Oh yeah…we all know the summer has officially begun now that Memorial Day has just past us by. We like life on the simple side to guarantee time to thoroughly enjoy all our outdoor activities, but we still need lots of protein to keep our busy bodies satisfied and energized. The grill is hot and our taste buds are getting excited—let’s do it with our “Summer Sirloin Supper”!

Ingredients: (serves 2-3)

• 1 pound grass-fed, ground beef
• 1-2 Tbsp. organic, Herbes de Provence seasoning
• 2-3 slices, organic sweet onion slices
• Approximately 30 Brussel sprouts, cut in half (seasoned as suggested below)

Heat the grill to 350-375 degrees in order to grill Brussel sprouts.

Place halved sprouts in bowl, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning of choice: coriander, Italian seasoning, Old Bay, Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.—toss until sprouts are well-coated and place flat side down on vegetable grilling basket along with oil-sprayed slice onions and place onto pre-heated grill & close lid to insure constant temperature—cooking time ranges from 10-20 min. until all lightly browned.

Place ground beef into bowl, add Herbes de Provence seasoning, two tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly; shape into 2-3 patties.

Once vegetables have been removed to a warmed platter, turn grill to high—add burgers and cook to desired wellness and remove to plate, place one onion slice on each burger, add roasted Brussel sprouts to plate, consume at a leisurely pace while enjoying your outdoor patio ambiance!

Oh so yummy…this week we’re creating “Beef Poppers & Sauce” which can serve as both a main course or as a fun appetizer—it’s up to you. These great little poppers are also a great grab-and-go protein snack for anytime you’re on the run. You can even spend some extra time creating a stock of them to freeze for that quick meal necessity in the future.

Ingredients: (serves approx. 8-12)

• 2 lbs. pounds grass-finished ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. organic ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. organic cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. organic chili pepper
• 2 tsp. organic coconut oil
• 1/4 cup minced organic onion
• 1/4 cup minced organic celery
• 1/4 cup minced pecans

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line an 11 x 17 inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

In medium mixing bowl, combine beef, pepper, cayenne, & chili powder—thoroughly mix; set aside for now.

Melt the coconut oil in a large ceramic skillet over medium heat and add onions & celery; cook until they’re translucent (approx. 4 minutes); add the pecans and sauté for another 2 minutes—set mixture aside until mixture is cooled enough to handle.

Combine the cooled mixture with the meat and form into approx. 24 poppers (meatballs), 1 inch in size.

Place meatballs on the lined baking pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

Serve warm with following sauce:

• 4 Tbsp. organic lemon juice
• 2 organic garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground organic cumin
• 1/2 tsp sweet organic paprika
• 1 pinch organic cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Tbsp organic minced fresh cilantro

Living in Southern California sometimes makes me feel guilty because of our endless sunshine. I am such an outdoor person which is why I do much of my cooking out on my covered patio. That’s where I can truly enjoy every breath of fresh air, after working long hours in an office—it’s my mini vacation each day. So today’s special is called “The Sunshine Skillet”.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak or steak of choice
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Spray olive oil
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, dark green ends only, thinly sliced
• 4 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 2 Tbsp. dry sherry wine
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• Iron skillet

Heat a large cast-iron frying skillet over medium-high heat.

Season meat with ground pepper and lightly spray with oil.

Add meat to skillet and brown it thoroughly.

Transfer meat to a plate.

Lightly spray bell peppers, 3 sliced green onions, and garlic; add to skillet.

Toss all ingredients until lightly browned and then remove to plate.

Add sherry wine, vinegar, and smoked paprika to pan; stirring until all crusted pieces in pan from previous cooking are removed & now in liquid.

Return meat to pan and toss with liquid until thoroughly heated & coated.

Garnish with remaining green onions.

Serve with steamed vegetable of choice.

Enjoy this SUNSHINE of taste!