Ginger-Soy "Grilled" Steak and Lemon-Ginger Sweet Potatoes

So everyone, let’s go around the room. I want you to say your name, where you’re from, something interesting that you did this weekend, and then list seven personality traits that you feel describe yourself.

This is where everyone yields a collective, “Huh?”

Interesting thing I did this weekend. Ran to New Jersey. And back. As part of my training, we ran over the George Washington Bridge and through the Palisades, turned back a little over 9 miles in and then ran home. By home I mean 178th Street and Cabrini. And even though I don’t think I’ve ever been that far uptown, after 18.5 miles of running, returning to our meeting spot felt very much like coming home again. Trust me. I did all of the run with a fellow TNT-er, Alan, and honestly I am 100% sure I could not have done it without him. There is just something about having someone running alongside you that keeps you going. I am definitely going to miss him and my other TNT friends (Cindy, Barb, Elkin – this means YOU) when this is all over. I’m already planning the reunions.

Next order of business – seven personality traits. You see, the lovely Chaya of Sweet and Savory Says It All tagged me for a MEME award that requires me to pass it on to 7 other bloggers as well as to list seven characteristics that describe me. Chaya’s blog has so much good food on it – you should definitely check it out!

1. Easygoing – it takes a lot to get me irritated. I am a pretty go-with-the-flow kind of person (in most but not all situations) and can be happy doing just about anything as long as I’m in good company.

2. Driven – I always have some kind of goal that I’m working towards. I.e. marathon training, spending the next 7-8 years getting my MD/PhD, etc.

3. Hopeless Romantic – I want to be swept off my feet. Then again, who doesn’t.

4. Athletic – it’s crazy to me that this is now a part of who I am. Four years ago I had never voluntarily set foot in a gym or even broken a sweat. Now I crave getting my heart rate up. It’s strange how much a person can change in such a short period of time.

5. Empathetic/caring – my friends and family are the most important things in the world to me and I will drop anything if they are in need.

6. Critical – This is something that I don’t necessarily love about myself, but I form opinions about people pretty quickly. I maintain that I can know within twenty minutes of meeting someone whether or not they are worth my time. I like to think that this is not SUCH a bad thing because it means I don’t litter my life with mediocre individuals but I probably also write off people who I would otherwise really get along with. I need to work on giving people more of a chance.

7. Confident – it has taken me a long time to get here but I think I am finally at the point where I can say that I am proud of who I am. That is not to say that I don’t need improvement (everyone does) but when I walk into a room I don’t immediately feel that I am inferior to everyone around me. I have a lot going for me, and I think I actually realize that now.

I would like to pass this on to: Kristin of Sogkonnite Living, Sophia of Burp and Slurp, Mari of Namaste, Jen of Pieces of Me, Katherine of Smoky Mountain Cafe, Shannon of Tri 2 Cook, and Denise of Keeper Worthy Recipes.

Onward. What does one crave after running 18.5 miles? Red meat. And salt. This recipe from Bon Appetit’s Fast/Easy/Fresh delivers both of these things. Absolutely delicious.

And then there are the sweet potatoes. They were intensely sweet from the roasting, and tasted amazing when doused in the marinade from the beef. The sweet and salty combo never fails to please me, and the overabundance of fresh ginger didn’t hurt either.
Ginger-Soy “Grilled” Steak
Serves 4, adapted from Bon Appetit’s Fast/Easy/Fresh

1 1/2 lb beef sirloin
6 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4 scallions

1. Blend all of the marinade ingredients together in a food processor until smooth (everything except the beef and the scallions). Pour into a 9×13 dish. Mix the scallions (chopped) into the marinade. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to one day, turning semi-frequently.

2. Preheat the broiler. Pour the marinade into a small pan and boil. Simmer until reduced slightly. Broil the steak for 5 minutes/side if you want your steak medium rare. Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak and serve with the marinade poured over the top.

Lemon-Ginger Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4, adapted from Seasonal Ontario

2 lb sweet potatoes
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 40. Slice the sweet potatoes into rounds. Mix them in a bowl with the lemon zest, ginger, and melted butter. Place on a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir the sweet potatoes and pour the lemon juice over them. Bake for another 20 minutes until tender and slightly browned.