Bell Pepper and Steak Fajitas

As of late, the general business of life has transformed our weekly menu line-up into something quite mundane.  Last week I asked myself, what could be quick and delicious and a nice departure from the typical meals I'd been preparing.  Then I thought - "der, fajitas".  Fajitas are a great weeknight meal because you really only need one pan, there's minimal preparation and since you use thin slices of meat, it cooks fairly quickly.  If you don't already rely on fajitas to fill a spot in your weekly line up, consider shaking it up with this easy meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 bell peppers, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic minced or pressed
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
1/4 - 1/3 lb. steak, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp coriander
1 Tbsp paprika
Dash chili powder (or to taste)
Serves 2 to 3

DIRECTIONS
Cover the bottom of a large skillet lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and warm over medium to medium-high heat.  Add veggies, sprinkle with salt and stir to coat.  Cook veggies until just tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.  Add garlic and allow to rest on top of the veggie mixture.

Push the veggies to the side and add the sliced steak.  Cook until meat is browned on all sides.  Add 1/3 cup of water and the spice mixture and stir all ingredients together.  Simmer the mixture until the meat is cooked through and the sauce is thickened.

Depending on how hungry you and/or your clan is... serve solo, on top of chopped lettuce or in a low-carb tortilla (along side a salad to make sure you're filled up).  Top with chopped tomatoes if desired.

PHASES
If you're in the Tear Down Phase, don't use the tomatoes.  If you're in phase 1 you may want a little more steak for 2 people.  In Phase 3, serve over lettuce and don't overdo the meat.

NOTES

• MEAT: I used a beef loin flank.  I don't know if your families are as picky as Max, but he wasn't enthralled with this meat.  I'm definitely not an expert on cooking meat, but I find its really hard to dazzle Max unless I prepare a really great cut of beef (or just use ground).  If you have a picky partner or little ones, you might try a better cut of meat, marinating beforehand to tenderize a bit or just substituting chicken.  
• SEASONING:  If you prefer, you can use a packaged taco or fajita seasoning mix.  Make sure to check the sugar content.