Orange Beef & Broccoli (Paleo/AIP/Whole30)
Happy New Year!
Let me reintroduce you to vegetables. 😂
In all seriousness, I so hope that you enjoyed your holiday. Every part of it, including all of the non-vegetable treats. I certainly did! My little sister Etta got married in Colorado on December 14 and that kicked off a solid three weeks of periodic debauchery (aka gluten-free treats, wine, and several rounds of late-night dancing).
Beyond fun.
But…I’m ready for the pendulum to swing back to my usual. I could feel the treats and I could definitely feel falling behind on sleep. It turns out, I really love feeling great and having a ton of energy. I’m not willing to give it up for very long, even for crazy fun.
I’ve spent the last week in a pretty quite mode, easing back into lots of yummy veggies, plenty of water, no caffeine, saunas every morning (I have this portable sauna in my office, I call it The Turtle, you’ll see why if you click through), long walks, and earlier bedtimes. It’s my birthday tomorrow and that’s always the official end of the holiday season for me. (It’s Fresh Tart’s birthday too – happy 14 years old!)
I’m excited for 2020! Things you can expect from me:
- 30 Minute Paleo Meals Cookbook, to be published in the spring of 2020. I just reviewed the PDF from the publisher and it’s looking great! If you want to be notified of pre-sale and signing events, sign up here.
- The Complete Kickass Condiments E-Book. I know, I’ve been teasing this out for awhile. It got pushed to the back burner while I wrote the book above, but it’s coming very soon, I swear!
- A podcast! Stay tuned for more details in the next few weeks…
- Project Vibrancy Meals meal plans. If you’ve struggled to consistently stick with healthy eating, I’ve got you covered with detailed meal plans that are delicious and fill your week with fast, seriously nutritious meals that your family will love. It’s not too late to jump in for your January Whole30 or reset.
- Project Vibrancy Coaching (12 weeks of coaching + 12 weeks of Project Vibrancy Meals). Having a knowledgable and supportive community to hold you accountable and teach you new moves is exciting, fun, and honestly, life-changing.
- Private Batch Cooking Sessions. If you live in or near the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul and you’d like to cook together, send me a note for details and pricing. I LOVE doing this. We can meet in your kitchen or mine and I’ll teach you how to batch cook and store amazing, healthy food for the week.
And more recipes here on Fresh Tart, of course. Like this Orange Beef & Broccoli, which I’m stealing from Week 26 of Project Vibrancy Meals. This is a PVM member favorite.
As we head into the new year, I recorded this video giving my favorite paradigm shift for making lasting changes. It’s been a real game-changer for me! (Catch it here on YouTube.)
My best wishes to you for a Happy & Healthy 2020! Let’s make and eat amazing, nourishing food together. Goal? Vibrancy!
xoxo Stephanie
Orange Beef & Broccoli
Serves 4
Note: For Whole30, soften 4 dates in boiling water for 15 minutes before beginning. If you like, serve over cauliflower rice or white rice (although it’s great on its own).
For the sauce:
Two large oranges, zested and juiced
1/2 cup maple syrup (substitute 4 softened dates for Whole30)
6 tablespoons tamari (substitute coconut aminos for AIP/Whole30)
4 teaspoons fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons arrowroot starch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
For the beef:
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 leek, washed and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper (skip for AIP)
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice (substitute mace for AIP)
For the broccoli:
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 head broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
Sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
Garnish:
Sesame seeds (skip for AIP)
2 tablespoons sliced scallion greens
- Make the sauce. In the bowl of a blender, combine orange juice, zest, syrup (or dates for Whole30), tamari, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger. Process until smooth. Pour sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in arrowroot starch mixture and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the beef. Add oil to a large (12-inch or larger) skillet and set over medium heat. When oil is hot, add leek, a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until leek is tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add beef, a generous sprinkle of salt, and several grind of black pepper to the pan. Saute beef, breaking up the beef with a spatula. Add a bit of water to the pan (the water will help break down the beef more uniformly). Cook the beef gently, continuing to break it up, until water is evaporated. Sprinkle arrowroot starch and Chinese Five Spice (or mace) over beef and cook for just a few minutes more, until beef is just done and still tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Make the broccoli. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot, add broccoli florets and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry broccoli until tender crisp (cover the pan for 2-3 minutes to steam, if you like). Add garlic to pan and stir-fry for another minute.
- Finish and serve the dish. Add beef to pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add half of the sauce to pan and toss to coat and heat through. Add more sauce to taste (you might not use all of the sauce; store remaining sauce for up to a week in the refrigerator). Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with sesame seeds (if using) and scallions.