Steaks with Bacon and Chipotle

I’m definitely filing this in the who woulda thunk category, today.

Really. Who woulda thunk we’d be doing this for thirty weeks – losing weight, gaining strength and stamina, eating better – and actually enjoying it?!? It seriously boggles the mind.

I had to buy a new pair of gym shorts, yesterday, because the old ones were too big and starting to fall off me. All of the XXL clothes have been donated, and while the closet is looking a bit sparse, we’re not buying anything new, right away, except for jeans. I’ve gone from 40×32 to 34×32. Damn, it feels food.

What also feels good is doing things I never even conceived as being possible. Our trainer has us doing the seemingly impossible – and we continually succeed. I may not have a lot of finesse or style, but I’m making up for it with pure grit and determination. I figure finesse and style will come, eventually – my main focus right now is simply not dying while I’m doing whatever crazed thing he has us doing. Remembering to breathe is important.

Eating is important, too.

And we’re definitely eating. Tonight was a celebratory steak topped with bacon, onion, tomato, and chipotle. Ridiculously good. The idea came from the NY Times Cooking pages.

Bacon and Chipotle Sauce

  • 4 oz bacon, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tsp chipotle powder – or to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Cook bacon in a small skillet until crisp. Add diced onions and cook well. Add chipotle powder and quickly mix in. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Cook until everything is hot and reduced to a jam-like consistency. Season with salt & pepper, as desired.

This is one of those things that could be used for anything – starting as the filling for a grilled cheese sandwich! Every bite is pure flavor. I cooked the baby zucchini in it, tonight, and it added some excellent flavor to an often-bland vegetable.

I marinated the steak in the drained tomato juice, cumin, Mexican oregano, and ancho chile powder. I seared it on the stove and finished it in the oven.

Waste not, want not, ya know?!?

So… here’s to another successful week – and the next one coming up.

I’m feeling better and better about this.