I have a friend who is in the midst of starting his own business. It’s a great company – they’re going to sell athletic apparel that is 100% organic, made out of recycled materials, and is completely Fair Trade. I really admire what Steve is doing – but, boy, watching him work at this will keep me from ever attempting something similar. He’s always working. Always.
He came over to my place the other night to get my help writing his first blog post. At about 9 o’clock, he announced that he hadn’t eaten all day and was starving, so he was going to order Chinese.
After I got over the shock of someone not eating all day until 9pm – I mean, that never happens to me. He said he was “so busy he forgot to eat.” Again: I do not understand this. I NEVER forget to eat! Anyway… after I got over that shock, my next thought was “how is he going to eat all that heavy Chinese food, full of sugar and preservatives, this late at night without feeling sick?”
That’s what you get when your friend is Paleo. I kill your late-night Chinese binges. But, stay with me, I think even Steve would agree that this was for the best.
Steve was resistant to my suggestion that I could make him something at first – he thought it would take me longer to make something than to get delivery. But I know better…
I bet him $25 (which is what he would have spent on delivery) that I could make him a Chinese dinner that was healthy and would leave his tummy happy in less time than the estimated 45 minute delivery time. He took my bet.
And I got to work.
The noodles were easy – I had zucchini and a spiralizer – one of those nifty gadgets that makes fruit and veggies into noodle like curly-Q’s. If you don’t have one, just cut the zucchini in thin little strips. But if you plan on eating Paleo, a sprializer is a good investment. You can get my favorite spiralizer here (it is the perfect tool to make low carb zoodles).
So the noodles were done. Now, for what would go with them. I knew I had a recipe for Paleo teriyaki (which can be loaded with sugar when you buy it at the store or get it at a restaurant) and I had some beef steak in the fridge that I didn’t have immediate plans for. So I go to chopping.
Meanwhile, Steve regaled me with the horrors of trying to start a business. I don’t think he stopped talking the entire time I cooked.
Less than a half hour after I started, I presented Steve with a Paleo version of beef teriyaki and noodles, beating the delivery estimate by over 15 minutes.
The $25 was mine, which I promptly reinvested in Steve’s awesome new business. And he was satisfied and impressed by my efforts. In fact, he said next time he’s going to order in, he might just call me…hmmm…maybe I’ll start a new business too!
You’ll Need: Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean beef steak
- 4 large zucchinis, cut into noodles
- ¾ cup
- 2 large red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- one small chili pepper, sliced (optional)
- salt, black pepper to taste
Directions
- Season the steak with salt and pepper and place it in a shallow baking dish. Pour over ½ cup of teriyaki sauce and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Chop up the broccoli florets into same size pieces, halve or quarter if they're big. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and fry it for 3-4 minutes per side or until done to your liking. Transfer to a plate and leave to rest.
- In the same skillet add the remaining olive oil and heat it over high heat. Add the red pepper strips and broccoli florets and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini noodles and fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining teriyaki sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat. Divide the noodles and veggies between serving plates, top with sliced steak and sprinkle
Am really enjoying your recipes. It is great that you have alternatives for when I can’t buy something at my local shops.
This was so good, thanks for all your great healthy recipes.