The Best Grilled Steak Sandwiches

A couple of weekends ago Kyle and I had such a great time grilling out steaks with some friends. Everything about the evening was fun- the food, the conversation, the company and the game night that ended the evening! Then, it was a bonus because the following Monday we had pretty much everything we needed for these incredibly delicious and incredibly easy steak sandwiches! I don’t know about you guys but we just can’t let good steak go to waste. Actually, I really don’t like letting any food go to waste. However, I don’t want to eat it the exact same way on round two. I have learned that everyone has a leftover preference. I’ve learned that my husband’s family loves turning steak from the night before into steak & potato burritos the next morning. I know of other friends who love steak and eggs. Me? I love a warm and savory steak sandwich. I’ve made this a couple of ways over the years, but I have to say that this one is the best! I was seriously loving every. single. bite. of this sandwich! The flavors all combine perfectly and the spread that I whipped up pretty much seals the deal. I knew that my husband even liked it when he dipped the spoon back in the bowl to slather on a little more of that creamy spread (he is somewhat of a purist, especially when it comes to meat, and so sauces are something with which he is a bit hesitant).

This sandwich is so simple to make. I think I started pulling out the ingredients and cooking the other parts of the sandwich around 6:15 and we were sitting at the table by about 7. I pulled the steak out of the fridge to take some of the chill off. Then I broiled / roasted my red bell pepper just like I always do. You can find quick instructions on that here (or you can buy jarred roasted red bell pepper, of course). Then I heated some olive oil in the skillet and started to saute my mushrooms on medium heat, which probably took about 10 minutes or so. While those cooked on the skillet I was able to quickly whisk together the spread. I have been experimenting with garlic infused olive oil recently and so far am LOVING it! You can use fresh garlic in the sauce if you want, but, I think a tiny bit of the garlic-infused olive oil in the sauce is absolutely delectable and really makes the sauce what it is! After the mushrooms are done I removed them onto a plate and covered to keep warm. I then sauteed some white onions so Kyle could put them on his sandwich. You can definitely do that too if you want!

The next time you decide to grill out steaks, make sure to grill a little extra so that you can enjoy these sandwiches for one of your dinners to follow. It has carbohydrate, veggies, and protein all in one bite. It’s filling, it’s satisfying, it’s nutritious, it’s delicious and I hope you find the time to give it a try!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

THE BEST GRILLED STEAK SANDWICHES

Makes 2 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

For the Sandwiches:

• 4 slices of sourdough bread

• Already grilled steak (about a couple of ounces per sandwich, or however much you want!)

• 1 large Portobello mushroom, sliced into about 1/4 inch-thick slices

• 1 medium red bell pepper, roasted & skin removed (see easy instructions here. Or you can buy jarred already roasted bell peppers at the store)

• 1/2 cup of packed spinach

• Dill Aioli

For the Dill Aioli:

• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic-infused EVOO

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

• sprinkle of salt (1/8 teaspoon or less)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Follow the directions here to slice and roast your red bell pepper.

2. While your bell peppers roast, heat about 2 teaspoons of olive or canola oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.

3. Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes until the mushrooms begin to sweat and become fork-tender.

4. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Your peppers should also be done at this point. Once peeled, keep sealed in foil or covered on same plate as the mushrooms to keep warm.

6. Reheat the steak in the oven or in the microwave (about 1 minute in microwave)

7. Whisk together all of the ingredients for your Dill Aioli

8. Toast the sourdough bread.

9. Now it’s time to assemble the sandwiches! To assemble each sandwich:

   1. On one slice of bread spread about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the aioli.

   2. On the other slice add your spinach, followed by slices of your steak, followed by about half of the sliced roasted red peppers followed by about 4 mushroom slices.

10. Press your sandwich together and enjoy!

Chili Lime Shrimp & Avocado Toast

So, it appears I have a recipe theme of “shrimp meals” going on this month as my last post was this super simple and delicious Grilled Pesto Garden Salad with Warm Balsamic Shrimp. Today I’m continuing on with the theme and sharing my Citrus Shrimp & Avocado Toast Recipe. I have had this one in my recipe binder for years now and it has a regular presence in our home. I don’t know how it has not made it's way to the blog until today! Needless to say, I’m really excited to share this one with you guys.

