Happy Friday and salut to you. I was kind of excited to wake up this morning and start writing this post for you. I made this little sandwich wrap on Wednesday night after work and I have been thinking about it ever since. Remember on Wednesday I posted about the slow cooked braised beef and served it with the roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Well I had two pieces of beef left over for the following day – and this is what I came up with.

I sliced the beef into pieces and warmed it back through in the frying pan but not without kicking it up a notch.  A drizzle of honey, pinch of oregano and a squirt of fresh lemon were the extras that made the pan.  After the beef was finished getting somewhat caramelized on the outside ( thanks honey) and moist and tender on the inside, I removed it from the heat and gasped at it for a few minutes.

Ok, I am ready to continue.  I warmed up a couple of pitas in the oven, grabbed some tzatiki, some feta cheese and baby greens.  The wrap was ready to assemble.  As I starting laying out the wrap I could almost taste the flavor combination and was certain I would need two of these fellas for sure.  Not too often do I say OMG after I take a bite of something but this wrap was a guaranteed 9/10.

Ingredients

• 2 Leftover Sirloin Steaks slow roasted, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Honey
• 1/2 Tsp. Oregano
• Juice of half lemon
• Tzatiki sauce
• Pita bread
• Baby greens
• Feta cheese

Method

1. Preheat frying pan and warm beef with a little olive oil.  As it is searing, add the honey, oregano and lemon juice.  Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes over medium heat stirring often.



2. Grab the pita bread and toss it in the oven to warm it through, maybe 3-4 minutes.
3. Assemble the wrap – smear some tzatiki sauce, beef, feta cheese and baby greens.









4. Run to the table and eat
5. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: In this particular case, I didn’t want the pita bread to get crispy.  To prevent that you can rub a little water on the bread before placing it in the oven.  This will act as a steaming mechanism and keep the bread from getting crunchy.

OK, I am going to head out here and prepare for the day. I hope you have a super friday and a good weekend.  Not sure what is on the go this weekend but I will be back on Monday with something to EAT.  Enjoy the weekend!

Take care

zesty

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Ever have leftover food and not know what to do with it?

I had some beef shank left over from last week sitting in the fridge and I wanted to use it up.  I thought what better way then to make a beef sandwich.  Exactly what I did.

How about fresh cheese baguette, tender beef, spiked relish, hint of jalapeno and mozzarella cheese?  Yeah I know, it was holy YUM!

I used what I had on hand, I think another cheese would have worked better but you do with what you have.  The relish was the star of the show, it was paired up with a little mustard, dash of ginger to give it a kick that goes so well with beef.

Ingredients

• Cheese baguette
• Beef ( cooked and pulled apart)
• 2 Tbsp. Relish
• 1 Tsp. Mustard
• 1/2 Tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 Tsp. Ginger
• Mozzarella cheese ( shredded )
• 1 Tsp. Jalapeno pepper ( chopped)

Method

• Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 Degrees F.
• Slice open the baguette leaving one side still in tact.
• In a small bowl, take relish, mustard, red pepper flakes and ginger and mix together.  Add Jalapeno and toss.
• Smear one side of the bread with the relish mixture, top with the cooked beef and add the cheese a top that.
• Close the sandwich, cover with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
• ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For an extra crunch, you can remove the tin foil with 4 minutes to go or put the sandwich directly on the grill.  I like to cook it covered for the first little while to make sure I can cut through the bread with my teeth.

I am off.  Big day at the office, must shower and clean up so I look somewhat presentable.  Have a super mid week Wednesday, enjoy the cloudy weather with rain showers for the next 5 days.  I am guessing it is sunny somewhere.  Tell me it is sunny somewhere!  Talk to you Friday.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Wednesday! Check out these individually topped beef nachos with guacamole, sour cream, green onion, tomato some strip loin beef and a little old cheddar cheese. WOW as I type that I remember eating this plate of nachos and loving every bite.

Pretty simple to make with just a little tedious action of topping each nacho individually. I like to do this so each nacho has the same toppings and flavor and I find my biggest pet peeve with nachos is when they get SOGGY.

