Spice Crusted Steak Tacos

Steak has a bad rap in some food circles and while many restaurant portions far exceed what is necessary, consuming it occasionally in moderate amounts can provide some important nutrients. Some restaurant tricks for great steak are using cuts that are very marbled, with thick white veins of fat running throughout the meat to provide extra flavor and juiciness, and to baste it in butter as it cooks. However, there are a few tricks that can be used at home to create a lighter, healthier option:

• Let the steak come to room temperature before putting it on a very hot grill and searing both sides to lock in the juices.
• Use a spice rub instead of sauces that are full of sugar (if you do use a sauce, check the label and for reference 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon, most brands have several teaspoons of refined sugar per serving). Just 2 teaspoons a day of refined sugar, either white or brown, can throw off our mineral balance and affect many body functions including energy production and bone health.
• Let the steak sit for 5 to 10 minutes after grilling to keep the juices in (if cut right away the juices will leak out) keeping the steak as moist and juicy as possible.
• Last but not least- buy smaller portions of better quality steak, grass fed and grass finished beef free of antibiotics, hormones and suspicious added “flavors” has more omega-3 fatty acids, more minerals and less saturated fat, and arguably tastes better.

Once the steak is in order the next step is to load up with as many vegetables as possible and an easy way to do so is to make tacos. Any large lettuce leaves or swiss chard can be swapped for traditional tortillas as the outer shell. I used Savoy cabbage this time, it has an interesting looking texture and is thick but easy to tear and bite through, plus it has a light, not very cabbagey flavor. From there the tacos can be filled with chopped vegetables like thinly cut carrot or bell peppers and any kind of salsa adds a variety of color and flavor. It’s best to avoid watery salsas as any excess liquid will maximize their messiness. To top it off, guacamole can bring it all together or as a break from tradition a creamy dressing like a Greek yogurt based tzatziki or a glaze like balsamic reduction could be nice.

This is a versatile spice that combines fresh garlic with smokey cumin, citrusy sumac, earthy oregano, fragrant thyme, a bit of sugar for some sweetness and caramelization and finishes off with some fleur de sel (or sea salt) to bring all the flavours out.