As you probably already know by now, I’m a big fan of simple meals with simple but tasty quality ingredients. I always ask myself, “How can I bring out the flavors of simple ingredients and pair them together for a memorable meal with family and friends?” I, personally, think this recipe is one that answers this question perfectly. It takes the classic avocado toast but adds a few more ingredients, including a little bit of protein, to help make it a more complete meal and a good option for you and your busy athletes!

The tomatoes can cook on the stove or you can broil them in the oven while you cook the shrimp and toast your bread (I typically broil them so it frees me up to work on the other components of the dish). Once that is complete, you just have to start building your toast! This dish has alllll the wonderful flavors going on with the layer of creamy savory avocado, juicy sweet and salty tomatoes, a pop of sweet yellow corn and those warm citrusy chili shrimp. I seriously do love this dish and it’s so easy for those hot southern summer nights when you want something cool but satisfying for dinner. Whatever your schedule may be, I hope you can enjoy this dish with me this summer!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

CITRUS SHRIMP & AVOCADO TOAST

Makes 4 toasts

INGREDIENTS:

For the Shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Zest of 1 lime

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (you will have shrimp leftover for meals later that week. I typically do 4 to 5 shrimp per piece of toast). I get the smaller shrimp so more fit on each slice of toast :)

For the Toast:

• 4 slices of whole-wheat bread

• 1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 2 small avocados or 1 large avocado)

• 1/2 tablespoon lime juice

• 1 dry pint of cherry tomatoes

• 1 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons frozen & thawed corn (equivalent to 1/4 cup)

• OPTIONAL - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, served on the side and sprinkled over toast

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the shrimp marinade, combine the ingredients for the shrimp in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.

2. Add the shrimp to a plastic sealable bag and then pour in the marinade.

3. Place plastic bag in the refrigerator and allow the shrimp to marinate for around an hour.

4. Set the oven to broil and line a small baking sheet with foil.

5. Add lime juice to the mashed avocado to flavor it and prevent it from browning while you prepare the rest of the dish.

6. In a medium bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes with the 1 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

7. Add the tomatoes to the baking sheet and allow to broil in the oven about 6 to 8 minutes.

8. While the tomatoes cook, heat a medium-sized skillet or grill pan over medium heat.

9. Add the marinated shrimp to the skillet and cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until the shrimp are white throughout.

10. Remove the cooked tomatoes from the broiler and set aside.

11. Begin to toast your bread and remove the shrimp from the heat when done cooking.

12. Place your slices of toast on separate plates or a serving platter and assemble by adding to each slice:

    1. Mashed avocado

    2. Broiled tomatoes

    3. Sweet yellow corn (about 1 tablespoon per toast)

    4. 4 to 5 chili lime shrimp

13. Sprinkle slices with feta, if desired, and enjoy!

NOTE: We often serve our Toast with a simple spinach & mango salad sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Inspired by one of my other recipes found here!

I like serving this flavor-packed Toast with a simple spinach salad tossed with sweet cook mangos, crunchy toasted nutty pumpkin seeds and drizzles of a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

NUTRITION NOTES:

The shrimp and whole grain bread provide PROTEIN

The roasted tomatoes are full of VITAMIN C and LYCOPENE. The vitamin C can help the body absorb any iron found in this dish (like in the whole grain bread or any in the shrimp)

The creamy avocado provides POTASSIUM, LUTEIN, and MONOUNSATURATED FATS. Beneficial for bone health, muscle contractions, good vision, brain health and helping fight inflammation!

MAKE IT AGAIN!

Use any extra ingredients as toppings on salads, mix-ins for eggs, or make another round of this delicious toast!

Grilled Pesto Garden Salad with Warm Balsamic Shrimp

Here is another summer salad idea for ya! I created this salad recipe years ago (probably 5 years ago?) and it has been a consistent favorite for me and my fam ever since. I love this salad not only for its great flavor but also for its simplicity - just what I’m craving on busy weeknights or summer nights. And, I was just telling my husband that I love grilling out because it seems to make for minimal kitchen cleanup, which is a double bonus to me!

