Recipe #2 - Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms and Onions

Happy Monday! After an awesome weekend (for me anyways), it's back to the grind. Tonight's dish is perfect for those hot summer nights when you want to grill out, but you don't want to spend hours slaving over the hot fire. So grab your Corona and let's go! 


To prepare, you will need the following (yields six 3.5 oz. servings): 


3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TSP dried oregano 
2 TSP minced garlic (or more if you like it heavy like me!)
Freshly ground black pepper (to your liking)
1.5 pounds of lean flank steak 
Table salt 
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 package of white mushrooms (whole) 
Cooking spray 


Start by combining 3 TBSP red wine vinegar, 1 TBSP olive oil, 2 TSP dried oregano, 2 TSP minced garlic and freshly ground black pepper in a shallow glass dish or sealable food storage bag. Cut steak into 3.5 oz portions (I weigh them out on a food scale). Add to marinade, seal and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

Slice onion into 1/2 inch slices. Combine mushrooms and onion and spray with cooking spray. I like to sprinkle mine with a little salt and pepper as well. 

Heat outdoor grill. Once steak has marinated, put steak on the grill, along with mushrooms and onions. Let steak cook for 10-15 minutes (to your liking - I like mine medium). The vegetables will brown and you can then remove them at this time.

Once cooked, remove from grill and serve! You can serve alone or with a healthy side dish (asparagus, salad, broccoli, etc.) Bon appetit! 

Recipe #1 - Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

So normally, I'd think one would start their blog with a razzle me, dazzle me recipe. This is not of those. This recipe for lemon chicken with broccoli is a quick and easy recipe, but is full of flavor and tastes wonderful! It will take 20-25 minutes total so let's dive in!


To prepare, you will need the following (yields 4 servings): 


2 TBSP all purpose flower (I used whole wheat to make it healthier)
1/2 TSP table salt, divided (1/4 to start, 1/4 later)
1/4 TSP black pepper
12 oz. raw chicken breast (I used breast tenders - easier to cut into chunks)
2 TSP extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 CUPS of chicken broth - reduced sodium, fat free, divided (1 cup to start, 1/2 cup later)
2 TSP minced garlic (or more if you're like me and love garlic!)
2 1/2 CUPS broccoli
2 TSP lemon zest (I did not zest my lemon, but be my guest!)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice


Start by combining 1 1/2 TBSP of flour, 1/4 TSP salt and 1/4 TSP pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from package and cut into "chunks".

Lightly coat each chicken "chunk" with breading. Be careful not to make it to heavy (see below).

Heat 2 TSP olive oil in a large, non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for roughly 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side). Remember, these aren't huge chunks of chicken so they will cook rather quickly. Both sides should be browned. Move to a plate once finished. 

Once chicken is removed from pan, add 1 CUP of chicken broth and 2 TSP of garlic to the same pan. Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon. Once it comes to a boil, add 2 1/2 CUPS of broccoli. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. 

In a small bowl or cup, stir together remaining flour (1/2 TBSP), chicken broth (1/2 CUP) and salt (1/4 TSP). Pour over broccoli, cover and let simmer for 1-2 more minutes. Add chicken breast and lemon zest (if desired). Cook 1-2 more minutes, remove from heat and pour 1 TBSP of fresh lemon juice over meal. 

Each serving will yield about 1- 1 1/2 CUPS. If desired, serve over brown rice (my choice) or quinoa to get in your carbohydrates! Enjoy!

Welcome to My Blog!

Welcome to my blog! Before we continue, I'd like for you to take a moment and put yourself in the following scenario...

4:45 a.m. Monday morning. Alarm chiming in your ear to get you up and going for that morning work-out after a long weekend of debauchery. (We all know how hard that is and 75% of the time, you're hitting the snooze button over and over, only to find yourself running 15 minutes late by the time you're up and going.) For this scenario, let's say you were a good boy or girl and did a full hour of intense cardio, and you even stretched before and after! Rushing back to your house, you quickly shower and attempt to prepare a healthy breakfast before jetting out the door to beat morning traffic. (Half of the time you don't even prepare breakfast; you just rush out the door and grab something on the way or do not eat at all! No bueno mi amigos - tisk tisk tisk.)

You sit at a desk all day or do what you do, but eight to ten hours later, you're turning around and making the long haul back home in rush hour traffic. An hour later...extremely annoyed with those drivers who can't drive (but you're the best driver on the road), you drag yourself into your house...STARVING...and find that you have nothing to eat. The last thing you want to do is take the time to cook; you're already famished! So, you run to the nearest restaurant. (In my case, this usually consists of whatever is near - Jimmy John's, Subway, Jimmy Green's (bar food), Lou Malnati's (Chicago deep dish pizza) or Chinese take-out.)

Twenty pounds later, you are wondering how in the world you put on all this weight! Your clothes are too tight and your self esteem is shot! Well my friends, you have your diet to thank! Sure sure, go ahead and make every excuse in the book (I know I sure do), but it boils down to you asking yourself the title of my blog - Hungry? Healthy? How? You know you are hungry, but chances are you probably don't want something healthy at that moment. You want it quick and easy.

The purpose of my blog is teach YOU how you can turn hungry into healthy, but still be satisfied and not deprive yourself of the foods you love (i.e. not living on salads for the rest of your life). More importantly, I want to share how one can find the time to incorporate daily activities such as fitness, work, and socializing into their busy life while still being able to eat healthy!
I am no expert at this, but I hope to become one.  So many of us are in this situation, and I would love to share the secrets I learn with you through my journey. After all, this scenario pretty much sums up the past two years of my life! Thanks for stopping by - ENJOY!