This recipe was totally made because I had a few random zucchini’s and sweet potatoes I needed to use up. I thought muffins would be nice and then halfway through making them ON THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE WEEK, I realized I was dumb. But that’s ok, they were tasty enough that I forgave myself for turning on the oven. 
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summer
Marinated Portobello Steaks with Cilantro Chimichurri
I had never made any kind of chimichurri before last week and boy was I missing out. It’s so full of herb-y goodness and in the summer when herbs are everywhere it’s one of the best and simple toppings for pretty much everything. I have also been missing out on marinated portobello mushrooms. What am I doing with my life? 
I hesitated to call these steaks because I’m not trying to replace steak. Sure, portobello mushrooms are considered “meaty” and a lot of people use them in place of steak but I think that does this mushroom a disservice. Why do they have to be like steak to taste good? I finally decided to call them steaks mostly because I prepared them how I would a steak and topped them with chimichurri which is most often used on steak.
Now, my chimichurri is slightly different because most sauces rely heavily on parsley and I went with cilantro. Either way, it brightens up the flavor of this dish and it’s what I had in my fridge, so, yeah. Also, this makes a GREAT weeknight meal because it comes together fast. While you’re marinating the mushrooms you can make the chimichurri and once you’re done with that you only have to cook the mushrooms for about 8 minutes. 
Boom. Dinner.
I say boom a lot when it comes to quick meals. I guess it’s my version of Emeril’s “bam”? Eh, whatever just try this one out and let me know what you think!
Portobello Steaks with Cilantro Chimichurri 
- 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp spicy mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
Chimichurri:
- 1 cup cilantro, stems removed and minced into tiny pieces
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil, more if needed (you don’t want it too dry or super oily)
- juice of one lime
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Place the mushrooms into a large plastic bag, whisk together the marinade ingredients, and pour into the bag. Seal it tightly and smoosh things around a bit and then let the mushrooms marinate while you get the chimichurri together.
- Place all of the chimichurri ingredients into your blender or food processor and pulse a few times. DON’T puree it because you want to leave things a bit chunky. Or puree it if that’s what your heart truly desires. PRO TIP: If you want to stir in avocado chunks after you make the sauce it’s a really tasty addition!
- Heat a cast iron skillet or grill and add in a little olive oil. Cook the mushrooms for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until they start to blacken just a bit. Plate and top with chimichurri and enjoy!
Spiralized Greek Salad
Last week Adam and I headed to Millennium park to hear the Grant Park Orchestra play Mozart’s Mass in C minor. You might not know, but I actually have a degree in music and while I don’t do much with it at this point in my life, I still love listening to performances.
This concert in the park was a lot like Ravinia. Free for the lawn seats and you can bring a picnic and chairs and set up camp while listening to some good music. You can pay to sit in the bowl of the park, but why pay when you can still hear the performance AND eat. Food and music. My two loves. And Adam, of course.
So I knew I needed to come up with some simple and easily transportable food for dinner. I tried out these bean burgers from Minimalist Baker and they were phenomenal. I had mine wrapped in butter lettuce and got a few buns for my bread-loving husband. I also came up with this simple Greek salad but added a little twist by spiralizing the cucumbers. The dressing is equally as simple and it also works great as a marinade (more on that in a later post….)
Whether you have a concert in the park or a summer party to attend, this is a great dish to bring along. If you have time, make it the night before so the dressing can really soak into the salad. This is one of those dishes that taste better over time.
Spiralized Greek Salad 
- 1 large cucumber
- 8 oz of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 2/3 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced thinly
For the dressing:
- 1 tsp dried minced garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp spicy mustard
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Rinse and dry the cucumber and then spiralize. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can also slice the cucumber however you would like. Once you spiralize the cucumber cut up the noodles a little so they are easier to manage. Place into a large bowl.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and then add the rest of the vegetables to the cucumber. Stir to combine everything.
- Quickly stir the dressing again and then pour about half of it over the salad. Stir everything so all the vegetables are coated and then cover and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You can add more dressing before eating if needed.
I know I have been giving you a lot of simple recipes lately and A LOT of recipes that don’t require a heat source. It’s summer. It’s hot and ridiculously humid. And honestly, I’m struggling to come up with a ton of super creative meals lately. I know I’ll get my creative juices flowing again soon, but for now I’m just going to share the few things I have going on in my kitchen right now. Thanks for sticking around and enjoy!
Quick & Simple Gazpacho
I know, I know. Two cold soup recipes in a row but hear me out. I put recipes on the blog that I’ve been eating and it’s been hot here. I haven’t really turned on my oven in over a month. Most things have been made in my slow cooker, on my stove top, or not cooked at all. This is how I eat and that’s what I share with you guys. 
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Vichyssoise with Garlic Chive Drizzle
Vichyssoise, or fishysquaw as my husband calls it, is soup that is typically made with leeks and potatoes and is served cold. It’s also super fancy sounding because it’s French and anything that’s French sounds fancy. Even if it’s gross. Like escargot.
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Life Healthfully Lived 