This salad is easy to prep with 3 pretty simple steps:

1. Make the balsamic marinade and marinate the shrimp the morning of or a few hours before you plan to grill them (go ahead and skewer them before putting them in the marinade if you intend to cook them skewered on the grill).

2. Chop up all your veggies and add to a bowl with the olive oil and salt.

3. Make sure all other ingredients are on-hand (I used store-bought jarred pesto that I keep in our fridge, but you could prep that ahead too if you wanted to use homemade pesto).

I prepped our shrimp in the morning before church and then in the afternoon prepped the veggies and started to build the salads as items went and came off of the grill.

This is such a super fresh and delicious dinner option that I hope you try it and I hope it makes just as easy of a dinner for your busy family as it does for mine. Depending on how many you are serving, this salad can also make at least one more filling and energizing meal for lunch the next day. The pesto makes it a flavor-packed way to get your veggies and the shrimp bumps up the protein. We enjoyed ours with fresh bread from Central Market’s bakery. I’m LOVING the new Central Market on NW Highway. Sadly, they didn’t have my favorite bread, the chia & flaxseed bread, at this location. However, they did have a Seedsation bread that both my husband and I like and we made that the easy quality carbohydrate of our meal. I’m always a proponent of including some sort of quality carbohydrate with a meal and it’s really important for young athletes. Whether it’s before events to fuel their muscles, getting them ready for an hour or more of running, kicking, jumping, etc. or it’s after the game, restoring used energy pools in the muscle or being used as any energy source for the body so that protein can rebuild and repair, it’s important! I hope you, your family and your young athletes can enjoy this warm simple summer salad.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

GRILLED PESTO GARDEN SALAD WITH WARM BALSAMIC SHRIMP

Makes about 2 to 3 salads

INGREDIENTS:

For Salad

• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved and sliced into about 1/4 inch thick slices

• 1 bunch of asparagus (1 pound, give or take), chopped into about 2-inch long spears

• 1 red bell peppers, cut into large pieces or squares (I like having the bigger grilled pieces to bite into)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large pieces or squares (like the red peppers)

• 4 cups mixed greens (or more if you want bigger salads)

• 2 tablespoons of pesto (plus more for serving, if desired)

• About 1/2 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined (this may get you around 5 to 6 shrimp per person, depending on the shrimp. If you want more then, certainly use more. I bought a pound of shrimp and grilled so that I would have leftovers for a lunch or two during the week)

• OPTIONAL - 1 loaf whole grain rustic bread (we love the Seedsation bread and Chia & Flaxseed bread fro Central Market)

For Vinaigrette for the Shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

• Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. The morning of or a few hours before cooking, whisk together all of the Vinaigrette ingredients.

2. Pour vinaigrette into a large ziplock bag along with the shrimp.

3. Seal tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

4. When ready to cook, heat grill or grill pan to medium heat.

5. Add your pesto to the bottom of a large mixing bowl (you will be adding the grilled veggies to this later and tossing together).

6. Toss the chopped vegetables with 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and a dash of pepper.

7. Grill the vegetables on the grill until they start to soften and begin to get grill marks, about 10 to 20 minutes).

8. Place the grilled veggies in the bowl with the pesto and gently toss together. Tent with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.

9. Remove shrimp from the bowl or bag with marinade and grill about 2 minutes per side.

10. Assemble salad by adding 1 cup of mixed greens to base of each plate.

11. Top the spinach leaves with the warm pesto roasted vegetables.

12. Sprinkle each salad with about 1 tablespoon of feta cheese.

13. Top with your balsamic grilled shrimp

14. Serve with warm crusty rustic bread, if desired, and enjoy!

Make It Again!

With the leftovers from this recipe, I like taking the pesto grilled veggies and the leftover balsamic shrimp and adding it to cooked quinoa and then adding a little feta sprinkled on top. You can give it a quick reheat in the microwave or enjoy it as a cold salad as is!