I’m getting closer to reaching my weight-loss goal. I can finally zip up my fat jeans! Losing the pounds is going more slowly now, but it is certainly easier when I prepare enough food for leftovers and have healthy snacks ready.
I keep plenty of fruit and cut vegetables in the fridge. I also pre-cook a few sweet potatoes to use as sides throughout the week. Adding flavor with spices and herbs is also key to making dieting bearable.

Steak Salad
4 hanger steaks
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped
1 lemon, juice and zest
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pinch each Kosher salt and pepper

Combine mustard, garlic, rosemary, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper in a sealable bag. Add the steaks and massage making sure each is coated with marinade. It is best to marinate overnight in the refrigerator, but at least two hours will be adequate.

Remove the steaks about 30 minutes before starting dinner to allow their temperature to come closer to room temp. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Cook the steaks about 4-5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from the skillet and let sit covered with a foil tent for at least 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

Add half a cup of beef broth to the pan and scrape up any seared bits. Cook about 5 minutes deglazing the pan and making a sauce to serve with dinner.

Prepare a salad with fresh greens and chopped vegetables. I used spinach, cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, cilantro and onions. I mixed some of the pan sauce with yogurt and horseradish to dress my salad and side of sweet potato.

I also had a small piece of wheat bread with dinner. I haven’t had bread since January 6 and it was amazing – a real treat.

Spicy Baked Salmon
4 salmon filets
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 pinch each of salt and pepper
olive oil

Coat each filet with a drizzle of olive oil and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Mix the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper together and sprinkle on top of each filet. Then place in a 375-degree oven and cook for 15 minutes.

The filets are great served with steamed vegetables, but instead I wilted a bag of fresh spinach with sautéed onions, garlic, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. I also had the other half of a sweet potato.

I plan on adding back some healthy carbs and a little dairy (probably cheese) soon. I don’t miss sugar and don’t intend to add that back to my diet. In fact, I previously put sweetened creamer in my morning coffee. Now I heat half a cup of unsweetened almond milk and top off the cup with black coffee. Tastes great to me.