Creamy Salsa Macha Steak Salad with Roasted Potatoes & Tomatoes

& what I'm reading, watching, and eating

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more on Fridays — right now I’m doing a 30-minute budget meal series! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

Another week down in newborn land! Been trying to be mindful about our days so it doesn’t start to feel like Groundhog Day. I started watching Younger because I wanted something really light and easy, and I know I’m like a decade behind on it, but it’s fun to travel back to the 2010s. It’s also so funny to see how much trends, lingo, and style have changed since then.

I mentioned this last week, but I also bought a Kindle, and I have been reading a lot! I’m currently reading Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I have to say, I’m a little disapointed. I loved Daisy Jones and The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I feel really underwhelmed by Atmosphere so far. It feels incredibly cheesy?! Like the dialogue is childish. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I’m a bit bummed out.

I’ve also been cooking a lot from The First Forty Days. I’ve made her Red Date and Goji Berry Ginger Chicken Soup a couple times now, and it’s sooo delicious and nourishing. I also made the Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats, and I ate them way too fast.

This time of year always feels funny to me because I think of end of August as peak summer, but everyone starts to transition into fall. Clothing brands are dropping coats and sweaters and recipe developers are putting out pumpkin spice recipe. Meanwhile, it’s over 90 degrees, and it won’t cool down in Southern California until October. A bizarre limbo!

But be honest: in terms of recipes, are you feeling more of a fall vibe, or does later summer produce still interest you?

THINGS I’M LOVING!

I’m currently breastfeeding, which means I don’t have a lot of time (or the hands) to make myself lots of food whenever I want! So I’ve been a snacky girl, and I did a big order with Thrive Market this week to make sure I’m stocked up on all the healthy (and tasty) goods. I got everything from Goodles mac and cheese and Joolie’s Date Pops, to salt and vinegar chips and protein popcorn! So many good, healthy brands. They also do low-price matching, so it’s nice to know you’re always getting a good deal — and you don’t have to leave your house!

I’m partnering with Thrive Market this month, and they gave me a discount for my readers! You’ll get 30% off your first order and a free gift by going to http://thrivemarket.com/GoodMoodFood. They’re also running a back-to-school sale right now, so in addition to my 30% off discount, you’ll receive an additional 25% off back-to-school favorites!

I’ll say it again and again, but I had a summer dress renaissance this year. I’ve been so lucky to find so many natural fiber dresses that are comfortable and cute, and I’ve managed to wear them throughout pregnancy and now postpartum. This Organic Cotton Poplin Maxi Dress from Quince is ideal for the transition into fall — it’s a thick cotton and comes in a few different prints and colors. It’s really flattering with the cinched waist, and there’s even a hidden snap closure if you’re breastfeeding!

It’s hard to know what baby stuff you’re going to actually like/use until they’re here, but I have been so, so happy with our Nestig Woodland Cloud Crib! We actually are using a Newton bassinet in our bedroom (with the hopes of attaching it to our bed eventually), but we’ve been keeping the Nestig in our living room, and I loveeee how 1. It blends with the decor in our house seamelessly 2. It has wheels, so we can take it from room to room easily. We’ve even brought it outside while we eat dinner on our front patio. And I’m excited to be able to convert it into a full sized crib and toddler bed down the line!

DISCOUNT CODES!

Supplements

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• Use my link to get up to 45% off Grüns gummy vitamins!

• KALEMEMAYBE gets you 15% off Armra Colostrum!

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Food

• KALEMEMAYBE gets you 10% off Fishwife products!

• KMM10 gets you 10% off your first purchase with Ground Up Nut Butters

• DRIZZLE gets you 20% off Little Zing Mustard

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• CARINA20 gets you 20% off Primal Kitchen products

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• CARINAWOLFF gets you 40% off your first order with Hungryroot!

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Home & Other Products

• CARINA10 gets you 10% off Starter Kits from Branch Basics!

• CW15 gets you 15% off Bon Charge Red Light Therapy

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• CARINA20 gets you 20% off at Eva Polar (energy efficient personal air cooler)

• Use my link to get 20% off at Canopy

• CARINA10 gets you 10% off at Print Fresh (100% cotton pajamas)

RECIPE!

To me, potatoes are fall, and potatoes are summer — therefore, this salad bridges the gap between the seasons, making it the perfect dish for when you’re having a crisis of identity in September.

This might be the first steak recipe I’ve made in a long time that doesn’t use a hanger steak! I used flank steak here, which is usually easier to find. The dressing is made with salsa macha, a thick, spicy, nutty salsa from Veracruz, Mexico, but you could also substitute in chili crisp if salsa macha is tough to find. It’s mixed with Greek yogurt for creaminess and red wine vinegar for acidity.

The salad gets topped with feta, which cuts the spiciness a bit and adds a salty, brininess. I used little gem lettuce as the base here, but you could use anything from romaine, to arugula, or kale. I love how the roasted potatoes get really crispy, while at the same time, the tomatoes get soft and sweet. The contrast is really nice!

Creamy Salsa Macha Steak Salad with Roasted Potatoes & Tomatoes

Ingredients (serves 2)

Steak

• 3/4 lb flank steak

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tbsp neutral oil like avocado oil or canola

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

• Salt & pepper

Salad

• 2 cups thinly sliced gold potatoes

• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Onion salt

• 2 heads of little gems lettuce

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Salsa Macha Yogurt Dressing

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp mild salsa macha

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Start by marinating your steak. Add steaks to a glass container or large bowl along with soy sauce, oil, lemon juice, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper, and let marinate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of your ingredients (chop, make dressing, etc).

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the potatoes and tomatoes, keeping them separated on different sides, and toss both in the olive oil and a few generous dashes of onion salt. Transfer to the oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are crispy on the edges and onions are nice and soft, flipping the potatoes and mixing the tomatoes halfway through.

3. When steak is done marinating, heat up a medium/large cast iron skillet on high heat. Add the steak, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until steak is desired doneness (for medium rare, you want an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit). Let the steak rest 10 minutes before cutting into thin and long bite-sized slices, making sure to go against the grain.

4. While steak is resting, prepare your dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, salsa macha, red wine vinegar, and olive oil until smooth.

5. To assemble salad, add lettuce to a bowl and top with potatoes, tomatoes and sliced steak. Drizzle on the dressing, and finish off with feta and parsley. Toss together, and enjoy!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

Last week, paid subscribers received another recipe as part of my 30-minute budget meal series: Pepperoncini Bean Salad with Torn Bread & Feta! Think a mix between a dense bean salad and a panzanella!

As a reminder, anytime you become a paid subscriber, you get access to ALL of the past recipes in the archive, plus one exclusive recipe a week. You can always do a free 7-day trial, as well.