Check the photos below to see what you think of these nachos.

Ingredients

• Whole grain nachos
• Strip loin steak
• Guacamole
• Tomatoes
• Green onion
• Sour cream

Method

1. Prepare steak to you either on the grill or in the pan until cooked medium.
2. Let rest for 5 minutes and then slice thinly.
3. Assemble nachos on baking sheet
4. Add steak and cheese toppings and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted
5. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients
6. ENJOY!

Have a super Wednesday. I am slowly catching up with consulting work. If you have a job in with me – thanks so much for being patient. I finally have the back log just under 10 now so I hope to knock this off in a timely fashion over the next few days. I am in Virginia and the weather is so nice!!! 31 Degrees Celcius which for me is HOT! Anyway I shouldl get back to the grind and go have some hotel breakfast. Talk to you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

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Holy Friday!  This week flew by for sure which is surprising after vacation - normally I find the first week drags.  Not the case at all for me which is nice.  I got a good amount of work done this week as well which makes me feel good.  I got a pretty decent response from people interested in the “Help the Student Event” I will be running next month.  I cannot wait!  I have so many fun ideas on how to be frugal yet creative in the kitchen.

Guess what is in store for today…. well you already know if you read the title but I thought I would ask the question anyhow.  I know, lame isn’t it?  Oh well that’s me.  Alright, so let’s begin.  Mexican Beef and Bean wrap.  Sound exciting?  Yeah I thought so.

This is super easy and tasty.  I like the cumin in the beef… I find it smells like sweat but I love the flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans
• 1/2 Cup salsa
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 Tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• Sliced Bell peppers
• 6 (8- to 10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 Cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 Cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)

Method

1. Mix beans, salsa and chili powder in 1-quart saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warm.
3. In another sauce pan, brown the beef with the cumin until cooked through, toss in peppers and let cook for 3 minutes. Add the bean and salsa mixture to the pan and mix thoroughly.
4. Spoon about 1/4 cup bean mixture onto center of each tortilla; spread slightly.
5. Top with lettuce, cheese and tomatoes.
6. Fold over sides of tortillas.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Let’s avoid drying out the meat.  I always use lean ground beef so you have to be careful not to over cook it but at the same time cook it through.  Once it turns from pink to brown you are good to go.  Add the moisture from the beans and peppers and you will be set.

I am off to the dentist today… oh how I love that visit.  Do you find your teeth feel weird after the cleaning… almost loose? But I love rubbing my tongue over them when they are clean.  Do you get your teeth cleaned bi annually or annually.  I am every 6 months.  Enough about the dentist – Have a super Friday and send me a note if you want to participate in Help the Student event!!

Take care

zesty

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Happy Monday! Did anyone watch the super bowl? What did you think of it? I thought it was a pretty good game as far as entertainment went. I didn’t really have a favorite team playing so I was somewhat non biased as to who I was hoping to win. The only thing I was really hoping for is the “FOOD“.

Let’s just say that Zesty In-law delivers yet again.  It seems like time after time zesty in law delivers amazing food and it really doesn’t even matter if the TV is on for me.  Lats night’s line up was no different.  You can sum this up as MAN FOOD night.  Boy was it good.  Around 11:00 pm when I left to come home I could barely waddle my way out to the car.

Menu

• Pulled Pork Sliders on homemade rolls
• Fresh baked beans
• Pork Side Ribs from the Grill
• Beef Ribs with Brandy, Molasses and Coffee ( Check out the size of these things )

I was so excited to see what was on the menu and I knew I would not be disappointed.  The flavors of the food was amazing.  You cannot beat the grill no matter if it is snowing out or not.  I was really impressed with the pulled pork…. delicious and I am pretty sure I could have had 10 little sandwiches.  I stopped at 3 just so I would not look like a total PIG.

I have a couple of big announcements to make this week so stay tuned as one of them may be related to Valentine’s day.  Have a great Monday and be safe.

