Steak Fried Rice

Chinese food is my #2 favorite food - a very close #2 after Italian. Unfortunately there aren't any great Chinese food restaurants in my area. There used to be, but they closed (Thanks COVID). So when I'm craving carbs, and Chinese food, fried rice is my go to. 

The ONLY modification I made to this was I used brown rice. I'm not a fan of brown rice, but I'm trying to be a little better. 

I also cooked the rice last night and let it sit in the fridge. Fried rice to me turns out better when you use left over rice. 

Steak Fried Rice

Recipe from...I have no idea. 

Serves...I have no idea. 4 maybe?

3 quarts water

1 1/2 c long grain white rice

5 T soy sauce

2 T hoisin sauce

1 T sriracha

1 skirt steak, trimmed

2 T toasted sesame oil, divided

4 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin on bias

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 c frozen peas and carrots, thawed

Cook Rice.

Combine soy, hoisin, and sriracha in a bowl; set aside. 

Cut steak with grain into 2" wide pieces, then slice pieces thin against grain. Heat 1 T oil in nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add steak and 2 T soy sauce mixture to skillet and cook until steak is well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer steak to a bowl; set aside. 

Add remaining 1 T oil to skillet, add scallion whites and garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in rice and remaining soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring often, until rice is sizzling and popping loudly, about 4 minutes. Push rice to 1 side of skillet. Pour eggs into empty side and skillet and cook until just set, about 1 minute. Stir eggs, steak,scallion greens and peas/carrots into rice. 

The Best Garlic Grilled Flank Steak

The only modification I made to this is I used a skirt steak instead of flank steak. They're a bit more reasonably priced. Super flavorful marinade. I only left it for an hour, and it was fine. 

The Best Garlic Grilled Flank Steak

Recipe from Sweetcsdesigns.com

Photo from Sweetcdesigns.com

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb flank steak

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper, freshly cracked

1/2 c olive oil

1 tsp Italian herb mix

1/4 c diced garlic

2 oz lemon juice

1 T garlic powder

zest of 1 lemon

Lay flank steak out flat, trim any extra fat or silver skin.

Generously season steak with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and diced garlic to a large bowl or (preferably) a large plastic bag and mix well.

Add steak to bag and let marinate for 40 minutes up to two hours.

Heat grill or start charcoals - aiming for high heat (about 400 degrees).

Remove steak from bag, and sprinkle with garlic powder.

Cook steak on very hot grill, flipping every 4-5 minutes.

Wipe a little olive oil on the grill's grates before adding steak.

For medium rare steak, the steak will cook for about 10 minutes (this will vary depending on your grill, how hot it is outside, if it is windy, etc so be sure to check your steak and how quickly it's cooking).

For a steak that is medium all the way to well done, cook the steak directly over the heat, flipping twice, for 10 minutes as listed above - and then move slightly away from the heat (to a higher rack, or spot where the flames aren't directly underneath) so it will continue to cook to your preferred doneness without becoming too charred.

Remove from grill when steak is at your preferred doneness.

Place a small piece of foil over the steak to "tent" it and let it finish carryover cooking as it rests for 10 minutes.

When steak has rested for at least 10 minutes (don't rush - if you cut it right off the grill the steaks juices will all run out), slice it width-wise (so you have lots of thin strips instead of just a few long strips) against the grain - which is essential to keeping the steak from being too chewy or tough.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Marinades are my jam. While I like a nice steak on the grill with nothing by Montreal Seasoning, I really like to use marinades when it comes to skirt steaks or flank steaks. They both take to marinades nicely. 

I made no modifications to this, except I couldn't find crushed pineapple. All I could find was chunks. I drained them and I put the whole kit and kaboodle in my magic bullet. 

I put in the full tsp of cayenne too. I assumed that's what ground red pepper was. And was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too hot. The pineapple, I think, helped. 

Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Recipe from MyRecipes.com

Photo from MyRecipes

Serves: 4

2 T less-sodium soy sauce

1 T fresh lime juice

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground red pepper

2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed

Cooking spray

1/4 tsp salt

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

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

Spicy Garlic Chicken

This is spicy, but not too spicy. Garlicky, but not too garlicky. And oh so delicious. It'll become part of my rotation for sure. Super easy to make and super flavorful.

My only modification is I didn't have Tabasco, so use Chalula Hot Sauce instead. I think it tastes better than Tabasco. 

Spicy Garlic Chicken

Recipe from Cuisine at Home

Photo from Cuisine At Home

Serves 2

2 boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

2 tsp minced fresh garlic

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp minced fresh lemon zest

2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T honey

2 tsp Tabasco sauce

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir together panko, garlic and oregano; place in a shallow dish. dredge both sides of chicken in panko mixture. 

