Good morning!
Last night we grilled out steak and it was fabulous.

Now, I rarely crave steak. I’m more of a chicken, pasta or veggie kind of gal. However, sometimes I just need a steak and nothing else will do! Anyone?! So yesterday when we were watching the Derby I look over and said, “I need a steak”, the boyfriend jumped for joy.
(dating tip number one: guys loooove to hear that).
So steak it was. This was marinaded in some sort of Asian marinade from Costco and it was absolutely delicious. We also had some salad and rice but I gave the rice to the boy.

We’re classy like that.
I just ate some of this:

And now I’m high-tailin’ it to church and then plan to spend the rest of the day outside. Sunny California Sundays make me happy indeed. π
Nora@LiveLifeEatRight
May 2, 2010 at 9:00 amI’m with you! I’m not a steak girl, but every now and again I NEED IT! I love it on the grill and when it the perfect medium-rare. Melts in your mouth, you know! Glad you had a beautiful date night! Enjoy Church and your Sunday!
Tracy
May 2, 2010 at 9:07 amWhen do we get to meet the boy?!
Evan Thomas
May 2, 2010 at 9:18 amI know how you mean. I need meat today! Grilling a burger π
Diana
May 2, 2010 at 9:19 amSometimes we need meat :p
Have a great day!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs
May 2, 2010 at 9:21 amYour plates are GORGEOUS!! I have a thing about plates and bowls and spoons, and yours sure fit the bill π
Jil
May 2, 2010 at 9:24 amAww – how cute! I had steak last night, too – I rarely eat it – but it was on the menu and sounded too delicious to pass up!
Christie {Honoring Health}
May 2, 2010 at 9:27 amI do crave steak from time to time and only eat it when I am craving it. It doesn’t settle well in my stomach but sometimes, it is the only thing that will do.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin
May 2, 2010 at 9:28 amAww that setup for dinner looks so cute and romantic!! Glad you guys had a nice evening.
Run Sarah
May 2, 2010 at 9:30 amGorgeous table setting – sounds like a romantic evening!
Kellie@obsessivelyhealthy
May 2, 2010 at 9:35 amMy husband would be thrilled if I told him I wanted a big steak. In fact, I think he would fall in love with you right now if he read your post.
M
May 2, 2010 at 9:38 amDid you post the winner of the Magic Bullet giveaway?
Diana @ frontyardfoodie
May 2, 2010 at 9:52 amIt’s sunny here too and I can’t wait to get out there! I just got back from church myself and there literally is nothing like a sunny Sunday.
anonymous
May 2, 2010 at 10:00 amjenna,
i have an honest question and i really hope you do not take it as an attack. because i know everyone is different and has different needs, and i really am just curious– what changed that made you love meat so much? every time you post nowadays about meat and/or loving it, i just keep remembering your posts from a looooong time ago about how important becoming a vegetarian was to you. what changed?
jenna
May 2, 2010 at 1:05 pmanon,
Well, i was a vegetarian about two years ago….since then, my tastes and body have changed. In the past two years I have graduated culinary school, worked as a chef and moved to the food and wine capital of the country. I’ve learned to honor my body and if I’m craving something, I go for it! I see no problem with a little meat, if that’s what your body is craving.
Samantha (Foodedu)
May 2, 2010 at 10:00 amIt IS a beautiful California day! Enjoy it! That’s funny my fiance’s fave meal is rice, salad and steak–simple food make boys happy!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
May 2, 2010 at 10:01 amSometimes I crave a good steak, too. I also had one last night and it was fabulous!
Hailey S. (Adventures in health)
May 2, 2010 at 10:03 amSometimes you just need a good steak or philly cheese steak! Oh and candle light is the best!!!
Betsy
May 2, 2010 at 10:04 amSo jealous of your sunny day in Cali. It is pouring rain here in Mississippi.
jen trinque @ recipes for creativity
May 2, 2010 at 10:29 amHonestly, I never crave a steak, but I don’t begrudge those who do! Looks like a romantic evening with the mystery boyfriend.
Jessica @ The Process of Healing
May 2, 2010 at 10:32 amI don’t eat steak but I sure do crave MEAT every now and then. And you just have to listen to your body and honor its cravings. I’m SUPER jealous of your Sunny California Sundays!
Jules
May 2, 2010 at 10:37 amhahah love the boyfriend-getting tips! Maybe I’ll use that one on my next date π
Carrie (Love Healthy Living)
May 2, 2010 at 10:39 amWhat is it with men and meat? Since I do consider myself eco-conscious and healthy, I started buying grass-fed beef to serve the hubby and me. It takes a little practice to cook it right, but I’ve come to love grass-fed beef and won’t serve or eat anything else!
Anne @ Food Loving Polar Beara
May 2, 2010 at 10:52 amI’m definitely a steak girl, nothing is better than a goooooooood marinated steak π yum!
