It Takes Two to Mango

When food supplies are dwindling, I always hum "One" by Three Dog Night. It's one of those songs that's both scary and comforting at the same time, so it's perfect when a life-long emotional eater realizes there's nothing left to eat in the house. I knew this day was coming from the moment I decided to clean out the fridge, and yet, the sheer panic was super real.

So there I was, humming away as I stared into the vast emptiness of my refrigerator, where a lone Ziploc bag of sirloins stared back at me brazenly saying, "Yeah, honey, I'm the only protein you got." They had a very valid point. I just couldn't figure out what to pair them with. I was actually explaining to the sirloins that all I had was an onion and a jalapeno when Charisma snuck up behind me. 

"And mangoes." I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a new voice interrupting my very personal dialogue with the sirloins. (Although, I'm sure she enjoyed the sight of me gripping the fridge door in panic more than any person should.) As I was getting a grip (literally!), I noticed a bag of tortillas hanging out on the side shelf of the refrigerator door. It was my eureka moment for the week, Steak Fajitas with Avocado and Mango.

I like to shake marinades and dressings in a mason jar. They are great storage containers, which means no extra dishes to clean up.

Whenever you marinate anything in a storage bag, make sure you squeeze out a much air as you can without losing the marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour if not more.

Pan fry the sirloins for about three minutes on each side over high heat to get a nice medium to medium rare.

I like to saute my onions and peppers in the same pan I cooked the steaks in. Add some of the leftover marinade to help scrap up the little bits of meat and flavor left in the pan.

No real reason for adding this picture. I just thought it looked nice and wanted to share it. I'm funny like that.

Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. That way all those yummy juices don't go scattering across your cutting board.

Steak Fajitas with Mango and Avocado

You Will Need:

1 lb sirloin steak

1/2 c olive oil

2 limes, zested and juiced

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 Tbsp cumin,
1/2 Tbsp marjoram*
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp ancho chile powder
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
2 mangos, diced
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

In a jar or tupperware bowl, shake together the oil, lime juice and zest, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and spices. Pour over steaks, onions, and pepper in a Ziploc bag and seal, making sure to squeeze as much air out as possible. Let sit for refrigerated for at least 1 hour.

Heat skillet over high heat and heat a tbsp of bacon fat**. Cook the meat for about 3 minutes on each side until medium-rare. Remove and allow to rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions, peppers, and the rest of the marinade to the pan. Simmer until the onions are tender, making sure to scrap up those flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.

Serve on warm corn tortillas, topped with mangoes and avocado.

*Oregano works just as well.

** You can also use a good drizzle of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan if you're looking for healthier options, but really, why waste all that bacon fat by dumping it down the drain. Trust me your stomach, budget, and plumbing will thank you for just saving it in a mason jar in the fridge for cooking grease.

Romaine makes a great Paleo alternative to crunchy taco shells.