Carb Conscious

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with water. Heat to boiling on high. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on all sides. Evenly coat 2 steaks with enough of the smoky spice blend to coat. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks. Cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; slice crosswise against the grain. 

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

Meanwhile, carefully add the egg to the pot of boiling water and cook 9 minutes for hard-boiled. Reserving the pot, drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water 30 seconds to 1 minute to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, peel the cooked egg, then halve lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper.

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Halve and peel the onion; medium dice. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Peel the carrots; thinly slice into rounds. Cut off any stem ends from the green beans. Cut off the root ends of the bok choy; roughly chop. Peel and medium dice the orange. Halve the tomatoes. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. In a bowl, combine the halved tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, sliced shallot, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and the weeknight hero spice blend. In the pan of reserved fond, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until opaque and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

Meanwhile, in the same pot used to cook the egg, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale and half the diced onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Add the drained chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon purée; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots and remaining diced onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the green beans, chopped bok choy, and togarashi; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly browned and softened. Turn off the heat.

Combine the guacamole and ranch dressing. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey (kneading the packet before opening).

Combine the tzatziki, tahini, and 2 teaspoons of water. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Wash, dry, and quarter the lime. Combine the peanut butter spread, the juice of 2 lime wedges (you will have extra), and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 cooked kale and  chickpeas

• 1/4 marinated vegetables

• 1 sliced smoky-spiced steak

• 1/2 seasoned egg

Transfer the guacamole ranch to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 togarashi vegetables

• 1 sliced steak

Transfer the honey-soy sauce to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 cooked kale and  chickpeas

• 1/4 marinated vegetables

• 1/4 cooked shrimp

• 1/2 diced orange

Transfer the tahini-yogurt dressing to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 togarashi vegetables

• 1/4 cooked shrimp

Transfer the sambal-peanut sauce to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

Garnish each serving of finished steak and vegetables with the guacamole ranch and cheese (crumbling before adding).

Makes 2 servings:

Roughly chop the cashews. Heat the finished steak and togarashi vegetables in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish each serving with the honey-soy sauce, chopped cashews, and sesame seeds.

Makes 2 servings:

Roughly chop the peppers. Garnish each serving of finished shrimp and vegetables with the tahini-yogurt dressing and chopped peppers.

Makes 2 servings:

Roughly chop the peanuts. Heat the finished shrimp and togarashi vegetables in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish each serving with the sambal-peanut sauce and chopped peanuts.