Bring on the Iron!

After a wonderful mid-day workout, I had a delicious lunch that only took me ten minutes! 

Thin Top Steak with Balsamic Asparagus and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

- 4 ox,. of steak (trimmed) 

-2 cups of spinach

- 3 strawberries

- 1 oz. of Mozzarella Cheese 

- 1 Tbsp. of Pine Nuts or Almonds

- Asparagus 

- 2 tbsp of the Balsamic Vinegar mixture

Balsamic Vinegar:

- 1/2 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar 

-1/2 cup of Olive Oil

- 3 Tbsp. of brown sugar, or agave

- 1 tsp. of paprika 

- 1 tsp. of parsley 

Directions: 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing, and than put 8 asparagus pieces into a baggie with about 2 tbsp. of dressing and marinate (I marinate it in mass, and leave it there for two days before eating...perfect texture!)

2. Place the steak into a frying pan sprayed with canola oil, or on a Gorge Formane Grill, and season with fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, and sea salt).

3. Place the spinach onto a plate and slice the strawberries into thin pieces and place on top. Than slice the fresh mozzarella cheese, and top off with 1 table spoon of pine nuts!

4. Top the salad with about 1 tbsp. of the vinaigrette, and enjoy!!! 

 Asparagus:

- Rich in Antioxidants, which are protective against cancer. 

- Vitamin K: bone health, and good for your brain! 

- Potassium: great for blood glucose control (Lowering blood pressure!)

Spinach:

-  high in Iron, and one of the richest among the dark green leafs. It is important for the production of red blood cells in your body.
- Rich source of Calcium  

- Vitamin A: helps with skin, and nails and is essential for eye sight. 

- B- complex Vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Niacin) 

- Rich in antioxidants (Vitamin C) which is a very powerful antioxidant. 

Steak:

- High in protein (for muscle recovery and synthesis!) 

- Since you are trimming the fat off there will be less, but there is still fat within the steak (marbling part), and this is essential for your hair, nails, skin. 

- B-Vitamins, Vitamin E, and high in Zinc

- Great source of Iron, Magnesium, and potassium! 

Iron:

Iron is essential for the body because it carries oxygen in the blood, and if levels are low you will be weak, and have a difficult time with bodily functions such as maintaining proper body temperature. 

Iron does have two parts: heme and non-heme. Animal foods like meat, fish and poultry have the heme iron, and vegetables have the non-heme Iron. 

How much Iron do you need??

Gender/Age           Iron DRI

Males/14-18            11 mg

Males/19 +              8 mg

Females/14-18        15 mg

Females/19-50        18 mg

Females/51 +             8 mg

Some serving suggestions from the Academy of 

Nutrition and Dietetics are: 

• 3-ounce hamburger – 2.5 milligrams
• ½ cup of cooked baked or refried beans – 2 to 3 milligrams
• one slice of enriched bread – one milligram
• one cup of iron-fortified breakfast cereal – 4 milligrams (more or less). For cereal, check the Nutrition Facts on food labels for the specific amount.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association. Iron and your teen. Available at: http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442463541&terms=iron. Accessed on: December 26, 2012.