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, honey and tabasco. 

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned on both sides and cooked through; about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. 

Add lemon juice mixture to the skillet and reduce until syrupy, about 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet, flipping to coat in the glaze. 

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

I feel like I'm always looking for the BEST yogurt marinade for chicken. I've some good ones in the past and I've had some real bad ones. 

This one I put in the Good Ones category. I cut the recipe in half because it's just me and maybe one leftover. It was a really delicious recipe. I will be marking this one as a favorite.

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Photo from Bon Appetit

Serves 6

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

2 c plain whole-milk yogurt

1 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 c olive oil plus more for brushing

6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 T fresh lime juice

1 T garam masala

2 tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 2'piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Working with one chicken breast at a time, put chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/2" thickness. Transfer chicken breasts to a resealable plastic bag.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Brush grill grates with oil. Scrape excess marinade off chicken; season with salt. Grill chicken, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad

I made a version of a Big Mac Salad back in October and really think that recipe is WAY better than this one. 

The dressing for this one wasn't great. It really didn't have a lot of flavor. It was super thick too so I added water to it. If you want to make a Big Mac Salad, I'd make this one instead. 

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad

Recipe from Isavea2z.com

Serves 6 - if this is a side dish. Feeds more like 3 if it's a full meal

Big Mac Cheeseburger Salad Ingredients

Photo from Isavea2z.com

11 oz Ground Beef precooked

4 to 5 cups mixed greens

4 slices of bacon crumbled

3/4 c sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 c Monterey jack cheese shredded

2 T dill pickle relish

1/2 c tomatoes diced

Big Mac Dressing Ingredients

1/2 c mayonnaise sugar free

2 T dill pickle relish

2 T olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 T ketchup sugar free

2 T mustard

2 T white onion minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix it until it's fully combined. Keep this mixture refrigerated until you are ready to use it.

Combine the chopped lettuce in a medium-sized bowl.

Add the diced tomatoes, precooked ground beef (be sure to warm the beef slightly), cheddar cheese, Monterey cheese, pickle relish, and bacon.

Top the cheeseburger salad with the Big Mac dressing you prepped earlier.

Toss the salad until all the ingredients are fully coated with the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Carne Guisada

Carne guisada is a food I've never had. When I saw this recipe, it seems like it has everything in it I love. So I'm making it. It's in the oven right now! 

What is carne guisada? According to the interwebs: 

Carne guisada is a simple, traditional beef stew flavored with cumin, jalapeños, and chili powder. It is popular throughout Latin America, especially in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The dish is usually simmered over low heat for about two hours until the meat becomes tender.

This recipe has a few modifications from that, but either way I'm sure it's going to be delicious. 

Carne Guisada

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 8

3 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper

2 T vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

2 T tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T chili powder

1 T dried oregano

2 tsp ground coriander

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 T all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 c chicken broth

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips

24 flour tortillas, warmed

fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef and cook until browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add onions and 1 teaspoon salt to pot, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, oregano, coriander, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in all of beef and any accumulated juices. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove pot from oven and stir in potatoes and bell peppers. Cover, return pot to oven, and continue to cook until beef and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes longer.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon small amount of stew into center of each tortilla, top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Mexican Chili Verde Chicken Casserole

I think Mexican is one of my top favorite foods. I could likely eat tacos every day. Sometimes, though, it's fun to put everything you'd get on a plate at a Mexican restaurant in one bowl. This recipe did just that. 

Mexican Chili Verde Chicken Casserole

Recipe from MyRecipes.com (basically Cooking Light)

Photo from MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

6 (4-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. pieces

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 T canola oil

3/4 c uncooked long-grain white rice

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/4 c chicken stock or water

1 c fresh corn kernels (3 ears), or frozen, thawed, and drained corn

1 c tomatillo salsa, divided

6 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

Position oven rack 8 inches from heat source. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, stirring once, until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. (Chicken will still be raw at this point.) Transfer chicken to an 8- x 8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Add rice to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until most of the rice turns white, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in beans, stock, corn, and 3/4 cup of the salsa; bring to a simmer over medium. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer mixture to baking dish; stir to combine. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven until rice is tender and chicken is done, about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven; uncover and sprinkle with remaining 2 ounces cheese. Increase oven temperature to high broil. Return baking dish to oven; broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Top with remaining 1/4 cup salsa.

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps are one of my favorite things to order at PF Chang's. I've tried a couple of lettuce wrap recipes and this one is by far the closest. 

