1st Dinner

Justin: 12 oz top sirloin, 1/2 package frozen asparagus
Julia: 1/2 lb (2 links) seafood sausage, 1/2 package frozen asparagus

Preparation:

Steak: Heat 1/2 tablespoon grapeseed oil in cast iron pan. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and cook on medium heat until garlic is slightly sizzling. Add steak, cook through on both sides until medium-rare, turning halfway through cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

Seafood Sausage: In a deep saucepan, combine 3 cups of water, 1 1/2 vegetable bouillon cubes, 1 bay leaf, 2 tablespoons garlic, handful of chopped white onion, 2 tablespoons old bay seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil on high heat for about 5 minutes to allow flavor to infuse the broth. Add sausage and cover, turning sausages every few minutes for 10 minutes. Eat with a few tablespoons of spicy dijon mustard.

Asparagus : Microwave frozen asparagus spears uncovered for 5 minutes. After microwaving, toss the spears with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Lay the asparagus in a baking pan and broil in the oven on high heat for approx. 8-10 mins. Remove from oven and garnish with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Calorie Breakdown:
Julia:
Seafood Sausage: 250 cals
Broth Cals; Negligible
1 oz. dijon mustard: 28 cals
1/2 package asparagus, prepared as above: 105 cals
total: 383 cals

Justin:
Steak, as prepared above: 494
Asparagus: 105 cals
total: 599 calories

Tastiness:
Seafood sausage was surprisingly awesome. This was adapted from my mothers beer-boiled brats recipe, but since I had no beer in the house to boil the sausages in I improvised a savory cooking broth. The asparagus was inspired from last week's 'coupon clipper' recipe on Gothamist.com, and the roasting made the asparagus smoky, firm, and pleasingly crunchy. Justin's steak came out smelling rich and garlicky, and was nicely browned on both sides. The steak was a little bit of a splurge, but since the week seems pretty nutritionally balanced over the week I think it'll be ok. So far, we're eating high-protein, veggie-focused meals without feeling even slightly deprived.