Happy Labor Day! Celebrate with a Healthy Outdoor Meal

As summer sadly comes to a CLOSE, celebrate Labor Day with a delicious outdoor meal. Refreshingly cool iced tea, foil-wrapped potatoes, a healthy veggie salad and a divine grilled rib eye are a few recipes that will make your end-of-summer meal the best yet.


When it comes to steak, Americans are learning that less meat can be more: more eco-friendly, more healthful, and more delicious. Instead of that huge T-bone or porterhouse, try a smaller rib-eye steak—and make sure it's grass-fed. Grass-fed beef is lower in fat and calories than conventionally raised beef and contains omega-3 FATTY ACIDS and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs), which may boost the immune system and help lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. Keep the goodness going by drizzling the meat with a simple vinaigrette. Grass-fed beef is very lean and is best served rare or medium-rare.

Grilled Grass-Fed Rib Eye Steaks

Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for steaks and grill
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed RED PEPPER
1/4 cup chopped FRESH parsley
2 tablespoons DRAINED capers
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 3/4-inch-thick grass-fed rib-eye steaks
3 garlic cloves, PRESSED
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground BLACK PEPPER

Preparation:
Simmer vinegar in small pan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Add shallots, 1/4 cup oil, and crushed RED PEPPER; return to simmer. Remove from heat; whisk in parsley, capers, and thyme. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Rub both sides of steaks with oil and garlic. Mix paprika, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of steaks. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with oil to coat. Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to PLATES. Spoon vinaigrette over.


Iced Tea with Watermelon Iced Cubes
Watermelon, honey and lemon juice are frozen into flavored ice cubes. Pop them into your iced tea for a burst of summer refreshment.


Grilled Red Potatoes

There’s one less pot to scrub when you grill small red potatoes in foil packets, along with the rib eye steak.

Ingredients:
1 pound small red potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large sheet HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM FOIL

Directions:
Toss potatoes and oil in large bowl. Add salt and pepper; toss to coat well.

Place potatoes in center of foil. Bring up sides of foil; DOUBLE fold top and ends to tightly seal packet.
Grill over medium-high heat 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning packet over halfway through cook time.


Add your favorite healthy salad and enjoy~



Have A Happy & Healthy Labor Day!



Intuitively Yours,
Laurel  ♥