The only change I'd make next time is to NOT mis-meausure the soy sauce (I used 1/2 c versus 1/4c - big difference). 

Make this...you won't be disappointed. It's low carb, and can be gluten free if you use tamari instead of soy sauce. 

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Cookingwithkarli.com

Serves: 4

1 lb ground chicken

1/2 onion, diced

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c hoisin sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 5 oz can water chestnuts

3 green onions, sliced

1 head of lettuce

Brown the ground chicken. 

Add the onion, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, ground ginger, sesame oil and water chestnuts. Let simmer until the sauce has reduced, approx. 3 minutes.

Toss the green onions into the pot and stir in before serving.

Serve inside a lettuce leaf.

Calories: 332 cal

Carbohydrates: 14g

Protein: 35g

Fat: 16g 

Fiber: 4g

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream

I've had a hankering for ice cream lately and I slightly over did ice cream this last week. I still want something ice creamy but not so heavy. 

This was a rich, but not overly sweet delicious (n)ice cream. Make this dessert. You won't be disappointed. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream

Recipe from Wholesum Yum

Serving size 1/2 c

1 13.5-oz can Coconut milk (full-fat)

1/2 c Peanut butter (creamy, no sugar added)

1/3 c Coconut oil (measured solid, then melted)

1/4 c Cocoa powder

1/2 c Powdered allulose (or any powdered sweetener*)

1 pinch Sea salt (optional - to taste)

Puree all ingredients in a powerful blender or food processor, until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2 or 2 quart (2 liter) glass freezer safe container. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes, then stir well, especially stirring away from the sides into the center. Cover and freeze for 30 more minutes and stir again. Cover and freeze for 2-3 more hours, until firm.

Chocolate peanut butter nice cream is the best consistency after freezing for 3-4 hours. If storing for longer, simply thaw on the counter for about an hour to soften before eating.

Chili Dog Soup

I am really not sure how this ended up in my recipe list. I must have thought it was interesting at some point. Tonight we found out...it's good. Surprisingly good. I could use a nice big piece of bread with it, but that would defeat the low carb effort. 

Chili Dog Soup

Recipe from Ibreatheimhungry.com

Serves 6

1.5 lbs ground beef (90/10)

1/2 c prepared salsa (I used Pace medium)

3 c water

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 T ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground mustard powder

4 good quality hot dogs, sliced

1/4 c low sugar ketchup

2 T Dijon mustard

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Combine the ground beef, salsa, water, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ground mustard, and sliced hot dogs in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes (or 3 hours in a crockpot on low heat). Stir in the ketchup, mustard, and red wine vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot garnished with your favorite chili dog toppings.

Topping Suggestions: Chopped onions (raw or cooked), shredded cheese, sauerkraut, cilantro, avocado, or anything else you like!

I topped mine with dill pickles, sour cream and cheese. 

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Low Carb Smoothie

I'm not a fruit smoothie fan. I find them too sweet and if you don't watch it, you will add more calories than you think. 

Now talk to me about Chocolate and Peanut Butter anything, and I'm in. I'm horrible at eating breakfast these days. You'd think I'd be better since I'm home, but somehow I just skip it. And I know that's bad. 

I stumbled onto this smoothie recipe from WholeSumYum.com. I've never made one of her recipes and regretted it. 

Nutrition Details: Calories 435 cal, Protein 9g, Carbs 10g

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Low Carb Smoothie

Makes 1 smoothie

1/4 c Peanut butter (creamy)

3 T Cocoa powder

1 c Heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy-free or vegan) JW: I'll try coconut cream in this at some point. 

1 1/2 c Unsweetened almond milk (regular or vanilla) JW: I used regular. 

6 T Powdered erythritol (to taste)

1/8 tsp Sea salt (optional) - JW Notes: I didn't do this, but think I will next time.

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Puree until smooth. Adjust sweetener to taste if desired.

Greek 7 Layer Dip

I don't know why with recipes that are basically a layered anything, I must measure the items. I hardly ever measure...unless I'm baking. But when I make a layered something I measure. Weird. 

Having some friends over today for a social distant wine tasting and catch up. Made this as an appetizer because it sounds delicious. 

Greek 7 Layer Dip

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves 9

8 ounces hummus

1 c 0% fat Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp chopped fresh dill

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Pinch kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 T red onion, minced

1 c English cucumber (about ½ large), ½-inch dice

1 c Roma tomato, seeded, ½-inch dice

1/4 c crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c Kalamata olives, sliced

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

In an 8”x8” or 7″ x 11″glass dish, layer the hummus, yogurt mixture, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, feta and olives.

Serve with whole grain pita chips or baked corn chips.