It’s hard to believe, but spring is almost here! Texas might be under snow, but daffodils are beginning to bloom pretty much everywhere else. That means that pool, beach, and sun tanning season is upon us. And that also means that most of us are horrified of what this pandemic and quarantine did to our waist lines and our backsides. Sure, there are those who pulled themselves together and changed their lifestyles for the better, but so many of us did the opposite and instead gained a few pounds.

End of February is still perfect time to toughen up, start eating better, move a little, and drop those COVID pounds in no time. For me, Nutrisystem has always been there whenever I needed a helping hand in dieting department. And while I am currently not actively on the program and its meals, what I learned during my time there, stays with me.

You don’t have to eat Nutrisystem meals to lose weight, all you have to do is think what recommendations experts there can give you, look for healthy recipes on Nutrisystem website or app, and get cooking. There is nothing better than fresh, real life food in spring and it’s not that difficult to do. Trust me, I am not a cook out of love for the craft – I am the kind that cooks because she has to, so I am always on the lookout for easy recipes. And this one is just that – easy.

Ingredients for the marinade:

• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• ¼ cup of low sodium soy sauce
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons of organic raw sugar

Ingredients for meat and salad:

• 2 pounds of lean beef (flank steak, tender shoulder)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 medium size organic cucumbers
• 2 large organic tomatoes
• 1 organic orange paprika
• ¼ of iceberg lettuce head
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil

Start the preparation by combining all ingredients for the marinade: oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and raw sugar. Whisk everything in a medium size bowl until smooth. Wash your meat and place it in the marinade. Turn it over a few times to make sure it coats evenly. The mixture will be a bit thick and will cover the meat nicely. I marinated my tender beef shoulders for about two hours, but 30 minutes is perfectly enough.

When you are ready to start cooking, take the meat out of the marinade and pat it dry with paper towel. Season it some, but don’t put too much salt, because it was already covered with soy sauce.

Place the meat in a baking sheet and turn the oven on high broil.

Most chefs recommend cooking the meat for 4 minutes on both sides, but I placed it on the second rack from the top, so a bit further from the heat and cooked for about 7 minutes on each side until the meat temperature inside reached 140 degrees, which is about medium. I was serving this meal to my kids too, so I didn’t want it to be completely bloody. 140 degrees was still plenty red for us and perfectly done to medium.

While the meat is marinating or even cooking, make a quick salad: chop cucumbers, tomatoes, paprika, and lettuce.

If not for kids, I would’ve added some onion too.

My go-to salad dressing is always the same – oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

It works every time and is almost calorie-free.

When the meat is done, take it out, let it rest for a few minutes, slice it, and serve with salad.

This amazing meal is super simple and would get very high marks from Nutrisystem. Your body and your shrinking waist line will thank you, so enjoy and stay healthy!