Was getting more real food into your family dinner a New Year’s resolution?
I know you are busy. I know you have littles. But, I also know that there are many families who have made the change to mostly real food.
That means you can do it too!
At my house we’ve done Sunday Night Family Dinner. That’s it. Any other nights were bonuses. No way in heck was a dinner with all four of us happening on a nightly basis.
Weekly? We had a shot at that.
Cooking a family dinner of mostly real food, especially if you choose organic, can seem more expensive, so here are some tips to help.
Tips to Stay in Budget when Choosing Organic
- Eat less.
- Buy Budget organic. Target and Walmart both have organic now!
- Buy Big Box organic. Costco got on board with organic, look for the green signs!
- Buy Online organic. Thrive Market right to your door!
Really, eat less. If you are eating nutrient-dense real food, you will be satisfied with less food. You may want to eat more because it tastes so good, but you don’t need to.
Remember, you are making the trade off for better quality food. When you overeat, that is money that could have been spent on the next REAL FOOD meal.
So here it is, one of our favorites for Family Dinner.
Steak and Onions with ‘Crack’ Brussels Sprouts
It has only 5 ingredients and… it has bacon in it.
BACON!!!!!
It takes about an hour to get on the table, so in ‘mom hours’, that means 30 minutes of prep in the morning before everyone gets up to be ready to make it happen on the stove top in about 30 minutes.
Or, over a couple of hours bouncing around doing all the things that moms do.
But hey, if you are really lucky, your spouse or older child will watch the little ones, giving you some uninterrupted time in the evening or on the weekend. Prepping veggies can be de-stressing when you don’t have little ones tugging on you.
At least, I think so.
Or maybe, you are super duper lucky, and your spouse will make Family Dinner while your well-behaved children do their homework and get their clothes picked out for the next day and while you nap or shower or read a magazine or search the internet for your ideal luxury romantic vacation.
Nope? Not in my house either.
You can add potatoes to the meal if you want, or rice or whatever ‘carb’ favorite your family partakes in. Quinoa too, why not?
At my house, heavy carbs aren’t offered at every meal. I love them. I eat them sometimes. But, my body is a carb hoarder and my hips, the carb cabinets.
So, no. Not every meal.
And, my kids used to fill up on the heavy carbs and leave the veg.
So, no. Not every meal.
All you need for this super easy weeknight or weekend meal is:
- 2 High-temp skillets, cast iron skillet or stainless steel or similar
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Miscellaneous stuff you have on hand, including a plate and foil for holding. Tongs, a wood spoon and a spatula for cooking.
- 5 Ingredients: Steak, Bacon, Butter, 1 big onion, 1 lb. brussels sprouts, spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1 – Steak – I use 100% Grass Fed Sirloin Tip Steak from Sprouts, but use whatever cut you like. About 4-8 oz. per person depending on the size of the person. 🙂
2 – Bacon – I try to always buy organic, but sometimes I pick up bacon from Trader Joe’s because I don’t have time to make multiple grocery stops. About 1 slice per person. Make extra cause you know you’re gonna eat some. 😉
3 – Onion – Always organic. One big one should do. I cut slices for the steak and half slivers for the Brussels Sprouts.
4 – Brussels Sprouts – Always organic. If they are frozen, like from Costco, let them thaw a bit before cutting them in half. About 1 lb.
5 – Butter – Always organic. I use it to cook the onions and the steak. And, I top it with a thin pat of butter before removing from the pan (a restaurant secret for a juicy steak).
Plus – Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder – I use organic spices mostly and some kind of sea salt or pink salt. Herbs and spices don’t count as ingredients, right?
Prepping
- Cut about 3/4 of the onion into slices about 1/4 inch thick and the rest into half slivers
- Cut brussels sprouts in half
- Cut bacon into 1/4 inch bits
Cooking
- Cook Bacon until crisp in a skillet
- Remove to a plate, cover with foil
- Do not remove all the bacon fat from skillet, you will cook the brussels sprouts and slivered onions in it
- Saute sliced onions in butter until soft and golden in the other skillet
- Remove to a plate, cover with foil
- Do not rinse or clean skillet, you will cook the steak in it
- Saute brussels sprouts and slivered onions in bacon fat until brussels sprouts are browned and the onions get soft and golden
- Add bacon bits back in the skillet and heat through
- Put salt, pepper, and garlic powder on one side of the steak
- Add a pat of butter to the skillet you cooked the onions in
- Cook steak, seasoned side down, on med to med high
- Season other side of steak
- Cook a few minutes on each side according to how you like it cooked. We like it rare to medium rare.
Remember, it is just like a burger… put it down and don’t turn it until it has a nice crust and never mush it. - Top with a thin pat of butter and then the sauteed onions
- Serve and ENJOY!
Some Real Food Blogs
Share in the comments your favorite Real Food blogs and let us know when you have tried this delicious dinner!