Take care

zesty

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Ever feel a need to kick the flavor up a little? Well let’s just say this was a zesty first but I loved it. Flank steak marinated in coffee! This was a very flavorful piece of meat. Not only is it unique that I have never tried a sip of coffee in my life I actually loved this flank steak a lot. There definitely was a flavor of coffee but it was not overpowering. By marinating this cut of meat – it was almost like velvet in your mouth. Now don’t get me wrong – I honestly never tried velvet but I can imagine that it would be smooth and tender.

Marinating is a great way to flavor meats and break down the “tough” fibers and ensure tenderness. This process has been around for many years and it is proven. For some, it is a great way to buy less inexpensive meats and still have a great meal. On the meat side, a cut of meat like flank is all the rage because of it’s low fat content. However usually with a low fat content comes low flavor – that is where the marinating comes in to play.

Next time you are craving some beef – give this recipe a try.

Ingredients

• 1 Flank steak – 1 ½ pounds
• 1 Cup strong black coffee or espressos
• 1 ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 Shallot finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp of brown sugar
• ½ Tsp coarse salt
• 1 Tsp ground black pepper

Method

1. Mix all ingredients but the steak, remove about ¼ cup of the  sauce to use later then add flank steak to the remaining marinade and marinate for at least 2 hours (can be up to next day).



2. Pat steak dry. Rub with small amount oil and grill until done basting frequently with the marinade, 3-6 min per side depending on thickness.



3. Rest at least 5 min before slice across grain. Rest is very important for this type of steak.





4. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If not a grill is not available then  broil for the same amount of time.  You do not want to cook this passed medium for optimal flavor and texture.

Around the Blogsphere

Now I know some of you may be looking for a different type of steak so of course I am always on the look out for you.  I happen to have come across a few pretty fun looking pieces of steak.  Check this out when you have some free time.

• Choosing Raw – A very interesting play on a raw steak.  I know I would love this combo.
• Aggie’s Kitchen – A pretty special looking Steak sandwich that i would pretty much love to sink my teeth.
• Sippity Sup – Greg shares a very interesting post on steak and really can enlighten the crowd around cuts of beef.
• Steamy Kitchen – Jaden kicks it up a notch and shares how to turn choice steak into “prime” steak.

So there you have it a fun post on steak with a great way to flavor it with coffee and some other great blogs that talk about steak.  I really hope you have a great weekend and let me know your thoughts on steak.

Take care

zesty

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Today is the day!!  Our first family excursion by vehicle.  I am so excited although somewhat nervous , well not really but you know what I mean.  One of my favorite meals was on tap last night.  Nothing special, nothing fancy just some grilled beef , grilled sweet potatoes and some sugar snap peas sauteed with Balsamic Vinegar.  YUM!

Here are some shots

For the sweet potatoes, I microwave two on HIGH for 9 minutes, then slice them about an inch thick – toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and toss on the grill.

For the peas – I simply just stir fry in olive oil and toss in some balsamic vinegar and cook through (serve crunchy and hot).

Zesty Tip: Next time you grill beef – try turning the meat only ONCE ( Cook completely on one side before flipping and the end result will be juicy and rewarding).

I have a guest post lined up for tomorrow, Thursday and a fun post scheduled for Friday as I am not sure how much internet I will have through the week.  I will post you all on the trip once I return.

Take care

zesty

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So it is late on Wednesday night as I frantically try to write all my thoughts that I want to share with you today.  As you know I am heading to Boston next week for the Healthy Living Summit as a sponsor and a presenter.  I will be doing a presentation on “Blogging 101″ and I’m very excited to add to the food community.  So with Bean town and continuing on the huge BBQ meal from the past weekend, I thought I would share with you a couple of quick and easy “BEAN” dishes as well as a killer grilled beef.

Fava Beans

Ingredients

• Fava beans
• Lime and Dill Epicure Dry Mix
• White Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Place fava beans in water and bring to a boil



2. Let simmer for about 10 minutes



3. Peel outer case and discard





4. Place fava beans in a bowl
5. Add ingredients and let sit



6. ENJOY!

String Beans

Such a simple vegetable and yet so tasty.  I love these fresh from the market and they are so easy to prepare.  For this dish we simply prepped the beans, boiled them until tender, seasoned with salt and pepper then topped with a dollop of butter.  Delicious.

