Happy New Year everyone! I can still say that right?
I welcome 2018 with open arms, even though 2017 was a pretty great year minus some hurdles big and small. It was the year I celebrated hitting my one year “cancer free” mark, got promoted, watched my nephews and niece grow into little people, welcomed friends’ beautiful babies into the world, stood up/marched for what I believed in, spent an amazing week on the Cape with my family, took two unforgettable trips to Iceland and Montreal with dear friends, saw Hamilton, met my idol Gloria Steinem, listened to Michelle Obama and Billie Jean King speak, read life changing books, fell even more in love with my incredible husband (and dog), and last but not least…relaunched my blog! Phew, I’m exhausted.
So here we are entering 2018 with excitement and vigor, full of resolutions, goals, and expectations for an amazing year ahead. I’ll admit the subzero temperatures are kind of killing my vibe right now, but I’ve got big goals for myself this year. My #1 goal: be happier. Plain and simple. I plan to do this by spending more of my time doing things that bring me joy and figuring out ways I can insert moments of happiness into my every day.
We are all so caught up in the rat race attempting to accomplish as much as we physically possibly can before our overstimulated heads hit the pillow every night. It’s insane. We never take a beat, sit back, and ask ourselves if all the choices we make during the day make us happy or not. Granted, I’m not a parent and don’t currently have a human to keep alive. I recognize the chaos that brings on a daily basis. But since that isn’t an option for us right now, I’m taking full advantage of this time and I encourage all you overwhelmed parents to prioritize your happiness whenever you can – even if it’s finding five minutes to listen to your favorite podcast on the way to work.
Bottom line, there are ways to be happier on a daily basis, we just have to make a conscious effort to identify them and act. This blog is a perfect example of that to me. I love doing it but have allowed other things to get in the way of me dedicating time to it. So in an effort to reach my 2018 goal, I’m making it a priority. More posts, more delicious recipes, more often. It’s a win-win really – you get great recipes and I get to be a better human. Deal?
This past weekend, Matt and I decided to jazz up our freezing cold Saturday night in. I found this beef & broccoli recipe on Health.com, and have been wanting to make it for a while now. So glad I finally did! We aren’t huge red meat eaters but this dish is a nice treat. It has a beautiful balance of sweet and savory and it’s so easy to make. Plus, it’s healthy and I assume that fits into other people’s resolutions as well. I would recommend hitting it with some salt at the end though to give it that extra punch of flavor. We cut the recipe in half for the two of us but it’s a great dish to serve to a group. I hope you enjoy!
Health.com Broiled Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms (or whatever types of mushrooms you want) halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F, with one rack in the center position and another four inches from broiler. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
- Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup of the marinade. Add steak to remainder, turning to coat.
- Toss broccoli florets and mushrooms on prepared baking sheet with olive oil and reserved marinade. Spread vegetables out in an even layer, transfer to center rack in oven, and roast until just tender, about 10 minutes (less if you cut the recipe in half). Remove baking sheet from oven and set oven to broil.
- Push broccoli and mushrooms to edges of baking sheet and place steak in the center, drizzling over any remaining marinade. Slide baking sheet under broiler and broil until steak begins to char on the outside and a thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 125 F for rare or 135 F for medium-rare, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and let steak rest, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.
- Sprinkle some salt over and meat and serve with the vegetables alongside.
Makes 8 servings.
Heaven on a Plate 
This looks amazing. ..and easy. Glad your blogging again!