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Health & Fitness

Puerto Rico-Inspired Steak Sandwich Uses Plantains as Bread Substitute

This recipe for a Plantain Steak Sandwich calls for the plantains to be pressed into thin strips, crisped and used instead of bread for the sandwich.

I’ve been working as an in-home therapist for kids in the foster care system for about six months now. And while the job has its challenges, it has its rewards.

You may think I’m talking about seeing these kids work through behavioral problems, coping difficulty or intense trauma…and I am. But there’s also other rewards that I never expected.

You see for a few months, I had the privilege of working with a kiddo from Puerto Rico, and for those few months, for the entirety of our hour long session, his father would be cooking up some amazing Spanish flavors.

It was torture for someone like me who is ALWAYS hungry. I made it a point to ask his father each week what exactly he was cooking that night.

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Health Benefits

Plantain – Higher in potassium than bananas, great source of fiber and Vitamins C and A, high in vitamin B6, Magnesium and Folate.
Sirloin – Excellent source of macro and trace minerals, Zinc and Magnesium. Rich in Vitamin B and Carnitine. Contains fat soluble vitamins necessary for utilizing minerals found in foods. Rich in conjugated linoleic acid, which is proven to have strong anticancer effects, as well as palmitoleic acid, which protects from viruses and pathogens.

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But much to my surprise one day, I came out of my session to find this: a plantain sandwich set aside just for me to take home.

I was in awe – plantains pressed into a thin strip, lightly crisped and used as a bread substitute for a steak sandwich. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I knew I would have to remake it at home.

You remember how much I love plantains, right? I'm not saying it's partciularly healthy. It's just too good not to share.

Try this sandwich tonight. Yum, yum, yum!

Plantain Steak Sandwich

Ingredients

  • 2 large plantains
  • Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup shredded jalapeno jack cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 pound top sirloin, cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 pinches cumin
  • 2 pinches dried oregano
  • Sea salt
  • 1/4 cup chipotle mayonnaise (recipe below)
  • 4 slices tomato
  • Lettuce

Directions
Heat enough olive oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Place plantain halves in the oil and cook 1 to 2 minutes, remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
Place plantain halves between 2 cutting boards. Press to flatten. Place the flattened plantains back in the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Place back on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.
Remove oil from the pan reserving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add the garlic, steak, onion, cumin and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, until steak is cooked through. Add in shredded cheese, and stir until just melted.
To serve, spread chipotle mayonnaise on one of the plantain slices. Top with steak and onion mixture, lettuce, and tomato. Place the other plantain half on top to form a sandwich. Cut in half and serve! ENJOY!

Chipotle Mayonnaise

To make chipotle mayonnaise, combine 1/4 cup mayo with 1 tsp adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo. Mix to combine.

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