Super Easy Citrus Juice

Things that made me smile this week:
-hearing John Paul singing pop songs in the shower
-warm days in the middle of winter (no UnderArmor during my morning runs!)
-ordering this sign for wedding stuff (it's so fancy and I love the sentiment)
-chatting with my wonderful DC cousin over a big glass of red wine
-swapping weekly recipes with my mom over the phone (my homemade raw brownies, her mystery soup...)
-the color of this simple juice.

I went a little crazy with the citrus this week at the grocery store, and had to use some up before they go bad!  Thus, this wonderfully bright juice was born.  Simply squeeze the juice of 2 blood oranges, 1 pummelo and 1 lime into a glass, chill, and serve.  The lime helps cut some of the acidity and tartness of the pummelo, and it's a perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  It would also be a perfect companion to vodka or tequila... I'm just sayin'.

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

It's not often I get a crazy craving for steak, but, when it happens, I get it bad.  For the most recent case of steak fever, I broke open my trusty Everyday Food: Great Food Fast for a summer marinade.  Is there anything more summery than limes?  It's refreshing, tart, and a great foil for tasty red meat. 
I'll be honest: true to my "no cooking meat" form, JP actually cooked the steak while I steamed the green beans.  We poured the juice from the steak on top of the veggies; yum!

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade (Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, 2007)
1/3 c. fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 c.)
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs. flank steak
Coarse salt and black pepper
1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Add the steak and seal the bag (place it in a dish to prevent any leaks); marinate the steak in the fridge, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes.
2. Heat grill to high; lightly oil the grates.  Remove the steak from the marinade letting excess drip off; season with salt and pepper.  Place on grill and cook; turning once, until the meat has reached desired doneness.  Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing thin.

Lime Yogurt Cake with Berry Sauce

Last Tuesday marked the 5-year anniversary of me and John Paul as a couple!  January is always a hard time to celebrate with desserts; we're inevitably trying to eat less junk because we splurged in December, and (forgive me for what I'm about to say) chocolate is becoming less and less appetizing.  When I saw this cake on Smitten Kitchen, I knew it was the perfect compromise.
You see, there's no butter in this cake.  Yes, there is a bit of vegetable oil, but most of the moisture comes from yogurt.  I used full-fat Greek yogurt, which is more tart than traditional recipes, and can be used as a substitute for sour cream in other meals.  The sauce that's paired with the cake uses a minimal amount of sugar, allowing the sweetness to come from the berries.
This cake actually survived four days with us, and the sauce was used on top of the leftover yogurt, and drizzled on top of toast with peanut butter.  It was completely lovely; I think you should make it today!