Grilled Beef

Well you know I love beef!  This roast was simply seasoned with salt and pepper – dropped on the grill on indirect heat ( which means heat on one side and not on the other side of the grill – and the meat is placed over the area with no heat)  Cooked until done to your liking.  Then just let it sit before carving and ENJOY!  So simple but such a great flavor.

So there you have a few more items from the BBQ menu.  Tomorrow I will give you the final plating as well as a killer “simple” dessert -  Stay tuned.  I hope you have a great day today and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

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The week is almost over.. well not really but I still find that this week has flown by. Have you ever had a 3 mile long to-do-list and it feels like you’ll never see the end of it? That is exactly how I feel!  But no need to fret, or that’s at least what I keep telling myself.  To help with our busy lives, I decided to share with you an excellent quick meal that was actually very YUMMY.

This quick but tasty meal consisted of left over brown rice,  left over carrots, thin sirloin beef (on sale) and BEET GREENS (a new ingredient for me).  This was super fast to make and was packed with flavor. I loved it.  In addition to all the flavor, it is fairly healthy at the same time.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Cup cooked brown rice
• 3/4 Cup mushrooms (chopped)
• 3 Cups beet greens
• 2 Small sirloin beef pieces
• 3/4 Cup chopped carrots (cooked)
• 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat saute pan, then add olive oil.
2. Prepare beef (trim fat and flavor with salt and pepper).
3. Sear beef on both sides; cook until desired done-ness and remove from pan.
4. Add mushrooms, cooked carrots and rice and begin to stir fry; 4 minutes.
5. Cut beef into smaller pieces and add back into pan.
6. Add barbecue sauce and beet greens; continue cooking for 3 minutes (until beet greens wilt).
7. Remove from heat and plate.
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When working with cheaper cuts of beef, I like to keep them in bigger pieces.  From there, I usually cook them very quickly on high heat and always cut them against the grain to ensure tenderness.  Another trick is to slightly under cook the meat as well.

Question of the day: What is your favorite green vegetable?

I hope you have a great Thursday and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

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Here we have a zesty dish that in the past 12 months – I would rank as one of my favorites.  I ate this bowl of basil beef pesto fettucine in literally 4 minutes.  How is that for indigestion issues?

Every flavor was so amazing.  The dish is comprised of everything I love – basil, beef, pesto, carrots and whole wheat pasta.  Can one really go wrong?  I will let you answer that.

As for the technique for making the sauce, I chose the braising method.  I did this for a couple of reasons.  First, I had a chunk of roast beef saved from a previous meal that was sitting idle in the fridge.  I wanted to revive it and make it moist and tender again.  Secondly, I chose a sturdy carrot to go in the sauce.   To mitigate the issue of a soggy carrot, I cut the carrots quite large on the bias and added them in last to the braising liquid.

The addition of the pesto was easy as I had some left overs from the other day when I made a nice sized batch.  This stuff is sooooooo good.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups whole wheat fettucine
• 1/2 Cup pesto
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Carrots (chopped)
• 1/4 Beef stock
• 1/4 Water
• 1 1/2 Cups cooked beef (chopped)
• 1 Garlic clove (chopped)
• Fresh parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Preheat saucepan to medium heat and sear the beef (about 3 minutes).



3. Add chopped garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
4. Toss in carrot and stir; cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add stock and water, turn the temperature up to high and bring to a boil;  Do not put the lid on.
6. Let the liquid reduce to a thick consistency.
7. Add pesto and stir until warmed through.



8. Drain pasta and add to sauce; toss together.
9. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Before adding the braising liquid, as I always say, sear the beef before hand in a little olive oil and lock in the flavors.

This dish will work equally well with chicken or pork.  To convert this recipe into a vegetarian dish, you could add tofu or simply bulk up on the veggies and be happy.

Question of the day: What is your favorite dish involving pesto?

I hope you have a great day and I look forward to all the exciting feedback and comments.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty