, but I just don’t know what to make.”

I get it. So I’m going to share some of my favorite recipes. They come with my stamp of approval, so you know that they’re healthy, delicious, and relatively easy to make.

Last summer, while I was on maternity leave, my friend Lisa stopped by to meet my new guy and make me lunch. When thinking of sharing some of my favorite recipes with you, this one immediately came to mind.

It’s delicious and free of the top inflammatory food triggers, so it’s good for your digestive system.

The recipe looks long, but please notice that you can work on the first two sections of the recipe beforehand.

I hope you like this salad as much as I do!

The recipe is a slight variation on one from The Paleo Foodie Cookbook: 120 Food Lover’s Recipes for Healthy, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free and Delicious Meals, by Arsy Vartanian.
 
Summer Steak Salad Recipe

Beef:

1 ½ lbs grass-fed flank steak sliced across the grain into thin strips (or pre-sliced “stir-fry beef”)
½ cup coconut aminos
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced (or put through a garlic press)
½ tsp sea salt
 
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate at least two hours and up to overnight.
 
Dressing:

3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice, plus the zest from the limes
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic minced or put through a garlic press
Sri racha or sambal olek (chili garlic paste) to taste
1 tsp honey
 
Whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside so the flavors can marry.

Cook the steak:

Heat 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or other fat) in a skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium high heat.
Remove the steak strips from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Sear the steak strips in batches and set aside to cool to room temp.
 
Meanwhile, prep the salad ingredients:
 
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cool filtered water for ten minutes to take out the bite
1 cup sliced cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup fresh basil (Thai if you can find it)
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (reserve a few for garnish)
 
Immediately before serving, drain the red onion and blot dry with paper towels. Toss the vegetables with the dressing, plate, top with the cooked beef, and garnish with reserved cilantro leaves. Julienned red bell pepper can be substituted for the tomatoes. 

Note: You’re not missing something – this recipe doesn’t include greens like spinach, arugula, or romaine. I thought it was weird, too, so I tried it with greens and didn’t like it as much. Believe it or not!