Upon hearing that this issue was all about beef, our dynamic chef Maya Aldy decided to pay homage to this sacred ingredient by composing something fresh and colorful. When it comes to what Maya cooks, she never forgets to make it healthy but also luscious.

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I have always been a meat lover and I love to cook it anyway I can. Often I pan fry the meat or roast it, but one technique that I like so much is to simply grill the beef. From small cuts of meat to big chunks, I have no problem with it because ultimately, it’s all delicious. I mean, who doesn’t like beef?

Before heading to somewhere healthier, I just want to share with you my favorite kind of steak. Back in New York, I used to go out to the butcher and would buy a good rib eye – preferably somewhere around 300 grams. Then I would come back home and head to the roof to grill it. There, I would throw the meat on a super high heat flame grill and after it has charred on both sides, I simply put it aside for a slow cook session on a lower heat. After that, you have to rest it on the plate before you cut into it. You’ll see that the heat incorporates well, and the juices are sealed inside. It’s so heavenly! I think I am drooling as I write about it now! Haha! The beauty of it is although you see it all charred black outside but it’s actually medium inside. All I need is some good mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper and a nicely composed salad. With a full-flavored steak like that you won’t need anything else!

Phew! Enough for that now and let’s head back to something nice as well as a substitute. I personally want to promote a clean eating lifestyle and of course, it has to be something that makes you feel good at the same time.

In this issue, I want to feature a salad recipe with a lean cut of beef as the main star. As for the rest of the ingredients, I toss in fruits and vegetables, you can pretty much put anything you can find in your fridge or buy something fresh from the supermarket.

First thing first though, I recommend you grill the meat to add that smoky flavor. Well, you can always pan-fried it or even do some slow cooking with olive oil but the thing is if you grill it, the deeper the flavors will be. Then put in some orange, ripened avocado, beets, arugula, or any kind of greens that you like. To add to the symphony of textures, simply crush some roasted peanuts and cashews.

Well, there you have it, a clean and healthy lunch packed with omega 3, antioxidants, and the nutrients that you need. Add sauce to the salad if needed, or a glass of fresh juice to make it an even more energizing meal.

How does that sound? There’s always a wonderful way to savor the beef, right? Not only is it easy to do, it’s also packed with flavor and on top of that, it’s healthy too!

Grill ‘em up and give it a try, guys!
Love,

Maya

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LEAN STEAK SALAD WITH CRUSHED ROASTED PEANUTS, AVOCADO, BEET, ORANGE, AND ARUGULA
Serves 1 large tart tin

INGREDIENTS

• 80-100 gr       Lean steak – tenderloin or rump
• 30 gr                  Salad leaves of your choice (arugula, watercress,                                           lettuce, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, etc)
• 1 pc                     Ripe Avocado
• 1 pc                     Orange
• 1 pc                     Beetroot
• Roasted nuts of your choice (cashew, peanut, or pistachio)
• Simple dressing (mustard, lemon juice, or olive oil)

STEPS

• Heat the grill or pan.
• Season your meat with salt and pepper, cook to your liking and set aside.
• Prepare your salad, mix in the avocado chunks, orange slices, and the roasted beets with your simple dressing and season with salt and pepper.
• Slice your beef diagonally.
• Prepare your chilled plate, put the salad mix in the center of your plate.
• Place the sliced beef on top.
• Drizzle some dressing to taste.
• Sprinkle some crushed nuts over for some texture.

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Health benefits from eating beef:

• Lean beef provides 64.1% of the daily value of the nutrient in just 4 ounces, thus it becomes a very good source of protein.

• Beef is also a good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, but it’s low in fat and that reduce the risk of colon cancer.

• Lean beef is a good source of zinc and selenium. If came from grass-fed beef then it is higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to reduce risk of heart disease.

• Additionally, beef is also rich in phosphorous and iron.

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Featured in THE FOODIE MAGAZINE March 2014 edition

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Photos by: Dennie Benedict