Katie
May 2, 2010 at 10:59 amI’d really to train for a century bike ride, and you’re an inspiration. I’ve tried to follow your training plan on the blog, but I haven’t really seen much on your cycling training plan. Any chance you could share with us? Thanks.
Mimi
May 2, 2010 at 11:08 amYour new way of writing is kind of weird and sarcastic, like you are trying to be the Pioneer Woman or something.I liked the Old Jenna better, who wasn’t trying so hard to be funny and clever, just WAS.
Amanda
May 2, 2010 at 11:08 amSometimes only a steak will do ; )
runnerforever
May 2, 2010 at 11:14 amYour dinner at home with the boy looks better than a fine restaurant, nicely done!
Hilary
May 2, 2010 at 11:44 amSundays are often steak night around here. I have one once every couple of weeks and seared ahi on the in-between. It hits the spot sometimes, for sure. We had burgers (I had a veggie but the hubs had the real deal) for lunch today, so we will be skipping Sunday beef night this week.
Maria @ A Healthier Maria
May 2, 2010 at 12:14 pmah you & the boy sound so cute! I wonder if that dating tip still works if I ask him to grill up some asparagus…
Lauren @ Eater not a runner
May 2, 2010 at 12:43 pmSteak just hits the spot sometimes. Yum.
Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat)
May 2, 2010 at 12:46 pmI love grilling out–definitely one of the best things about summer!
eatmovelove
May 2, 2010 at 12:49 pmI have a couple of steaks in my freezer now…perfect-o for grilling…George-Foreman style for me though…that’s what you get when you live in a “BOX” of an apartment.
Melanie
May 2, 2010 at 1:00 pmI have to point out how every single post where Jenna mentions “the boy,” at least one or two people ask when “we get to meet him”. A) In recent history, I don’t believe she has answered that question, and B) at the very beginning she said he would be a private part of her life for a while. I’m as curious as everyone else, but goodness! Take a hint and leave the girl alone about it.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen
May 2, 2010 at 1:10 pmI LOVE that Asian marinade from Costco. I know exactly which one you are talking about….
And I’m the same way. I used to be a vegetarian, and now I’m “Almost Meat-free” π
Liz
May 2, 2010 at 1:34 pmI love me some Steak (with a capital S!). Who won the Magic Bullet?!!!!!!!!!!!
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/
May 2, 2010 at 1:43 pmIt’s nice to see you so happy and that life is going good.
diana@mymarblerye
May 2, 2010 at 2:00 pmI usually don’t eat red meat but I had roast beef at a wedding this weekend and I SERIOUSLY could not stop eating it…it was like I was a vampire or something! I needed it!
Jenny
May 2, 2010 at 2:19 pmI hear ya- every once in a while I’ve gotta get my fix in like nobody’s business!
Lisa (bakebikeblog)
May 2, 2010 at 3:12 pmWhat a sweet dining setting π
amanda
May 2, 2010 at 3:31 pmThe steak looks delicious. That is kinda like me where I don’t crave steak all that often. But when I do…you gotta get the best. Looked like a wonderful meal!
Lori
May 2, 2010 at 3:45 pmMy parents raise Angus cattle, so I grew up with having a lot of meat and potato meals. I’ve never been a really big meat person, but there are occasions where I do want steak. But b/c I grew up with it, I have a hard time eating it in restaurants. It just doesn’t quite taste the same, and they don’t have Kraft bbq sauce!
Kalli@fitandfortysomething
May 2, 2010 at 3:51 pmThat looks like good steak. Every so often I crave it too π
Debbie B
May 2, 2010 at 4:11 pmlooks like you had a great evening π
simpledaisy
May 2, 2010 at 4:14 pmWhat a gorgeous looking dinner:)
Julie @ Pickley Pear
May 2, 2010 at 4:29 pmSteak is for Sunday. If I eat beef it’s typically only on Sundays and I don’t know why! I’m sure the boy loved it too π
Scargosun
May 2, 2010 at 4:37 pmyay! We are dining on NY strips from the farmers market. We must be on the same steak craving schedule. π
Lori
May 2, 2010 at 5:27 pmDo you know how long it takes your body to digest steak? Days
I’ve never heard of anyone craving “steak”. That’s funny!
Kait
May 2, 2010 at 5:59 pmI don’t crave steak very often either, but when I do, man I better get it! Hope you had fun in the sunshine today!
Brooke (Baking with Basil)
May 2, 2010 at 6:24 pmSounds like you had a fun weekend in the sun! Great pictures on the previous post!!
Jennie
May 2, 2010 at 6:46 pmLori, food doesn’t stay in your body for days on end! Do you also believe that gum takes 7 years to digest?! If your body can’t fully digest something it just passes through. Do you think insoluble fiber is bad for you too??
Annoyed
May 2, 2010 at 7:01 pmJennie –
A comparison between meat and insoluble fiber is a bad one. Meat putrefies IN your BODY, accumulates byproducts in myriad places (vessels, arteries), and I could go on and on. Eating meat is your decision but you don’t have to be demeaning to others who raise the topic of vegetarianism. Lori is probably not incompetent, as your tone implies.
Cyndi
May 2, 2010 at 7:01 pmNothing wrong with meat. Just necessary sometimes, okay?
Jaclyn
May 2, 2010 at 7:04 pmJenna I think you’re right–guys love girls who eat meat! LOL. I loved all the pics from the Farmer’s Market you posted yesterday. Summer Farmer’s Markets are pretty much my fav–the baby pictures don’t hurt either ! π
anonymous
May 2, 2010 at 7:07 pmi’m the same anonymous from above. jenna, i appreciate you answering my question! (: i was truly just curious.
Clearly Composed
May 2, 2010 at 7:26 pmmmm…I am having steak envy now! I have found now that I really limit red meat in my diet that when I am craving it I want the best steak around, which luckily for me comes from my very own kitchen! *lol*
Camille
May 2, 2010 at 7:58 pmHaha, my boyfriend would literally think his vegetarian girlfriend was crazy if I said that.
I also might get proposed to on the spot… who knows?
Heather (Heather's Dish)
May 2, 2010 at 8:08 pmso glad you said you like having steak every now and then…sometimes i feel i’m alone in that in bloggerland, but I’m a Texas girl who loves a good piece of red meat every now and then! the Asian marinade sounds fabulous π
Rachel
May 2, 2010 at 8:18 pmThat steak looks soooo good! You’re making me HUNGRY!
Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle
May 2, 2010 at 9:03 pmSounds like a fabulous day!!!!
Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle
May 2, 2010 at 9:05 pmSounds like a fabulous day!!!!
Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards)
May 2, 2010 at 11:34 pmDude. Amazing. There are so not enough “food porn” pictures of steak on these blogs. Good for you girl. Now all I want is a steak too. Looks wonderful. Now if only it was bacon-wrapped…
Helen
May 3, 2010 at 1:28 amIm not really a steak girl but I do love meat. My bf on the other hand loooooves a good bit of meat. It looks lik eyou guys had a great meal.
Lauren @ Running Examiner
May 3, 2010 at 6:08 amVery much agree with the steak thing. I was a vegetarian for a little under four years, but after awhile I found myself craving meat again. (Mostly poultry and seafood, but I concur…sometimes steak tastes amazing). I fully support and endorse vegetarianism/veganism, but it came to a point in my life where it just wasn’t the right thing for me. You have to do what works for you!
Jennie
May 3, 2010 at 6:23 amAnnoyed,
“Eating meat is your decision but you donβt have to be demeaning to others who raise the topic of vegetarianism.” Bingo! NOT eating meat is Lori’s (or your) decision, but she (you) did not have to leave a disgusting comment on Jenna’s post about eating steak. To each her own.
PS- I am eating a doughnut right now for breakfast, and I don’t even know if it’s trans fat free. Living on the edge…….
kelsey@snackingsquirrel.com
May 3, 2010 at 6:51 amsometimes i need me some juicy meat. totally dont wanna gross out any veggies. so i will balance with “sometimes i need me some juicy tempeh!” o yea <3 xoxo
B
May 3, 2010 at 7:21 amI love reading your blog for this very reason. You listen to your body and live a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I don’t eat meat often, but I doubt I could ever become a vegetarian for this very reason. Sometimes this girl just needs a steak!
Raya @ Raya Runs
May 3, 2010 at 7:48 amI totally sympathize, I am not even a big meat eater at all but my favorite kind of meat is red meat!!! I am definitely a steak and potatoes girl at heart π
Ilana
May 3, 2010 at 8:16 amMan, I remember once, many years ago, I just *needed* steak. NEEDED it. I had it every day for like a week. it was the strangest thing. Way to sate that craving!
Steph-exercise physiologist and artist
May 3, 2010 at 8:20 amIsnt is so weird how your body will just tell you sometimes… I NEED MEAT!! I am just like you regarding my eating but sometimes I really just want/need steak!
Hope you are having a great california day! π
Ellie
May 3, 2010 at 8:31 amLooks AMAZING! Can I come!
jessica
May 3, 2010 at 11:48 amHi Jenna,
Just want to say thank you for being honest, sharing your craving for steak and honoring your craving. I’m not a vegetarian but I only have meat a few times a month and I have to admit that a lot of blogs have portray the tone that meat is “bad” and have made me feel guilty for indulging in meat. So, thank you for portraying a healthy tone on your blog.
Cathy
May 3, 2010 at 3:56 pmJennie——-YOUR comments are disgusting not anyone else’s.
Stop analysing other comments—-I’m sure you have better things to do with your time.
Ashley
July 27, 2017 at 1:15 amThanks for giving us the best dinner idea! I love meat. Any type of meat dishes my favorite. This is just awesome. I will definitely make this to night.