Feeling Fancy with Flank Steak, Italian Salsa Verde & Farro (Plus More 30-Minute Meals)
Sunday Meal Prep | Week of May 18th
Happy Sunday, readers!
I’m going to just dive right in because I’m so excited about tonight’s recipe: Flank Steak with Italian Salsa Verde and a Farro Salad. Consider inviting your neighbors over tonight, because this is an impress-your-friends kind of meal that comes together in just 30 minutes. Plus, it features two ingredients we haven’t used before in this Sunday Meal Prep series: farro and anchovies. So let’s talk about them.
Farro is a gluten-containing grain, and to be honest, I’ve mostly avoided it because of that. If you have celiac or a gluten allergy, you can easily swap in quinoa or brown rice here. But farro isn’t the same as conventional wheat—it’s a different grain altogether. And when I compared the macros of farro to quinoa (my favorite, nutrient-rich grain), I was surprised by how similar they are.
Here’s a quick breakdown per ½ cup cooked (100g):
Farro: ~125 calories, 4.5g protein, 1g fat, 22g net carbs (3.5g fiber)
Quinoa: ~120 calories, 4g protein, 2g fat, 18.5g net carbs (2.5g fiber)
Compare that to white rice, which has 120 calories, 2g of protein, and 30g net carbs (.5g fiber) for the same serving. Interesting!
Quinoa gets bonus points for being a complete protein, but farro holds its own with it’s chewy texture, nutty flavor, and a bit more fiber. Moral of the story: farro is worth bringing into the rotation if you tolerate gluten and we’re going to be seeing a lot more farro dishes here on Sunday Meal Prep.
Now, onto the anchovies. Please, just keep an open mind for me. I am an anchovies person for a few reasons:
Flavor: They add salty, umami-rich flavor.
Nutrition: They’re loaded with omega-3s.
Toxic Load: As small fish, they tend to be lower in heavy metals than larger ones.
If texture is your issue, don’t worry—you’re not eating whole filets here. We’re blending them into the salsa verde so you’d really never know. This is about boosting flavor and nutrition. But, if you just can’t do it, you can double the capers.
I’ve also broiled the steak, which is so easy to do (4-5 minutes a side), but you can fire up the grill if you prefer. I like flank steak, because it’s lean, but you can make this with any cut, or swap for chicken—a flaky white fish would be equally as delicious (in fact, I may have to make this soon).
On a totally different note: I got a Cold Atmospheric Plasma facial from my girl Jennifer of Beverly Hills Skin Muse last week. CAP is a noninvasive treatment that completely rejuvenates the skin. It boosts collagen, tightens, brightens, and helps fade hyperpigmentation—and there’s even research showing it may reduce the risk of skin cancer. You can see an example of the results here and here. Kind of magical!
I’m all in on this for my almost-40-year-old skin, but four days out and I’ve still got these tiny red dots hanging around. They’re almost like little scabs, and I’m over them, but they are significantly better than they were yesterday or Friday, and I’m excited to see the full results. I think these dots will be totally gone in the next day or say, and apparently your skin just keeps getting better and better over the next month of two. Stay tuned…
Stelo x Oura
I’ve had an Oura Ring for about six months now, and I’m finding the data super helpful for prioritize my sleep. It’s wild how just going to bed 30 minutes earlier can dramatically improve my sleep score and how I feel the next day. I also love it for tracking steps and activity (as long as I’m not pushing a stroller, which it frustratingly doesn’t count).
Recently, Oura announced a partnership with Stelo, a new lifestyle-focused continuous glucose monitor (CGM) made by Dexcom. Dexcom is the same manufacturer that supplies CGMs to people managing diabetes (or other metabolic health companies like Levels)—but with Stelo, you can now get access without a prescription for under $100/month, which is less than half the price of some competitors using the same tech.
Stelo integrates with Oura, so you can layer meal tracking on top of your sleep and activity data. I know, I’m a nutrition nerd, but I’m really excited about this. I just ordered mine and can’t wait to see how it all fits together.
Creatine (and what I’m using)
You all know how I feel about creatine (if not, read this for a refresher). I recently got my first DEXA scan of the year and was thrilled to learn I’ve gained two pounds of muscle—a big win for someone who’s not naturally super athletic or muscular. I really credit it to:
Prioritizing protein
Consistent resistance training
Daily creatine intake
Creatine monohydrate is simple, clean, effective, and generally affordable. I usually just toss a scoop into my water bottle at the gym. But the key is taking it daily, not just on workout days. Rest days are when I tend to forget to take it, so I tried a gummy format and I have to say I like it. Here’s what I have—you don’t need all of these, but options help when you’re trying to build routines:
Thorne Creatine Monohydrate: Basic, clean, effective.
TONE by Arrae (gummy): Tastes like a treat and makes creatine easy on non-gym days. It has a bit of sugar, so I don’t take it daily—but it’s a fun option.
MindBodyGreen Creatine + Taurine: Comes in convenient single-serve packets, which are great for travel or bringing to the gym.
Alright, friends, let’s cook!
If there was ever a week to make every dish, this is the week! Vibrant flavors, plant-rich, high in protein, and easy. All of these dishes come together in around 30 minutes or less, including the Tropical Salmon Bowl that I just can’t get enough off. Ozzie keeps asking me to make that carrot ginger juice again (lol, it’s a dressing), so he will be excited. Bon Appétit!
